I don’t know about you, but when I hear the words “CHAOS” and “HOLIDAY PANDEMONIUM” on the radio, I pretty much sink into what one could call the antithesis of warm-festive-fuzzy feelings about the holidays.
Let’s be real. I and many of you work more than 40 hours per week. We love our jobs, we love our families, we love the food (!) but from time-to-time, “the holidays” sounds like one more thing we may or may not be able to love, get into, and get to well. Which totally, totally stinks.
Let’s be real. I and many of you work more than 40 hours per week. We love our jobs, we love our families, we love the food (!) but from time-to-time, “the holidays” sounds like one more thing we may or may not be able to love, get into, and get to well. Which totally, totally stinks.
Red Russian kale, Red Onions, Hemp Seeds, Peas. I used Trader Joe's Superfood Preserves and my tried-and-true dressing recipe to make this gem.
Add to this that on so many levels food is your life! But the thought of preparing something magical to share with others in the spare hour you’ll have between work and that potluck is just overwhelming. I know. I’m telling my story, here.
At first, this totally bummed me out. I refuse to bring chips and salsa anywhere! Not when I know I could make the salsa, make the chips, goddammit. Yet in daydream land, yes, why yes I COULD make whatever I want! In this instance, though, reality calls for simplicity. And bringing my nightly meal of brown rice and kale may not exactly go over well.
At first, this totally bummed me out. I refuse to bring chips and salsa anywhere! Not when I know I could make the salsa, make the chips, goddammit. Yet in daydream land, yes, why yes I COULD make whatever I want! In this instance, though, reality calls for simplicity. And bringing my nightly meal of brown rice and kale may not exactly go over well.
Romaine, Avocado-Evoo Mash, Avocado, Cucumbers, Kimchee.
For this reason, I have become the salad maven of many parties I go to. I love that making a good salad can be so easy, and yet can be so different every time. Yet for some reason people shy away from having fun with salads. They fail to realize that, with a few small rules, a salad is virtually impossible to eff up.
For salad success, I suggest you stick to these rules. Then your celebration will be ON without the headache!
For salad success, I suggest you stick to these rules. Then your celebration will be ON without the headache!
Baby Kale, Orange slices, Avocado, and Jicama. Orange Juice EVOO Vin. This was a salad from The LAB in Asheville.
1. Keep it Simple
The best salads only have 3-4 ingredients, and are topped with a stellar dressing.
2. Quality over Quantity
Splurge on good greens instead of just buying as many vegetables as possible. Then buy 2-3 additional veggies that you know you love on their own. That way, you can vary the salad, and in the worst case scenario you can use the veggies for something else. (I’m the queen of turning my leftover salad goodies into stir-fry!)
The best salads only have 3-4 ingredients, and are topped with a stellar dressing.
2. Quality over Quantity
Splurge on good greens instead of just buying as many vegetables as possible. Then buy 2-3 additional veggies that you know you love on their own. That way, you can vary the salad, and in the worst case scenario you can use the veggies for something else. (I’m the queen of turning my leftover salad goodies into stir-fry!)
Spinach, Golden Cherry Tomatoes, raw sliced Golden Beets, Peas, Hemp Seeds, EVOO, Apple Cider Vin.
3. Supersize the Superfoods
With your delicious greens as a base, use nuts, seeds, and superfoods to amp up the nutritional value without affecting the flavor too much. In particular, I add frozen organic peas and hemp seeds to almost every salad. (Peas are SO GOOD FOR YOU.) Hemp seeds, chia, sesame, pumpkin...these are all so great, too.
4. Oldies are Goodies
That quarter cup of roasted potatoes that you just couldn’t bring yourself to eat or trash last night? The 5 lb of grapes that you found at the market but can’t fathom eating all of? These are your gems! Simple leftovers and refrigerator overages are a salad’s best friend. Don’t be afraid to use them!
With your delicious greens as a base, use nuts, seeds, and superfoods to amp up the nutritional value without affecting the flavor too much. In particular, I add frozen organic peas and hemp seeds to almost every salad. (Peas are SO GOOD FOR YOU.) Hemp seeds, chia, sesame, pumpkin...these are all so great, too.
4. Oldies are Goodies
That quarter cup of roasted potatoes that you just couldn’t bring yourself to eat or trash last night? The 5 lb of grapes that you found at the market but can’t fathom eating all of? These are your gems! Simple leftovers and refrigerator overages are a salad’s best friend. Don’t be afraid to use them!
Red Russian kale, leftover Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Sesame Seeds, Shredded Beets, Tahini-Balsamic dressing.
5. Feature One Favorite
It can be really tempting to put all of your favorites in one salad, but I’ve found that the best salads have only one “star.” That rule can apply to an ingredient, a “protein,” a texture, or the dressing, but generally speaking you only want one ingredient that’s prominent in flavor and pizazz. Aim for balance, and you’ll always win!
6. Dress for Success
If your dressing doesn’t wow you, your salad experience won’t either. I always make my own dressing based on this very simple guideline: equal parts each of my favorite oil, vinegar, and variable, a sprinkle of salt, lots of pepper! The “variable” is my favorite condiment, sweetener, or jam at the time. Think orange juice, tahini, balsamic reduction, preserves, maple syrup, mustard, sesame oil. If you start simple, over time you’ll learn how to bedazzle it to your own liking without any loss! If making the dressing scares the pants off of you, then yes, you can buy your favorite bottled variety! No one will judge you. Just watch out for added sugars that contain no benefit… “grape juice concentrate,” for example.
To Salad Success and Happy Celebrating!
Hannah
Comment below, and tell me what your favorite salad combinations are!
It can be really tempting to put all of your favorites in one salad, but I’ve found that the best salads have only one “star.” That rule can apply to an ingredient, a “protein,” a texture, or the dressing, but generally speaking you only want one ingredient that’s prominent in flavor and pizazz. Aim for balance, and you’ll always win!
6. Dress for Success
If your dressing doesn’t wow you, your salad experience won’t either. I always make my own dressing based on this very simple guideline: equal parts each of my favorite oil, vinegar, and variable, a sprinkle of salt, lots of pepper! The “variable” is my favorite condiment, sweetener, or jam at the time. Think orange juice, tahini, balsamic reduction, preserves, maple syrup, mustard, sesame oil. If you start simple, over time you’ll learn how to bedazzle it to your own liking without any loss! If making the dressing scares the pants off of you, then yes, you can buy your favorite bottled variety! No one will judge you. Just watch out for added sugars that contain no benefit… “grape juice concentrate,” for example.
To Salad Success and Happy Celebrating!
Hannah
Comment below, and tell me what your favorite salad combinations are!
