Tag: salad bar

Salad Bar + Quick & Easy Dressings

I can’t tell you how many people I meet who tell me that they just can’t figure out what kind of salad to put together at a salad bar. They usually end up going with classic caeser or greek salad. I, on the other hand, love experimenting with different ingredients and coming up with all sorts of flavor combinations. Otherwise, I’ll just get bored and dread my salad-eating :)

My all time favorite make-you-own-salad-bar combo would have to be:

crisp rommaine
red cabbage
shredded carrots
beets
craisins
red onions
scoop of tuna

For the dressing, I opt for caeser or honey mustard. To make your own at home, follow my easy recipes below.

I thought it might be fun to see what unique salad combinations you all come up with at a salad bar. To get you in the sharing mood, I’m giving away the book of 500 Sensational Salads by Julia Canning. To enter this giveaway, let me know your favorite make-you-own-salad-bar combination in the comments below. I will choose the most original submission on February 15, 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Salad Nicoise


I love the idea of layered salads. Anything goes and people can pick and choose what they want. It’s almost like a “create your own salad bar” on a platter. It makes for a great Shalosh Seudos dish because you can use up whatever you have left from your meal. If you only used half the container of cherry tomatoes, throw them in. Leftover egg salad? Put a nice scoop in place of the hard boiled eggs. Potato salad can take the place of potatoes. And just about any vegetable makes the cut. Grilled veggies work well too. Plating the salad this way gives it a fresh and clean appearance, even if you are using the leftovers from your meal.

One of my favorite veggies in a classic Nicoise salad is the baby red potatoes. But I can’t deny that those carb-filled delights pack on the pounds. Instead, I use sweet potatoes, their lower-GI cousin, for added color and sweetness.

In terms of tuna, a lot of people like to use oil-packed in this salad because it is less dry. I prefer packed in water because it is obviously much lower in fat. You can also grill up some tuna steaks before shabbos, bring them to room temperature, and serve a la’ classic.

In terms of veggies, I have seen so many variations used in this salad, just about anything goes. Here are some suggestions (I’m starring all the must-have ingredients, everything else is optional):

*greens (Bibb, Boston, Butter or Romaine lettuce, mesclun, spinach)
*green beans
*olives (black [nicoise preferred] or green)
*hard-boiled eggs
*tuna (canned or fresh, or for a twist, use salmon)
*potatoes (red skinned or sweet)
*onions (red onion, shallots, chives, or scallions)
*tomatoes (any type)
anchovies (classic to salad nicoise, although I leave them out)
capers
cucumbers
avocado
peppers
mushrooms
radishes
kohlrabi
hearts of palm
shredded carrots
beans (white beans, edamame)
pasta (shells, macaroni, rotini)
feta cheese
shredded cheese
parsley

If you leave the classic ingredients intact, you can still call it a salad nicoise, albeit nontraditional. You can also opt for a layered salad with no rules whatsoever. Just imagine your typical salad bar and layer it onto a big serving platter.

So instead of just serving up leftovers this week, try and re-purpose what you’ve got in a fresh way. It is guaranteed to appeal to everyone at the table! Serve with different types of crackers for a complete meal.


Another version of salad nicoise.

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