TIP OF THE DAY: Ingredients For Exciting Winter Salads
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Over the weekend we had the occasion to meet friends for two different restaurant meals. At both, the side salad we ordered was boring: monotonously green with no contrast, but for dull croutons on one and a crown of thin-sliced red onions on the other.
These were not free salads; they were overpriced sides. When we mentioned our disappointment to the servers, both mentioned the “limited selection” in winter. Limited choices, NO. Lack of imagination or sheer laziness, YES. There’s just as much opportunity to pack green salads with color and texture as any other time of the year. It’s just as easy to balance the flavors and textures with something bright-colored, something crunchy, something tangy, something peppery and something sweet. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to sprinkle with colorful, crunchy pomegranate seeds or some mandarin segments. And it doesn’t have to cost more: Use pricier ingredients sparingly and they’ll still add interest. Here’s how to add interest to winter salads while Mother Nature is taking a nap. Pick something from each group, and no one will find your salads boring. Salad Greens: Beyond Everyday Lettuce |
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As you go up and down the produce aisles, look for other ingredients you’d like to try, whether as a principal ingredient or an accent. |
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A Touch Of Fruit
You don’t have to add fruit to every green salad, although most people will enjoy the touch of sweetness. Diced, sliced or segmented, you’ve got great choices: We’re fans of vinaigrettes rather than heavier dressings (although we do have a weakness for a great blue cheese dressing). Vinaigrettes are lighter, lower in calories (in that you use less), and most importantly, offer so much variety in terms of which oils and which vinegars you use. |
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Anyone can mix three parts of oil with one part of acid. Take a look at:
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