My friend Elena once set a clear and simple personal goal: Eat a salad every day. The resolution was straightforward and easy to measure, exactly as a doable goal should be. Elena’s idea was that by committing to a daily dose of green, she was assured of a healthy injection—no matter what the rest of the day brought.
I love salads, and I love this idea. It checks so many boxes. Salads are affordable and generally good for you. You can change them up daily, creating something substantial and rich in protein, or something light and refreshing. They’re seasonal, portable and naturally stress-reducing. All that crunching takes your mind off life’s realities.
This week, we’ve got three comforting and filling salads that will start your new year off right. Enjoy.
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The Deconstructed Cobb
Dating back to its founding at Hollywood’s Brown Derby in the 1930s, the Cobb is the original big salad, and busting up its signature ingredients makes for a fun presentation. Here, I’ve got sliced pan-roasted chicken breast, chopped boiled egg and avocado ready to join fresh greens and chunks of bleu cheese in a small vintage casserole dish. On the side, serve a cruet of bleu cheese or other creamy dressing. Here’s my recipe for homemade buttermilk ranch:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Creole mustard
¼ cup crumbled feta or blue cheese
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Several turns fresh cracked black pepper
Add all the ingredients to a food processor and mix briefly until combined. The cheese should still be chunky. Serve over fresh greens. Store for up to one week in a refrigerator.
The Red & White
When you’re in a hurry, there’s nothing easier than this refreshing five-minute salad. First, make a quick vinaigrette using the classic 2:1 combination of oil-to-vinegar. If you have time, add salt and pepper, a peeled, slightly mashed garlic clove, chopped fresh herbs and a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
Toss fresh greens in an appropriate amount of vinaigrette. Add canned cannellini beans, sliced grape tomatoes and fresh goat cheese. Serve.
The Zesty Grain
Preparation for quinoa is no more complicated than rice. In fact, it cooks faster. The protein-rich grain is a great base for salads, pairing well with citrus, beans, chopped vegetables and lots of other ingredients. Here, it’s joined by Southwest flavors, yielding in a yummy lunchtime meal or nice side dish for taco night.
Here’s how:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small or ½ medium yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons seeded chopped jalapeño
2 cups cooked white quinoa
½ cup canned black beans
½ cup frozen corn, thawed to room temperature
½ cup chopped fresh tomato
1 ripe avocado, diced
Cumin-lime dressing (recipe follows)
Fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish
In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil to medium-high heat and sauté the onion, garlic and jalapeño until soft but not browned, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. In a bowl, combine the quinoa, sautéed vegetables, black beans, corn, tomato and avocado. Pour in the dressing and toss gently. Serve immediately and garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro.
Cumin-lime dressing:
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2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about one lime)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl and combine well, ensuring the honey is thoroughly incorporated.
Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor and the author of Hungry for Louisiana, An Omnivore’s Journey. Reach her at hungryforlouisiana.com.