I used to never eat salads at home. It wasn’t that I didn’t like them because I would order them at restaurants all the time. But restaurant salads always seemed to taste far superior to anything I could whip up. Since I don’t like to lose, I decided not to compete and left salads to the fine dining establishments, where I thought they belonged.
Then I went and joined a CSA, where we’d get one to two bundles of lettuce every week, and to be clear, the term bundle doesn’t do them justice. The photo below is one from last year’s CSA, and you’ll notice, if you’re observant anyway, my head of lettuce is bigger than my watermelon. They sure know how to pack in the leafy goodness. Needless to say (but I’m still going to…shocker), this was more lettuce than I could stuff in the Hubby’s lunchtime wrap and call it day, so it was game on, and I had to get creative.
It wasn’t too long before I tackled salads out of sheer necessity and a refusal to waste great looking produce because no man is going down; not on my watch, not if I can help it. So I got busy with my greens (get your mind out of the gutter!).
I made spinach salads (Homie don’t play).
I made Vegetarian Cobb salads (Take that carnivores!).
I made simple salads with a lot of fruit and a little cheese (always the cheese). There is something intoxicating, and not in a Smoo-Mosa kind of way, about sweet succulent strawberries, sharp and salty blue cheese, all tossed in a light olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Throw in a few nuts for good measure, a little crunch, or just to say the word “nuts,” and you’ve got yourself a winner.
Somewhere along the way, homemade salads won me over and found a place in my stomach and subsequently my heart. Yes, I ❤ salads, and apparently I can be romantic, in a Strange But Good way.
So when my girl, Allie, first announced she didn’t like salads, and she actually hated them, it’s safe to say I was heartbroken. I shed a tear or two, and then I got good and angry. I was like, “What! Oh. Hell. No! You hate salads; those are some fighting words, and it’s about to do down.”
Or since I’m all bark, and no bite, I decided to opt for a gentler route and instead bring her over to the dark side, the salad side. The land of rabbit food, where we frolic in our fields of nutritional superiority. Just sayin’.
In an effort to show Allie just how amazing salads can be, I grabbed some lettuce at the Farmer’s Market, along with some green onions, and possibly the cutest carrots I’ve ever seen. I was about five seconds away from babbling at them in baby talk, when I realized the farmer was giving me the evil eye (or maybe he was just curious). Instead I gave him my green backs and took my lovelies home, where I could coo at them in peace.
Call me crazy (it’s just the tip of the iceberg and not the lettuce kind), but I get excited for fresh produce, especially the first snippets of the season. Using local produce is pretty much the best way to ensure you’ve got yourself a delicious and flavorful bowl of greens. You hear that, Allie! Fresh, local greens is your starting point, and I know you’ve got a garden, so toss some lettuce in the mix this year.
The next step is your toppings. We could stick with any of the examples above, or because Allie so voraciously damned salads, let’s kick it up a notch. So in addition to the regulars (your cheese of choice, hard-boiled eggs, some green onions, avocados), we’re going to mix in some winter/spring staples.
I scoped out my kitchen and came up with one sweet potato and half a head of cauliflower. Using my food processor, I gently pulverized both, separately of course, because to combine the two would insult my self-diagnosed OCD. Then I drizzled them in olive oil, seasoned them with salt, pepper and whatever else felt right and threw them, or really gentle set them, in a 350 degree oven for a good forty to fifty minutes, stirring every fifteen minutes or so. My reward was this, which I then stuck into Tupperware and used as a salad topping all week long.
Now I would be totally remiss if I were to display my goodies without showing them in their actual context, so here we go. On a bed of fresh local spring lettuce, we have (going clockwise) avocado, blue cheese, roasted sweet potato, roasted cauliflower, green onions and hard-boiled eggs.
Now that, my friend, is how you make a salad sexy. ♪ “I’m bringing sexy back
Them other boys don’t know how to act.” ♪
Not only is this salad out of this world delicious (yes, I’m still talking about rabbit food), but it also happens to be ridiculously nutritious and fabulous fuel for your mind and body. So I dare you. No, I double dog dare you to try this salad, and then tell me you still hate them or that healthy food is boring.
Today’s post is brought to you by my love of salads and my equally important desire to bring Allie over to the dark side. It’s also linked up with Gastronomical Sovereignty, In Her Chucks, and Sprint To The Table because I used fresh local greens to make this fabulousness happen and because I think salads are sexy.
Do you like salads? Do you make them at home or prefer to just order them in restaurants, and what are your favorite salad toppings?
I know I’ve rambled far too long now, but I’ve got one more thing. The Week In Review linkup party is going down next Tuesday, and I want YOU to be a part of it, so start jotting down accomplishments and get ready to feel particularly pleased with yourself.
The Week In Review Link Up Rules (Dun, Dun, Dun):
- Your post should be about all the things you accomplished in the last seven days. I share all my goings on starting on Monday and proceeding through Sunday, but you can pick your own date range because let’s be real, I’d have no way to know if you veered off course. Besides, veering off course can be fun, and far be it from me to stop the fun.
- Your post can be about food, social outings, workouts, home improvement projects, fun excursions, none of the above, or all of the above. The idea is to recognize all the things you accomplished in the past seven days. It’s an ode to yourself, a celebration of sorts, and a virtual pat on the back. Plus you get to write in list form, which rocks my socks. Although if you want to stick to prose go ahead; it’s your world.
- You’ll be able to link up starting on Monday morning, and the link up will stay open until Friday night.
- Add the Week in Review button to your post, link back to Clean Eats, Fast Feets and get your list on.
Come join the party!!
Salads are my JAM- love ’em! They’re the perfect way to bust a number of different cravings and fit in various flavors and textures! I’m loving all your combos, especially that veg cobb salad- it looks much fresher and more appetising than any restaurant cobb salad I’ve come across so I thiiiink you won this round ;)!
Sweet, I love winning. I like salads for the same reason; you can dress them up so many ways and get different flavors and textures with every bite.
As a salad-lover, that gigantic head of lettuce is pure food porn to me. Mmmm…
Lettuce as food porn. Now that’s a novel concept.
I love my loaded salads, that’s for sure! I top mine with the usual suspects and always some leftovers- roasted veggies, cold rice, flaked salmon, chopped up frittata… I have NEVER in my life seen anything like your veggie crispy bits! I can’t wait to try it! Was the sweet potato or cauliflower better? Can you see this working with anything else? Maybe a turnip?
Chopped up frittata, now that’s genius.
I actually like both, although the sweet potato was particularly appealing in the salad. It could probably work with any roasted veggie; just season them well and keep an eye of them while they’re roasting so you don’t overcook them. I think a turnip could be great.
Sooooo come and be my salad chef?! These babies look AMAZEBALLS for real!! I cant make salads to save my life. I can do the Mexican salad thing, but that’s pretty much it.
Happily. I never thought I could do salads either, but when life hands you a bundle of lettuce, every single week, well you learn to make some stellar salads.
AMAZEBALLS was PRECISELY the word I was going to use for all your salads–esp. the last one–OMG! You’ve inspired me once again! 😉
Omg, LOVE this!! Saladporn baby…SAL-AD PORN!!! I absolutely love a good salad…and honestly, I think I make a better one than most restaurants! With the exception of the life-changing seared tuna salad with goat cheese and kalamata olives (and a bunch of other stuff that I can’t remember) that I had a few months ago…ahh, seared tuna! Oh, um…sorry….back to the VEG!! I love how you roasted up with sweet p and the cauliflower…I love mixing roasted veggies in my salads! And seriously, hardboiled egg takes it to a whole NEW level! <- Wow, can't tell I'm a total healthy foodie or anything…HOW many exclamation pointed did I include in this comment?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😉
PS, these pictures are like fine art! xoxo
Thanks sunshine! I’m with you; salads can be total food porn and obviously we are too healthy or something, but I don’t care. Bring on the bunny food.
Your pictures look fresh out of a salad magazine! Gorgeous my friend!! YUM! I love salad, but I don’t make typical salads. I steam kale and use raw spinach and then top it with quinoa or potatoes and salsaaa..I guess that’s more of a veggie bowl then. Owell close enough!
I love when you compliment my pictures. I think your unusual salads sound pretty fantastic too. Steamed kale can be quite delicious.
Yaaay, definitely going to be doing your link up. And I love salads! I use it as an excuse to throw everything in a giant bowl. I prefer it at home actually, because I love using hummus/salsa/guac instead of dressing, which most places don’t do.
I’m so glad!! That’s exactly right; salads are a big bowl of everything in your fridge with some lettuce thrown in for good measure. Love your dressings too.
All of that fresh produce looks amazing, and I am loving the looks of that Vegetarian Cobb salad. Seriously, who needs the meat??
Yep, I’m with you and the veggie cobb packs so much protein with the eggs and cheese, you don’t even miss the meat.
Well hot damn my love.. now that is a salad!
Thanks Jessie.
Very impressed with your photo, and labeling the damn thing too–you earn a gold star for that.
Now I’m craving salad.
You’re craving salad, well then my work here is done.
Yeah, the photo labeling took some doing and I was kind of wishing I had done a different font by the very end, but I was too tired to mess around with it anymore, so I left it as is.
Your salads look so amazing!!!
I made an easy and delicious quinoa salad last week and was reminded how easy and fun it is to make good greens at home.
Quinoa makes for fabulous salad; I’m planning on doing one with some green onions, honey, lemon juice and corn. I’ve got all the ingredients; now I just need to do it.
I can see you’ve got your creative salad hat on. Nice work, they all look delicious!
Thanks Kathy. I appreciate you stopping by and saying hello.
Can I just tell you how awesome I think you are??? Thank you so much for your encouraging comments and positive feedback. Somedays, you just freakin make my day.
XO
Well then we’re even because you’re comment just made my morning and likely my afternoon. I just happen to think you’re damn funny and pretty fabulous.
I love CSAs! Your salads look AMAZING.
CSA’s are so amazing; I can’t wait for my new one to start.
Oh, Meghan…you know I’m right there with you when it comes to salads. They are my favorite. I don’t always get as creative as you, but I love the idea of cooking up the sweet potato and cauliflower to have them ready to add. Yum!! You have the best ideas, Girlie! 🙂
Thanks Fran. You make a mean salad yourself. Usually in a pie plate no less. You can’t really tell in these pictures, but those salads are in mixing bowls.
Salad explosion! Oh my goodness everything looks amazing. I love adding sweet potato to salads 🙂
I know, roasted sweet potatoes and salad greens pair really well together. Thanks Sunnie.
This little salad thing you got goin’ on.. this last one you mentioned.. with the fabulous text graphic business.. just pinned. Pretty much the best salad ever. You’ve got everything I love in there. Save for bacon. Mmmmm bacon. But I get it 😉
Also, LOVE love LOVE blue cheese, pears and pecans together.
thank you so much for sharing your post with us at the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up! I hope to see you again next week with more seasonal & real food posts. xo, kristy
….haha… “nuts”.
Back in my bacon eating days, I would have totally thrown that in for a little salty crunch. I’m pleased as punch you pinned it.
I love blue cheese, pears and pecans together. Throw all those flavors together on a pizza with a caramelized onion and sage sauce and you’ll be in heaven.
Salad Obsession RIGHT HERE! I should go to salad rehab… Ah ha ha, actually I shouldn’t because it’s not a crime to be obsessed with salad! 😉
I love nicoise salads – tuna, green beans, olives, capers, hard boiled eggs, butter lettuce and maybe some artichoke hearts and/or sun-dried tomatoes! YUM!
Can you imagine what salad rehab would look like? It’d be the whole HLB community walking around like zombies without salad. Ha. I heart artichokes.
This post rocks. Your cauliflower looks like bacon. I bought soooo much leafy green this week… kale, spinach, arugula and rainbow chard so now I am going to use this post and make amazing things. THANK YOU!
Thanks Carol. That’s a lot of leafy goodness; I’m excited for you to use it all up. I’d probably add the kale to my morning smoothies, and I happen to think rainbow chard is also just the prettiest greens ever.
Okay, it’s official, I need to fill a planter with some lettuce. Or just come visit the master herself (don’t think that’s not in the works…). I DID buy a salad along with my giant meatball when I went out last weekend. That sorta counts? I love my veggies, they just never seem to want to come together in a bowl for me.
You called me a master, and now, I’m giddy! As a master (ahem, ahem), I will teach you how to make your veggies come together in a bowl.
I’m also impressed you paired that crazy meatball ball with a nice salad. It’s all about balance right.
There’s something beautiful about all the different colours in salads. I used to always order out and never make as well but then I fell in love with them just a little too much and now there’s no going back…!
Once you go green, you never go back. 🙂
Your salads always get me going…now I’m hungry 🙂
Thanks for sharing and linking up!
You’re welcome. Thanks for hosting.
Hello darling!
I’m including this post in my monthly feature wrap up for the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up – hope to see you there!
xo, kristy
Oh my, so many salads! I wish I had found this sooner, I’ve been eating up lettuce (from my brothers graduation party) like it has been going out of style this week and I could have used a few more exciting toppings 🙂
I love that I’m not the only one out there who thinks salads are sexy (or that restaurant salads sometimes have an air of salad superiority) .
Salads are damn sexy and so freaking good; people just don’t know. And now, I kind of think my salads put those restaurant ones to shame. Ha!