simple salad

Composed salads -- think of a Cobb: stripes of egg, bacon, lettuce, bleu cheese -- sound fancy but they're actually so simple to put together. We tried a recipe for a Spanish salad recently and I was inspired by my lack of counter space to make one platter we could serve from at the table rather than lay out all the plates. The unexpected upside is that going down the line added another level of choices to dinner for the toddler! At our house, one taste is the rule, so for each item, he chose if he wanted just one bite or several helpings. Guess who likes Manchego cheese and olives!



Salads are also a great way to clean out the fridge when you have just a few slices of mango left. Make it colorful and use what you've got!

Lettuce
Cucumber
Zucchini/Squash
Green Beans/Peas
Artichoke hearts
Asparagus spears
Corn
Tomatoes (fresh or sun-dried)
Peppers (fresh or roasted)
Roasted Beets
Apples, or Pears, chopped
Orange segments
Olives
Onion: raw (grated or sliced), caramelized, or spring onions
Beans: Chickpeas, Black beans, Cannellini beans, Lentils
Meat: Ham, Chicken, Turkey, Bacon, Tuna,
Cheese (cubed, crumbled, or shredded)
Hard-boiled eggs (sliced or chopped)
Avocado
Croutons
Nuts and Seeds (try pumpkin seeds!)
Raisins, Cranberries, or chopped prunes
Fresh chopped herbs

Visit the classics for inspiration:
Cobb
Nicoise
Chef's

Bon appetit!