I also think you should know that lettuce is not, by any means, a "Super Food". It offers very little nutritional benefit. Don't get me wrong; I'm not suggesting
Even with lettuce as a base your salads can be really nutritious with the addition of stuff like broccoli, mushrooms, cheese or seafood.
some really cool and tasty alternatives to the same-old-same-old. Just take a look at the nifty stuff that goes into them. Even some of the titles taste good! And they all go together really fast.
Hey, how about having one right now - or is it morning where you are? Even if the sun is just coming up you might just lay your bacon & eggs on some crisp greens and think of it as a "breakfast salad".
Preheat broiler or range-top grill.
Combine the first 6 ingredients, blend well and divide in half. Set one half aside, and marinate the shrimp in the other.
While the shrimp are marinating, prepare and combine the nest 6 ingredients, wedge cut the tomatoes, and quarter the eggs; set aside.
Drain shrimp and discard the marinade. Broil the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until opaque.
Toss the greens mixture with the reserved dressing, arrange on dinner plates and top with 4 shrimp each. Garnish with the quartered egg and tomato wedges. Gorgeous!
Strawberry - Basil Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serves 6
A simple salad but an impressive one; Strawberries and sweet onion together in a romaine-based salad? And a good balsamic vinegar dressing? I think they’ll fondly remember this combination, don't you?
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
8 cups torn romaine lettuce
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup vertically sliced sweet onion
1/4 cup torn fresh basil
Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add romaine lettuce, sliced strawberries, sliced onion, and tom basil; toss gently to coat. Serve salad immediately.
Roasted Asparagus Salad
Serves 6What an easy but fancy lunch this would be, or the start of a fine evening meal.
2 lb asparagus, trimmed
3 Tbsp ev olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp each fine sea salt, divided & black pepper, divided
6 cups torn Boston lettuce (about 2 small heads – hey, 2 heads are better than one)
2 large hard-cooked eggs, each cut into 6 slices
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450F.
Place asparagus on a large jelly-roll pan (a baking-sheet with sides). Drizzle with 1 Tbsp oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; toss well.
Arrange asparagus in a single layer on the pan and bake for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender, tossing once. Cool 2 or 3 minutes.
Arrange lettuce on a large platter, and top with the asparagus and egg slices.
Combine the rest of the oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle this over the salad and top with cheese. Serve immediately.
Baby Greens with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Serves 8If I included all the good things in this recipe in its title, it would be as long as the recipe and you might think it wasn’t quick and easy; oh, but it is , it is!
1 cup raspberries
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup e. v. olive oil
10 cups baby mixed or mesclun greens
2 medium fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
2 cups dried cranberries
8 to 10 tangerines (seedless, of course) or 4 to 5 oranges, peeled and segmented
1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts
For the dressing, combine raspberries, balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a blender. Pulse until smooth.
Using a really big salad bowl, toss the greens, fennel and cranberries. Add the tangerines or oranges. Just before serving, add the nuts and toss with just enough raspberry vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens. Serve immediately.
Three Special but Easy Dressings
Can you ever have too many dressings to liven-up this important part of a meal? Well, maybe. If that's you, just take a quick look, and you might think differently. Or not.
Buttermilk-Roquefort Dressing
Makes 1 & 1/4 cups
1 Tbsp Roquefort or blue cheese, or more to taste
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
Mash the Roquefort or blue cheese in a small bowl, add the rest and whisk briskly until well blended.
Barbecue Vinaigrette Dressing
Makes 1 cup
1 Tbsp ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup red or white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic
fresh lemon juice to taste
With a whisk, combine the first 4 ingredients, and continue to beat while slowly adding the oil. When the oil is incorporated, taste to be sure you’ve got the right blend of salt and vinegar, then add the garlic and lemon juice. Remove the garlic after marinating it for 20 minutes.
French Cream Dressing
Makes 1 & 1/4 cups
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream
cayenne pepper to taste
Combine the salt and lemon juice in a small bowl and add the cream slowly, whisking it until it’s thick as mayonnaise. Very conservatively, add cayenne to taste.
If you think “it needs something”, add a touch of white wine vinegar.
Tomato and Corn Chip Salad
Serves 6-8I'm pretty sure the corn chips and grape tomatoes will make this appealing to the kiddies as well as the big people. But, please, don’t try to sneak buy with iceberg lettuce if you’re thinking nutrition, you need those really dark green leaves.
1 head romaine lettuce, torn
1 carton grape tomatoes
1 (15-oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8-oz) package shredded Cheddar cheese
1 & 1/2 cups coarsely crushed corn chips
Italian Vinaigrette, bottled
Toss the first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl, add the dressing and serve.
Roast Beef Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serves 4
Do this terrific salad justice by using the $10.00 a pound beef from the deli; have them slice it about a 1/4-inch thick.
2 small heads Boston lettuce, torn
12 oz sliced deli roast beef, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
1 large beefsteak tomato, cut into wedges
1/2 red onion, sliced
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp each Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Combine the first 5 ingredients and place in serving bowls..
In a small bowl, whisk together the rest and drizzle over the salads. Serve.