Spruce Up Your Salads

Looking for other ways to enhance the mesclun? Try these suggestions to add sparkle to your salad.

Toast a handful of chopped nuts (cashews, pecans, hazelnuts) in a dry pan on medium heat and add them to your salad for both a protein and flavor boost.

Fruits are a great addition to salads. Chunks of pear are very popular in fancy restaurants, along with crumbled gorgonzola and perhaps some walnuts. But don’t forget about chopped oranges or sliced strawberries. They sweeten the salad and add extra nutrients. Wedges of fresh figs are magnificent.

All kinds of grated and crumbled cheeses are flavorful in salads. For a real extravagance, cut a firm cheese into chunks, dip them in beaten egg and roll in finely chopped nuts. Sauté them in a little oil until the nuts are brown and the cheese is soft. They’re a great substitute for croutons, if you’re watching carbs.

Tomatoes are a standard salad addition, but for a real treat, brush plum tomato wedges with a little olive oil and grill them until they start to soften. Add those to your salad!

Add crunch! Radishes are a start, but also consider jicama, pea pods, or carrot or zucchini slices.

Posted by Chris Buss

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