Better than Salad Bar -- Quick Salad Ideas

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have interesting salads at home as quickly as at the local salad bar? Wouldn’t it be nice if all the vegetables were washed, sliced, and sitting in your vegetable crisper waiting to be chosen?

Consider your wish our command. It’s easy when you have some ready-to-go vegetables from the WHF on hand.

• Your local natural foods grocery will usually sell organic salad mixes by the pound. Don’t let the price discourage you - these small leaves don’t weigh much! Feel free to buy 3-4 day’s worth of salad mix. Kept refrigerated, these organic, locally-grown mixes will stay fresh for at least that length of time.
• Try the pre-trimmed organic baby carrots. They make a fantastic addition to many quick salads, and eliminate a lot of preparation.
• Cherry tomatoes add lots of color and flavor, and only need a quick rinse to be ready to eat.
• When you bring home broccoli or cauliflower, it only takes a minute or two to cut them up into bite-sized florets; simply store them in a medium-sized ziploc bag and press out any excess air. They’ll stay fresh for up to a week.
• Keep canned or frozen organic green peas and corn on hand. Both vegetables are great in many kinds of salads and are convenient in both types of packaging.
• For bean-based salads, consider raiding the organic canned bean section. Garbanzos, white beans, and black beans all make great staples for a quick salad.
• Nuts, including sliced almonds and chopped walnuts, also make great salad additions, as do sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds.
• Roasted soy nuts are another crunchy topping option, and one that will add protein as well as flavor to your salad.
• And don’t forget a little low-fat organic cheese. Crumble a small chunk of sheep’s milk feta cheese over your salad, or use your grater and top off your salad with a tablespoon or two of freshly grated organic Parmesan cheese.

With the above ingredients on hand, just try mixing and matching to discover your favorite taste and texture combinations. Corn and bean combinations work well together. So do spinach and walnuts, especially with some extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sliced cucumber with organic low-fat plain yogurt can also make a great quick salad, and for a creative flavor touch, you can add some fresh mint leaves to the mix.

With the WHF on hand, your kitchen will soon be home to many (way better than salad bar), spectacular salad combinations!