What's your everyday salad?

[Fat Guy]

About 3/4 of the time, when we eat at home, I make us the following salad: lettuce (either Romaine or mixed greens), cucumber (usually those English hothouse cucumbers, quartered and diced), tomatoes (most of the year, Splendido brand grape tomatoes; local tomatoes in season), sprouts (we get an assortment, whatever looks good) and a mustard vinaigrette.

I'd be interested to hear what everybody else's everyday salad is, in part because I'm just interested, and in part because I'm looking for some ideas.

[sanrensho]

Since we've expanded our gardening efforts, it's pretty much what we can pick from the garden. Usually mesculin lettuce with spinach and any of the following: young Swiss chard or kale chopped finely, arugula, mizuna, young watercress.

Due to the lightness of young greens, I usually dress tomatoes, red/yellow peppers and cucumbers (Japanese) separately.

We also frequently add sugar snap peas (parboiled) to our salads.

Edited July 2, 2007 by sanrensho (log)

[Shelby]

This time of year it's from the garden for me, too.

Leaf lettuce

Fresh 'maters

Radishes

Blanched asparagus

Dill

Mustard greens

I love it topped with blue cheese and a red wine dressing.....

[pedie]

For everyday it is very simple...crisp romaine lettuce, sliced scallions, shaved pecorino cheese, salt, twist of pepper and drizzled with EVOO.

If I have a nicely ripe avocado, I will add that.

This week I have tossed in some delicious, in-season, diced white nectarines. And...we tend to eat our salad at the end of the meal...ala my Italian-American upbringing!

[srhcb]

Our salads are fairly elaborate because GF is not a big fresh vegetable eater .

Lettuce, tomato, carrot (sticks for GF, sliced for me), onion (me), cuke (GF), olives (green me, black GF), quartered hard-cooked egg shared, sometimes croutons or shredded/grated cheese, crumbled bacon if I have some, with any Italian style dressing (GF) and nearly any kind (me) (Kraft bottled or Penzeys mix).

Sometimes I'll have a spoonful of cottage cheese in the center of mine.

SB (I also like radish and peppers, but hardly ever buy any)

Edited July 3, 2007 by srhcb (log)

[jaquavella]

About 3/4 of the time, when we eat at home, I make us the following salad: lettuce (either Romaine or mixed greens), cucumber (usually those English hothouse cucumbers, quartered and diced), tomatoes (most of the year, Splendido brand grape tomatoes; local tomatoes in season), sprouts (we get an assortment, whatever looks good) and a mustard vinaigrette.

I'd be interested to hear what everybody else's everyday salad is, in part because I'm just interested, and in part because I'm looking for some ideas.

←

We use radishes, and red onion, usually some oregano and halopeno on a routine basis. On occasion olives or avacado, or green onion in season. Balsamic and olive oil vinagrette.

[srhcb]

Our salads are fairly elaborate because GF is not a big fresh vegetable eater .

Lettuce, tomato, carrot (sticks for GF, sliced for me), onion (me), cuke (GF), olives (green me, black GF), quartered hard-cooked egg shared, sometimes croutons or shredded/grated cheese, crumbled bacon if I have some, with any Italian style dressing (GF) and nearly any kind (me) (Kraft bottled or Penzeys mix).

Sometimes I'll have a spoonful of cottage cheese in the center of mine.

SB (I also like radish and peppers, but hardly ever buy any)

←

And if I have any leftover roasted potato I'll cube that up and toss it in too. Same thing for any leftover peas or green beans.

And I forgot about diced ham and shredded cabbage!

SB (and maybe even some kitchen sink? )

[GlorifiedRice]

About 3/4 of the time, when we eat at home, I make us the following salad: lettuce (either Romaine or mixed greens), cucumber (usually those English hothouse cucumbers, quartered and diced), tomatoes (most of the year, Splendido brand grape tomatoes; local tomatoes in season), sprouts (we get an assortment, whatever looks good) and a mustard vinaigrette.

I'd be interested to hear what everybody else's everyday salad is, in part because I'm just interested, and in part because I'm looking for some ideas.

←

1/3rd bag Dole Field Greens, 1/3rd bag Dole Butter and Green Leaf.

Grape Tomatoes, 1 cup diced Boarshead Golden Classic Chicken (deli)

Parmesan. Sometimes scallions.

And Ill admit to using bottled dressing. My fave since childhood is Seven Seas Red Wine Vinaigrette.

I also love Paul Newmans Honey Mustard.

I dont believe in bottled ranch though. Ranch is best made from the dry mix and buttermilk and mayo... Everyone agree?

[heidih]

Like many our everyday standard is romaine or red lettuce, cucumber, onion or scallion, and carrot. I like my 'maters separate this time of year so I can get their full naked impact. Have been doing the carrots with the vegetable peeler lately for a different texture of long thin strands. Standard dressing is homemade Dijon mustard vinaigrette, but lately my son has favored it with the inclusion of some squirts of hoisin sauce. He also likes the crunchy chow mein noodles as his croutons. My vinegar to oil ratio is higher than usual on the vinegar side, and the neighbor's lemons are peaking right now in terms of juice and flavor so that gets squeezed in too. I ream them with a fork and get pulp into the mix as well.

[purplewiz]

Bagged leaf lettuce (usually the Spring mix), tomato, and either Almond Accents or Harmony Spicy Cha Cha Mix.

I add other things if I have them: bacon bits, cucumber, green onion, additions from the garden like chive flowers or nasturtiums in season.

Dressing out of a bottle. Shoot me if you must, but it's the truth.

Marcia.

who knows how to make a decent vinaigrette, but doesn't often

[ruthcooks]

My two everyday salads are usually main course, perhaps with an addition of a cup of soup or a small sandwich. I detest preparing salad ingredients, so will fix a lot at a time and eat salad for about 5 days in a row. Then I won't have it again for a couple weeks.

#1 is romaine or Boston lettuce, onion (green onion, chives, pickled white), fresh fruit (grapes, orange, tangerine, apple), dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, raisins), nuts (pine, walnuts, pecans, almonds) and cheese (blue or feta).

#2 is the same lettuce and onion with hard cooked egg, bacon, tomato and homemade croutons.

Occasionally I'll throw in herbs when I have them, perhaps a bit of celery. If I have roast pork, chicken, turkey, ham, I may use one of them.

Dressing is usually a homemade V & oil variation, a sweeter version with #1 salads.

[hjshorter]

Ours is similar to Fat Guy's: lettuce, cukes, either field tomatoes (in season) or grape tomatoes, sliced red orange or yellow pepper, scallions on the side. Sometimes I grate a carrot and throw it in. Simple dijon vinaigrette, or Newman's Own olive oil vinaigrette if we're out of homemade.

[C. sapidus]

I'd be interested to hear what everybody else's everyday salad is, in part because I'm just interested, and in part because I'm looking for some ideas.

←

Our boys love cucumbers, so our “everyday salad” is sliced cucumbers sprinkled with a little salt. Lately we have been serving tossed salads (various kinds of lettuce and/or spinach, cukes, scallions, excess herbs, maybe some slivered green mangos, tomatoes, feta cheese, or nuts) with dressings from Rick Bayless’ Mexican Everyday. So far we have tried lime-cilantro dressing and roasted garlic, chile, and balsamic vinaigrette. Perhaps I’m odd, but I’ve never been crazy about vinaigrette so I’m playing with different additions.

I love using variations of nuoc cham as a salad dressing. Nuoc cham is simple to make: mash up garlic, chiles, and maybe ginger in the mortar; mix in fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar; dilute with water and adjust seasonings to taste. We don’t do this everyday, but we frequently make Thai or Vietnamese salads with grilled or stir-fried meat or fish and some combination of lettuce, cukes, tomatoes, green mangos, red bell peppers, basil, mint, cilantro, shallots, chiles, ginger, etc. Add rice, and you’ve got dinner.

[Hiroyuki]

Has anyone mentioned seaweed like wakame and hijiki and mushrooms like enoki?

One example: Wakame + parboiled enoki + fake crabmeat (known as surimi in the Unites States?) + corn (which is a very popular ingredient of a salad in Japan)

1:1:0.5 mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame seed oil as a dressing

Substituting citrus juice such as yuzu juice for vinegar is always a good idea.

Thus, a 1:1:1 mixture of soy sauce, mirin, and yuzu juice.

And, ground sesame seed dressing:

4 tbsp ground white sesame seed

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbps vinegar

1 tsp sugar

And, finally, using umeboshi paste is also a good idea. For example,

Finely chop 4-5 umeboshi. Combine with 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp mirin.

[BarbaraY]

Our basic salad is the same as Fat Guy's some kind of lettuce, tomato, and cucumber. NO ICEBERG!

Then there are various add-ons, olives, pickled beets, bacon bits, pecans, jicama, avocado, or red onion and frequently Feta or Gorgonzola cheese. Not all at once.

I prefer red wine or Balsamic vinaigrette but daughter uses ranch or plain mayo since she can't have acid foods.

[BertaBurtonLake]

Our standard "every day" salad is mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, grated carrots with homemade blue cheese dressing for everyone, including the kids.

My all time favorite salad is mixed greens with grapefruit sections and avocado slices with a nice Italian dressing on it. MMMMM

Berta

[Carlovski]

If it is a salad to go with a meal - rather than the focus I stay fairly simple. I usually have just a green salad (Often out of a pillow pack, unless I have been to the farmers market recently). Occasionaly throw in a handful of cherry tomatoes but I'm funny about sliced tomatoes in a mixed salad - I'd much rather have a separate tomato salad. If I'm having anything spicy I also like to throw in raw onion, if I'm organised it will have been soaked in cod water to mellow it (and make it cold - I love cold onion) but often it hasn't.

Dressing is a basic mustardy vinaigrette, normally made with sherry vinegar but occasionally just oil and lemon.

My other salad is cos leaves (Or little gem) with a egg yolk thickened dressing with parmesan - a poor mans caesar salad in effect.

[dockhl]

I find most "spring greens" or "baby greens" too soft---I like crunch in my salad, so I frequently combine TJ's Herb Mix with romaine and throw in a bunch 'o other stuff. Kinda depends on what other veggies are in the fridge. Cukes, tomatoes (NOT from the fridge!), maybe some cheese, nuts (pine or otherwise), mushrooms, garbanzos, maybe a sliced hard boiled egg.

I like Girard's Original with most of the oil poured of (I saute things in it), rarely make my own vinaigrette.

This, of course, is dinner itself---not a side salad !

[Hiroyuki]

I forgot to post my family's favorite everyday salads:

1. Potato salad: Calls for kewpie mayonnaise. I add 1 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp vinegar.

2. Hijiki salad: Also calls for kewpie mayo.

3. Wakame and enoki salad, mentioned upthread.

4. Daikon salad, with any of mayo, ground sesame seed dressing, umeboshi paste dressing, and ponzu.

[laurelm]

I love salads and do pantry/clean out fridge ones often, but my standard is:

Spinach, capers, parmesan cheese, grape tomatoes, pine nuts, a vinagrette i make with lemon, oil, mustard.

If i have any other veggies on hand (or chick peas yumm), I add to it, but these are the basic salad ingredients I pretty much always have.

[Peter the eater]

I'd be interested to hear what everybody else's everyday salad is, in part because I'm just interested, and in part because I'm looking for some ideas.

I believe it's impossible to make the exact same salad everyday - that's the beauty - too many variables.

Having said that, I'll go with torn naked (iceberg) lettuce, chopped cabbage, slivered onion and cubed apple.

[kitwilliams]

I could eat this for the rest of my life and never tire of it...it just seems to be my comfort food:

Romaine, most often, but green leaf, red leaf, bibb, mixed greens, spinach...they all work.

Avocado.

Parmesan.

In season, tomato.

Dressing: homemade vinaigrette, often bottled: caesars (creamy or oily (I like Paul Newman's)); trader joe's pear champagne vinaigrette when I want a little sweetness.

I need it. Now.

[snowangel]

Come mid to late-June, here in MN, the standard is spinach, fresh strawberries (and I'm not talking about the ones from CA, rather the ones from my neighbor's patch), fresh feta and some sort of nut, with some sort of nut. At this time of year, it's dependent on what's at the farmer's market!

[Priscilla]

Yum. Reading all the foregoing sure makes a person want a salad.

I love our nearly daily salads, or salades as one might say if one has been, as I have, polluted by Sponge Bob's pronunciation.

Meal accompanying salades are simple affairs dressed (carefully) in the bowl like Marcella Hazan advocated with olive oil of the moment and either vinegar of the moment or citrus if it suggests itself, do not stint on the s & p, esp. the s.

Sometimes a more formal vinaigrette w/minced shallots and mustard, depending on what it's accompanying. Sometimes homemade creamy types, esp. "Coco's House Dressing," which is a buttermilk/mayonnaise/parmesan trip, again with certain mains.

Greens vary acc. to what's at the farmer's market, but we strive to have a romaine and a soft variety prepped in the fridge at all times: Insta-Salad as it is called in our house. Insta-Salad, fresh and on the ready, is way greater than the sum of its parts.

[mssurgeon81]

I usually make a meal out of my salads, especially in the summer when all that glorious fresh produce is piling up thanks to too many farmer's market visits...

1. Arugula, shredded fresh mozzarella, kalamata olives, garbanzos, and cherry tomatoes with a garlicky vinaigrette

2. Butter lettuce, sliced sweet red peppers, black beans, shredded ricotta salata (or queso fresco), fresh sweet corn

3. Spring mix (from the bag) plus chilled asparagus, sliced tomato, sliced chicken breast, and champagne vinaigrette

Writing this, as I eat a limp and soggy Caesar salad from the hospital cafeteria, is making me depressed....