Use a salad spinner to rinse and dry your lettuce, or simply run the leaves under water and gently pat them dry with a clean paper towel. You can buy pre-cut lettuce from the store, or you can buy whole bunches of lettuce. If you buy a bunch, rinse off the leaves and either tear them into bite-sized pieces by hand, or use a clean knife and cutting board to chop them up.
Arugula has a peppery flavor. Raw kale can be tough to chew. Use baby kale for a softer option, or cut away and discard the stems from kale leaves to make them easier to eat.
The most common cabbages are the cannonball cabbage and the red cabbage, but you can also use bok choy, napa cabbage, savoy cabbage, and January king cabbage. Check out the produce section at your grocery store to see what options are available.
This is a great option if you want to enjoy salads but don’t love the texture or flavor of lettuce or cabbage. You could also incorporate shaved Brussels sprouts or even radishes, just depending on what you have in your fridge.
The flavors of goat cheese and arugula pair really well with beets.
You can also try steaming or roasting your vegetables if you’d like a softer texture and more robust flavor, though raw vegetables contain the most vitamins.
If you’re using fresh berries or fruits without a peelable skin, make sure to rinse them before adding them to your salad. If you can peel away the skin from the fruit, you don’t need to worry about rinsing it. Be cautious of adding too many dried fruits to your salad, as they can be high in sugar.
If you buy blocks of cheese, use a cheese grater to shred it.
Apart from using unflavored nuts, there are lots of flavored varieties out there, from sweet pecans to spicy pistachios.
This is also a great way to use leftovers. If you have pasta or rice or some kind of grain dish leftover from another meal, use it to top off the next salad you make.
You can also use shredded or baked chicken, just depending on what you have available.
You could even make a quick tuna salad with mayonnaise, celery, and relish.
If you’re using frozen shrimp, make sure to follow the package’s instructions to safely and thoroughly thaw it before you use it.
Firm or extra-firm tofu is best for sautéing or frying on the stovetop. Silken tofu is soft and crumbles easily, which makes it a good raw addition to your salad.
Write down your recipes if you create your own from-scratch mixtures! That way you’ll be able to replicate them easily in the future. Try making a red wine vinaigrette by combining 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons (44 mL) of lemon juice, 2 teaspoons (9. 9 mL) of honey, 1 cup (240 mL) of olive oil, and salt and pepper. Simply stir or shake everything together.
Write down your recipes if you create your own from-scratch mixtures! That way you’ll be able to replicate them easily in the future. Try making a red wine vinaigrette by combining 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons (44 mL) of lemon juice, 2 teaspoons (9. 9 mL) of honey, 1 cup (240 mL) of olive oil, and salt and pepper. Simply stir or shake everything together.
Always keep store-bought salad dressing in the fridge after it has been opened.
You can also shake a little salt and pepper onto your salad if you’d like.
Even salsas can make great “dressings. ”
