saladsaladsalad.

so as i've mentioned before, i previously was NOT a salad kid.  lettuce never existed in my fridge.  just seemed like too much of a hassle.  but now that i have been getting delicious varieties of lettuce every week, i have branched out into the world of salads.  so i just wanted to share some of the things i've learned along the way.

salad dressing can basically consist of something acidic plus some oil.  use some vinegar or citrus juice plus some grapeseed oil or olive oil for a basic dressing.  the general ratio rule to go by is 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil.. then you can mix and match and improvise from there!  another helpful thing to know: 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.  how convenient.  so yeah, add some salt and pepper and you are done.

to spice things up, one of my new favorites is to finely chop a small shallot and let that sit in the vinegar for about 10 minutes before mixing the rest of the ingredients in.  really adds some nice flavor.  also a lot less pungent than raw onion would be.  my staple vinegars at this point have been balsamic and red wine vinegar.  i have also been using lemon juice here and there.

another helpful tip, given to me by abby from work, which changed my life once i actually got a salad spinner, is to tear and wash all your lettuce at the same time and leave it in the salad spinner in the fridge.  it just keeps everything fresh in there.  you can also pre-chop your other salad toppings (peppers, cukes, etc) and put them in there, for pre-mixed servable portions!!!


a sampling of dressings:

1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T red wine vinegar
1 t dijon mustard
1/4 t honey
6 T olive oil, grapeseed oil, or a combo
salt and pepper

1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T lemon juice
6 T olive oil
salt and pepper

1 T red wine vinegar
1 T rice wine vinegar
6 T grapeseed oil
a splash of toasted sesame oil
a splash of soy sauce


things i like to have around to improvise salads:
pine nuts
pepitas (the inside of the pumpkin seed)
feta cheese
walnuts
canned mandarin oranges
dried cranberries
any kind of chip or cracker to crumble on there
fresh basil or marjoram leaves are also a nice addition
any dried herbs are fun to add to the dressing
of course all the fresh cucumbers from the csa box are helpful too!


here is a photo of a rando salad before dressing.  delicious!

oh and in case you missed it.  I HAVE A SALAD SPINNER NOW.  yesyesyesyesyessssssss.