For those of us looking for healthy low-fat meal alternatives, salads can be a perfect choice, particularly in the spring. Endless ingredient combinations make salads fun, quick, nourishing and an exciting way to layer food groups and flavors. Leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, nuts, cheese, rice, meats, poultry, fish and herbs can all be enjoyed together in one glorious meal! 

So, how do you decide which foods to combine into a great one dish salad? Our method is to first choose a flavor direction. Below you will find a guide to help you put together amazing salads within a certain culinary theme.

	Latin American	French	Asian	Italian
Vegetables	Onions, avocado, bell peppers, hot peppers, garlic, onion	Carrots, green beans, mushrooms, truffles, shallots, garlic	Carrots, diakon, green onions, sno peas, edamame, peppers (hot & sweet), bean sprouts, radishes, garlic, onions	Zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, eggplant, cauliflower, fennel, asparagus, raddichio, onions, garlic
Fruits	Oranges, tomatoes, mango, papaya, lime, jicama	Tomatoes, apples, apricots, pears, plums, strawberries, peaches, oranges	Tomatoes, oranges, pears, apples, papaya	Tomatoes, apricots, citrus, melon
Greens	Leafy greens, cabbage	Romaine, mixed greens, mesclun, spinach	Cabbage, leafy greens	Mixed greens, Belgian endive, spinach
Herbs & Spices	Cilantro, oregano, mint, thyme, marjoram, chili powder, cumin	Tarragon, rosemary, marjoram, lavender, thyme, fennel, sage	Basil, parsley, bay, sage, rosemary, cilantro, cinnamon, saffron, curry, mint, mustard, fennel	Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, fennel, oregano
Oils, Vinegars, Sauces	Oil, vinegar, guacamole, honey, sour cream, salsa	Balsamic Vinegar, Olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey	Fish sauce, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, peanut sauce, sake, mirin, hot chile oil	Olive oil, balsamic vinegar
Cheese	Cotija, manchego	Feta, Parmesan, bleu cheese, Gruyere, Asiago		Parmesan, gorgonzola

Once you have your ingredients, wash and spin the greens, slice vegetables or fruit and prepare a vinaigrette.  A good rule of thumb for a great vinaigrette is 3 to 1; 3 parts oil to 1 part acid.  This works great for olive oil and balsamic vinegar or oil and red wine vinegar or an oil and citrus (acid) combination.   You can either add herbs and spices to your vinaigrette at this point or sometimes it is also nice just to toss fresh herbs directly in the greens.  Always season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper – it will make a big difference in the resulting dressing.  To assemble, layer greens, vegetables, fruit, and herbs, in a salad bowl and toss gently to combine.  Toss the salad with a few tablespoons of vinaigrette first to gently cover the greens.  You don’t want to completely drown the vegetables and greens but just to give them a light coating.  After you’ve applied a little dressing, taste it first before adding more.  Place on a serving plate. Top with cheese (if using) and spoon on a little more vinaigrette (if necessary).   If adding meat to your salad, place it on top of the salad just before serving.

Here are some great recipe ideas to get you started: 

Marinated Steak Salad w/Mixed Greens & Gorgonzola

Gourmet Greens with Tomatoes, Pine Nuts, Asiago Cheese & Basil Vinaigrette Served with Herbed Olive Foccacia 

Snapper w/Tomatoes and Spinach 

Mahi Mahi Salad w/Hazelnuts 

Fresh Orange Salad w/Sautéed Scallops

Noodle Salad w/Shrimp 

Balsamic Beef Salad 

Chicken Curry Salad 

Fresh Orange Salad w/Sautéed Scallops 

Grilled Pepper, Corn & Onion Salad w/Balsamic Vinaigrette 

Marinated Steak Salad w/Mixed Greens & Gorgonzola 

Spinach Salad w/ Turkey Picadillo

Spring Roasted Salmon Salad 

Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Salad w/Grilled Tuna 

Spinach Salad w/ Turkey Picadillo

Asian Salad with Apples & Carrots

Asparagus Salad

-Enjoy!

-Chef Jessica

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