HUNTINGTON -- Often called "rabbit food," salads are not all made the same, but they all can be dressed up. It may take some work doing so, but salads can be made into healthy choices.
The basic salad -- a bed of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, carrots and radishes -- is low fat and healthful. It's the ingredients that are added -- sliced meat, boiled eggs, croutons, olives, bacon bits and a favorite dressing, to name a few, that gets us into trouble.
It used to be that salads were a pre-main-course dish, but they have become meals within themselves. In fact, they have become so popular over the years that almost every fast-food joint and/or restaurant offers some type of salad that is present during most meals or offered as a side dish.
One restaurant well-known for its delicious salad recipe is The Olive Garden. It is very simple, yet the dressing provides a great tasting flavor.
The word "salad" is not exclusive to lettuce topped with veggies. They can have fish, chicken, pasta, cheese, shrimp, crab or other meat added. Some of today's popular salad dishes include a mixture of fruits, giving the salad a flavor of its own. Chef, Caesar, Cobb or garden salads perhaps remain at the top of the list of popular dishes, but taco, pasta, potato, macaroni and fruit are becoming quite popular. The salads used for sandwiches, such as tuna, egg and chicken, are widespread for lunches and finger foods at parties and other celebratory events. Even the most popular of the salads can be high in saturated fat, based on the ingredients used.
These recipes are from "Fannin Family and Friends Favorite Foods: Often Fabulous! Always Fun! 2001" cookbook:
TOSSED SALAD
1 head iceberg lettuce, salad cut
3 green onions, cut small
2 medium fresh tomatoes, cut 1/2 to 1-inch pieces
1 large or 2 small cucumbers, cut in 1/2-inch circles
3 medium cloves fresh garlic
1/8 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Crush garlic; mix with pepper in large bowl. Add cut lettuce, cucumbers, tomato and onion. Mix lemon juice, oil and vinegar; pour over salad.
CRUNCHY TOSSED SALAD
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper
Large head iceberg lettuce, washed, dried and broken
6 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup plus sesame seeds
6 green onions, chopped
3/4 cup chow mein noodles
Toast almonds and sesame seeds in oven until slightly brown. Fry bacon and crumble. Chop green onions.
To serve: Combine torn lettuce with bacon, almonds, sesame seeds, onions in large bowl. Add dressing of first five ingredients (make a couple hours ahead) and toss. Top with noodles.
These two recipes are taken from "Bon Appetit: GFWC Pea Ridge Woman's Club" cookbook:
CAESAR SALAD
1 bag Romaine lettuce
Grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon garlic salt
Pepper to taste
Mix ingredients; pour over lettuce. Top with grated cheese.
DILLED CHICKEN SALAD
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon honey mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Mix ingredients; serve chilled on lettuce leaves with tomato or with fruit, wheat crackers or bread.
SEAFOOD SALAD
1 can cooked shrimp
1 can minced crab meat
2 cups boiled potatoes
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
Mix ingredients together. Place in two-quart baking dish. Bake at 450 degrees 10 minutes. Serve warm with crackers, toast or breadsticks.
This recipe is from "The Original Community Cookbook: Greenbottom Community and Senior Center:"
KENTUCKY POTATO SALAD
6 potatoes, peeled and cut up
4-5 boiled eggs
1/2 to 3/4 cup salad dressing or mayonnaise
1 small onion, chopped
Cook potatoes real tender; add chopped eggs and onions. Add salt, pepper and paprika, if desired. Mix together and serve.
These recipes are from "Recipes & Recollections 1807-2007: 200th Anniversary of Mud River Baptist Church:"
JANE'S SPINACH JELLO SALAD
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 (3-ounce) package lime Jell-O
3/4 cup boiling water
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cottage cheese
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced onion
11/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Squeeze and drain liquid from spinach. Mix ingredients together; pour into mold or 9-by-13-inch pan.
SALMON SALAD
1 (7-ounce) can pink salmon (tuna packed in water may be used)
1 cup small shell macaroni, cooked according to package directions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup sliced, pitted ripe olives
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped onion
2 tablespoons salad dressing
Mix ingredients; refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
SUMMER SALAD
1 head cauliflower
1 head broccoli
1 box frozen peas (thawed and drained)
1 large onion, chopped
1 bottle creamy cucumber dressing
Cut broccoli and cauliflower into bite-size pieces. Toss cauliflower, broccoli, peas and onion with dressing. Chill 3 to 4 hours before serving.
7-day Archive
