Best Salad Recipes

Spring Flowers and a Summer Salad Recipe Challenge

Do you have any special spring traditions?  Each year as the weather starts to warm, we pay a visit to a particular field on my in-laws’ farm to pick from a massive expanse of bluebells. Even as my sons grow older, they love to do this.  As we pick, we separate out big bunches for…

Apple Pecan Spring Greens with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

Apples, pecans, and blue cheese are the base of this versatile salad, and the speedy maple-Dijon-cider vinaigrette makes it a keeper.   As I was walking my boys home from school one day last spring, a friend of mine drove by and yelled a funny thing out her car window.  โ€œI love your maple Dijon vinaigrette…

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

This dressing began as an effort to replicate a much-loved restaurant salad a couple of years ago and has turned into a favorite of family and friends alike.  Given its versatility and ease of preparation–as well as the fact that it is light, full of flavor, and will last for weeks in your fridge–I thought…

BBQ Chicken Salad with Better-for-You Buttermilk Ranch

This is a frequent occurrence in our house.  A hearty salad, thrown together at the last minute.  For me, the trick to a speedy dinner that tastes great often lies in a simple homemade dressing.  I have many that I like to make.  (See the Dip, Dressings, Sauces & Salsas section on the right-hand side…

Better-for-You Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Update: ย As I made a fresh batch of this tasty dressing for the big game tonight, I thought it worth linking in a few more ways I like to use this beyond the typical dressing or dip (links provided below). ย Also, my friend, Carrie, kindly figured out the nutritional information which I have included below.…

Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut Salad with Balsamic Tomato Sauce

A few nights ago, I pan seared some wild caught Halibut, wrapped simply in prosciutto. Though I buy fish regularly, I tend not to buy much Halibut.  It is a meaty fish, and I tend toward the flaky.  (Somehow, that sounds sort of funny, but you know what I mean!) These wild caught pieces of…

Spinach Salad with Citrus, Avocado and Balsamic Reduction

A few weeks ago, a friend emailed me, saying that grapefruit is one of his favorite fruits, and wondered if I had any recipes using this fruit.  On one of those aforementioned evenings, when the refrigerator was looking rather bare, I did happen to have a bag of baby spinach, a grapefruit, and a red…

Fall Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

With winter just around the corner, I am sort of thinking I should have chosen a different name for this salad! ย This is the perfect recipe to get through the cold months when fresh produce is not abundant. ย It is also a worthy counterbalance to the excesses of the holidays…like all that Oreo Bark! Loving…

Southwestern Chicken (or Turkey) Quesadilla Salad

Hearty quesadillas transform this flavorful salad into a satisfying meal โ€“ and the quesadillas require just three basic ingredients!    My make-at-home version of one of my all-time favorite restaurant salad dates back to my early twenties. Suffice it to say, this salad has stood the test of time! I usually make it when I…

Tex-Mex Dressing

This is a super simple dressing I created for my Tex-Mex Chopped Salad.  While you can use your favorite store-bought ranch, I like this easy-to-make and healthier version.  It is delicious and, combined with the salsa, offers a bit of a kick and just the right flavor to enhance a variety of southwestern dishes. Use…

Tex-Mex Chopped Salad

This satisfying dinner salad relies on a clever 2-ingredient dressing and offers a variety of ways to make delicious use of leftovers. With the right ingredients, a salad can be a hearty, delicious, and wholesome meal. Lean proteins, healthy fats, and different textures help.ย So does a homemade dressing. The simple mixture of salsa and ranch…

Apple Quinoa Salad with Lemon, Curry, and Mint

A simple protein will turn this wholesome, flavorful, plant-based salad into a complete meal. Easy to make ahead and perfect for meal prep! Years ago, my vegetarian sister introduced me to quinoa.ย She first explained that, contrary to what it seems, this grain is pronounced โ€œKEEN-wah.โ€ She further mentioned that quinoa is popular with vegetarians because…

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