YOur Very Chill Salad Bar

Sadly the pandemic closed a lot of those all ypu can eat buffets. One of the highlights was making your own salad, It was customizing a bowl of greens and creating something tasty and refreshing. You can easily replicate this at home.

Start with greens. I bought these mixed Spring greens from Target and really love the mix of textures and flavors.

It proved to be the perfect base for a salad that was rife with these tomatoes,also bought at Target. They're Roma which makes for a sweeter and fleshier slice.

I usually add olives but these artichokes hearts,another Target brand and chickpeas looked so good. I couldn't resist.

Once you have the tomatoes and lettuce base you can add anything. Try cold shrimp or leftover roasted chicken. Use that leftover grilled steak or London broil cut up into strips. Add some baby carrots and bean sprouts. Fruit is allowed. Try a handful of blueberries or grapes for some fun sweetness. Add crunch with almonds, and pecans mixed with croutons. 

What about dressings? Again get creative.

You can go with a simple olive oil and vinegar. If you want a traditional vinaigrette go with a red wine vinegar. Add traditional seasonings like oregano and garlic.  For a fruitier one sub in apple cider vinegar mixed with crushed strawberries. I like a good homemade French dressing.It starts with one of my faves, Hellman';s vegan mayo mixed with ketchup. Olive oil and a dash of apple cider vinegar is whirled in to create a creamy texture and tangy taste.
 

It's too hot to cook. Create a fun, creative salad, using the basics and imagination. You'll come up with one cool meal.