The Salvation Of Salad Kits

 One of the best things about summer is its salads. One of the worst things is getting the right veggies and then chopping them. Then there's the dressing and the extras to be put on top to give the greens some zing. What to do? Get a salad kit.

These have helped me tremendously thorugh the year, but more so during the summery heat waves we've been having. The best part is that salad kits come in all sorts of flavors from Caesar to Greek to Thai inspired and Mexican. 

Fresh Express is one of my go to salad kits.Acme's Signature's brand also has some very tasty mixes. Tonight was Thai and Cashews which went perfectly with the main course  - plant based chicken patties . 

This was a fun and yummy mix of sliced carrots, Romaine lettuce, red cabbage and green onions. The crunchy part came from Thai seasoned wonton strips. toasted coconut flakes and cashews. It was topped with a thick and creamy Thai dressing. I just added some olive oil and a tablespoon of vinegat to stretch the dressing.  Their Mexican Style chopped salad, complete with cotija cheese , cheddar tortilla chips and roasted pumpkin seeds is on my radar to try next.Keeo in mind that extras like shredded rotisserie chicken, sliced London broil or shrimp can be added to these salad kits to make them into whole dinners.

There will be more hear waves this summer. Make dinner easier by buying a salad kit. It's an easy side to create  cool and tasty.

The Hot Temp Diet

What does this blog have in common with hot weather? Endless articles about noshing through a heat wave. I've  written about how and what to cook and eat during a heat wave. The advice is the same.Eat light, eat healthy. It's a way of living through it.

As I've always recommended, go for salads. They're light to get down and easy to make after a long, sticky day at work.Again one of the most flavorful (and a true favorite) is Salad Nicoise. This is a fun mix of Bibb lettuce, tuna, and a host of veggies. The traditional recipe calls for green beans, potatoes, and plum tomatoes. Anchovies and hard boiled eggs are also added for more protein and flavor. The dressing is a blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar and dry mustard. A squirt of lemon and crushed garlic also give flavor. You can also wrap all the ingredients save the lettuce in Romaine leaves for Nicoise wraps. Another tasty cool dinner is Neopolitan bread salad. Slice up plum tomatoes , mozzarella cheese and Italian bread and soak in olive oil spiked with rosemary, oregano and garlic. If you want more substance with it. julienne strips of salami  or  bell peppers to add to it . A plain salad is always good too. Add yummy but nutritious extras like broccoli, cauliflower, and chickpeas and mix with a light, low calorie dressing.

Many people turn to the grill when the temps get hot. If you can stand the heat, then go for it.I've  recommended homemade burgers which are easy to make. For juicier ones add an ice cube in the center of each patty. Some other add ins are minced onions , garlic  and even peppercorns Grilled foil dinners are a perfect meal for a hot summer's night. Try chicken with onions and peppers, zested up with such herbs as oregano and rosemary Another quick idea is using canned veggies such as corn and string beans with steak  for a healthy and colorful supper. Even meat loaf can be foil cooked, Think of one laced with barbecue sauce. It can be sliced and served on hamburger buns. Fish such as salmon can also be foil grilled. Use lemon and parsley for flavoring along with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve alongside a summery string bean or broccoli salad.One of the quickest and most classic meals is the quick tomato sandwich. It's just tomato slices on bread with a slick of mayonnaise. If you want want something healthier, and a tad more sophisticated. think tomato slices on olive oil soaked French or Italian bread.

It's another hot summer with high temps. Think of eating light and tasty with classic and simple recipes. It'll get any home chef through the hot days ahead.

Riffs On recipes

Some of the best chefs are the most creative ones. They can take a basic recipe or basic ingredients and turn them into something special.Is it magic? Alchemy? No, it's just thinking outside the culinary box.

One of the most versatile mediums to work with is rice. It's good on its' own, but cook it in any kind of stock, add butter or margarine and it's a light meal . Add some veggies such as peas and broccoli some herbs and voila - a great side with chicken.It can also  be part of a main dish , soaking up stews and chiles. Rice also is a tasty filling in stuffed peppers. Try mixing it with ground beef, and tomato paste, two other basics. For zip  add chile powder or ginger that's been grated. Rice can also be deep fried for a real treat of a lunch or dinner. Throw in chicken or beef  along with some water chestnuts and broccoli. Pasta is another simple ingredient that can be made a variety of ways. Everyone knows spaghetti, It's usually served with meatballs and either a marinara , Bolognese or butter sauce. However , it can turn up in a soup. Try it with a beef based vegetable one or have it as the surprise ingredient in a minestrone. Fried ravioli is a new spin on a very traditional dish. They're easy to cook up that way, Use olive oil or even vegetable oil to deep fry them in a fryer or skillet.. Serve with a side of hot marinara sauce.

Basic meats such as chicken and beef can lend themselves to a variety of different and unique dishes. Chicken cutlets can be turned into something exciting such as pulled chcken. Try cooking it with a smoky barbecue sauce and serve on potato buns. Cutlets can also be oven fried, It's first dredging them in melted butter and mustard mix and then coating them with crushed Saltines. Bake at 400 degrees Farenheit for only twenty minutes.Everyone loves legs and wings.Marinate them in a mix of pinapple juice , orange zest and garic along with such spices as ginger and crushed red peppers for a fiery twist onBuffalo style wings.. Every loves any cut of beef. Suppose it's added on top of a pizza for extra oomph? It's a nice way of marrying two classics and making them even better. A steak salad is a nice alternative toa regular one.Use a hearty greens like romaine or spinach along with deep red grape tomatoes. Salt and pepper almonds are a must to add crunch and more flavor.Steak strips can also be subbed in for roast beef in a chef's salad for surprise and flavor. It can also be turned into a club sandwich with lettuce  and,tomato served on toasted pumpernickel or rye bread.


A good chef is a creative one. Think outside the culinary box.It will result in more delicious dishes, using just basic ingredients.

Know Your Lettuce

This is the time of year for salads.Unlike other summer dishes, these can be varied thanks to the mammy kids of greens to start off with as a base. Home chefs just think there is only romaine and iceberg.They're sort of right, however there are so many different types that you can make an entirely different salad almost every night of the week. Yes, most Americans do buy more iceberg and Romaine than any other kind.Both have their merits.Sadly iceberg has the least nutrition and the least flavor but it is the best base for tossing a salad with strong flavors.A popular summer one is a wedge of iceberg drenched in bleu cheese.You could also add tomatoes and crumbled bacon too.Iceberg also is good for chef salads too, because of the variety of strong flavored meats and cheese.Romaine is another well loved type.It's the base of Caesar salads but can be used as a base for others as well.You can add sliced avocado slices along with tomatoes for a nice vegan side or main meal.Romaine is good too with turkey ,chicken and most seafood.For a more elegant bowl, think aboutbadding crab and lobster morsels with a simple oil and lemon vinaigrette.Try to eat Romaine at least twice a week.It is high in Vitamin C as well as in phosphates and folates. Bibb and butter lettuce are excellent selections.They are top of the line because of their rich buttery flavor.Their leaves form perfect C's and they are the best choice for holding chicken, tuna, crab and turkey salads.It is also good with a simple vinaigrette to emphasize its amazing flavor. Mention escarole and most home chefs will say it's a soup ingredient.However this Vitamin C rich green is actually a great base for salads.The trick is to buy it or if you're growing it in your garden, to pick the Leaves early on.They will be very sweet,only acquiring the bitter aftertaste later on.Escarole leaves are a wonderful base for Mediterrenean salads with strong flavored ingredients.Think an escarole salad with salame, or prosciutto, Provolone or feta cheese and any kind of olive from black to kalamata.Mesclun is another choice.This is actually a mix of different lettuces that have been seeded and grown together.Mix them with the feathery frisee or the peppery chicory.Again these are rich in vitamins and nutrients and a nice spin to a salad.Since these are strong flavored greens ,think delicate add ins such as plain croutons, grape tomatoes and possibly snap beans.Stick with a very light dressing possibly with a citrus base. Vary your salads this summer.Get out of theviceberg and Romaine comfort zone and try the other greens. have fun discovering other types of lettuce and creating new and exciting salads.

Go Green With Salad

The warm weather brings about salad days - those times when we crave a cool,refreshing bowl of greens. Surprisingly enough not many people know how to construct a good,well rounded one Most just think it's chucking a variety of veggies in a bowl and dumping store bought dressing on it.Not so! Anyone can create a healthy and delicious salad using the right lettuce and appropriate extras. First realize that there are three different types to work with: Romaine, Crisphead and Butterhead.Romaine is about the most popular right now being the base for Caesar salad. it is one of the healthiest types,beige rich in Vitamin. C.It is also one of the most flavorful with a sweet taste.The reason being is that only the tender inner leaves are picked for salad. Another flavorful leave is the Butterhead .called, this be use of the smooth, buttery texture off the leaves.it is rich in Vitamin K which are softer and sweeter in texture and taste.The famed Bibb lettuce is from this family.One of the least popular right now is the Crisphead. The variety that produces Iceburg Lettuce.The leaves are densely crowded together to form a cabbage like head.This kind doesn't have much flavor or nutrients as the other.however it can be salvaged to make decent bowlful. What goes well in a salad?Tomatoes are the obvious choice. vary them however to prevent banality. Grape tomatoes are a good addition. They're sweeter tasting than beefsteaks and the plum variety. Another option are artichoke hearts.These add real bite , flavor and color. Onions are also good, Agin they provide texture and flavor however use them sparingly. Too many could lead to heart burn. If you want to vary it added chopped shallots. For something different add snap beans for crunch or even toss a handful of edamame into your salad bowl. With the temps getting warmer and wamrer, more foodies will turn to eating cool bowls of salad. A dish of fresh greens is the perfect foil to hot, steamy days. Mx in homemade dressing and you have a great lunch or dinner.

Salad Days Are Here

Let's face it now that summer' s here , there's no need to slave away in a hot kitchen. This is supposed to be the time of easy living and easy cooking. Yet what to make for a hungry family? Salad - and not the dinky dieter's kind. Anyone can create a filling meal with greens , dressing and a few fun extras.

How does a great salad begin? With a good base of greens. Years ago iceberg lettuce was the base of choice. As our tastes improved, we found that everything from spinach to field greens could prove a worthy salad. Field greens are sometimes the best choice for a base because they're a meld of tastes and textures, The slightly nutty aftertaste will appeal to kids who sometimes don't like that "green" taste. For more adventurous kids have a base of spinach. This is packed with iron plus also tastes good. if you're making Caesar then go with romanine. This is a sturdy leaf and it holds up well with the heavy Caesar dressing and croutons.

NOW comes the fun part - the extras. If you want a dinner type salad then think about adding some freshly grilled chicken or salmon. This is an easy way of adding protein to your meal. If even this is too hot a chore for you then head to your supermarket's deli counter and pick up some freshly sliced London Broil. Another good choice is sliced ham which you can then shred and add to any salad. Chef salad is a wonderful variety of cheeses, meats and veggies. Add Italian cold cuts such as prosciutto and capacolla along with Provolone and mozzarella to a mixed salad. Toss in some broccoli , cauliflower and grape tomatoes and presto you've got a really filling dinner.Another hearty one is the famed salad nicoise. This beauty, eaten all through the Riviera during the ete is a tasty melange of salad, vegetables hard boiled eggs and tuna fish. You can serve this with crusty French bread or thin Piedmontese grissni bread sticks.

What kind of dressing should you use? Just a simple vinaigrette will work wonders. Remember it's one tablespoon vinegar to every three tablespoons of oil. If you want a fancier vinaigrette , add crushed raspberries, cherries, black berries or blueberries to a red or whine wine vinegar , let steep over night and mix the next day. This imparts a fruity taste to your salad. If you want a richer one , just mix one tablespoon of ketchup to three or four tablespoons mayo for an instant French dressing. You can also be creative and invent your own. Garnish your salad with either Chinese noodles or any chopped or slivered nuts.

This summer don t weigh yourself down by cooking hot meals. Make a satisfying salad that you will love to make and your family will love to eat. Enjoy the summer away from heavy , hard to make dinners. Lighten up the dinner table with a delicious, but filling salad!