Oh, I totally get that! But there are a few restaurants where I know I can get a nice basic side salad, then use it as a base. Sometimes I don’t want to prep greens, and I am not a fan of bagged lettuce.
Whole Foods is another place I will use the salad bar to get lettuces and maybe some grilled veg, then at home I will use my own toppings and dressing.
Aha, you have a good strategy!
On a hot weather day, I keep it simple. One English cucumber spiralized or cut into very thin long strips chilled in a bowl for 10 mins. and drizzled with toasted sesame oil. One and done! Very refreshing.
If I go the extra mile, I use the spiralized cucumber along with thin sticks of Granny Smith apple, crumbled crabmeat and grated fresh ginger along with the sesame oil.
Another, whole wheat spaghetti cooked and chilled. Then add, toasted peanuts, sliced scallion, julienne carrot, chopped bok choy and make a thin peanut butter/soy sauce/fresh ginger dressing. Thin with a touch of rice wine vinegar. Allow pasta to soak up the dressing well and serve chilled.
FAUXTATO SALAD: To add fiber to meals, or as a high protein option for the vegetarians at your cookout. Cook dry large lima beans (the equivalent of butter beans, not the smaller, green lima kids won’t eat) in salted water until just starting to split open. Use instead of spuds in any potato salad recipe. Close your eyes and you’ll think they are actually potatoes.
We really like this Peanut Noodle dish either warm or cold. It’s also good with some rotisserie chicken that has been tossed in a little of the dressing.
Interesting
The other day I mixed some leftover canned great northern beans into the less-than-a-portion-left deli potato salad I had. They didn’t change the flavor…try it!
I will! I enjoy lima beans…most beans actually. Thxs.
Peaches, cucumber, watermelon, black pepper, basil and tarragon, with a lemon-olive oil vinaigrette.
Gorgeous!
I would gladly order that at a restaurant!
I’ve been playing with this recipe: it’s fun to adjust based on what’s looking good in the produce department. Works well as a main dish, side, and for potlucks.
this is a hearty salad but i love it in the summer. Cold/room temp TJs ready-prepped lentils, avocado diced, arugula, hard boiled egg and tomato cut into eighths. dressing is a ton of lemon juice (2-3 lemons), minced shallot, tsp. of dijon, s&p. OR, dressing could be a walnut oil/sherry vinegar.
another: sliced gold/red beets, crumbled feta/goat cheese, avo sliced, toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts, chopped chives. dressing is the same dijon one above.
I know i’ve posted about them here or for sure on CH? people go nuts for both of these whenever i bring them to a gathering.
It’s not a favorite, but I bought 3 lbs of cabbage the other day. Guess what we’re having?! 
My favorite quick way to prepare cabbage is to slice it thin, raw, and 1/4 cup of white vinegar (moreso to taste, I don’t know the exact measurements), a bunch of dill, salt and ground pepper (all to taste). Sometimes I’ll add some roasted bell peppers. If it sits for a day, it tastes even better.
I’m serving it with some roasted salmon tonight, but I’ll eat it as a salad tomorrow.
Cherries, purple cherry tomatoes, and chèvre on a romaine lettuce base with a vinaigrette of balsamic, cherries, and red jalapeño.
Sounds great
That looks ah-mazing!
DH and I have been obsessed with shaved fennel lately. I’ve been making a very simple salad of shaved fennel with mounds of fresh mint and/or basil - I leave half of the leaves whole or just torn in half and blitz half in the food processor with a bit of mayonnaise and vinegar to make a quick dressing (after using the slicing blade to shave the fennel because I am LAZY). About two big handfuls of herbs to a half a bulb of fennel. So refreshing!
I watched a video of a chef making fresh seafood salad that included a steamed assortment of mussels, scallops, shrimp and Calamari along with raw tomatoes, celery, cucumber and parsley, roasted spring onion and red pepper, tossed in lemon juice, o&v. Garlic was added to the seafood steam. It looked so good.
You just described my favorite salad at the U.S. Restaurant in North Beach, SF. So good!!!
No kidding! I have had this salad in a restaurant but really didnt have the ingredient list down until I watched the instructional video.
https://itsprojectfoodie.com/recipes/soiree-seafood-salad/
I need a fishmonger!
