Cold Weather Salads
Even in fall and winter, salads still belong on the menu, and just a few tweaks will make them hearty and comforting in the cooler weather.
But before we get started, please read my post on Elements of a Green Salad.
Okay, now that you've done that, I want you to pick out elements of a green salad that pertain to cooler weather tastes, such as hearty vegetables, robust flavours, cooked ingredients, hot/warm dressings, wilted greens and plenty of protein.
Here are some ideas...
The Base:
- Hearty greens, like kale, spinach, frisée, cabbage slaw
- Romaine lettuce
- A mixture of Romaine lettuce and hearty greens
The Proteins:
- Beef or pork (hot or cold... sliced cold steak is delicious!)
- Stewed meat (see photo; stewed beef finger meat and daikon radish)
- Bacon
- Baked ham
- Rotisserie chicken
- Deli meats
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Salmon or mackerel
- Aged cheddar, parmesan, goat cheese, sheep feta cheese or bleu cheese
- Warm halloumi
- You could probably use tofu, but since it is a very light-tasting protein, I would suggest marinating it and/or seasoning it really well
Toppings:
- Chopped pecans or walnuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Crumbled bacon
- Crumbled cheese crips
- Grated hard-boiled eggs
Dressing Ingredients:
- Bacon fat (warm/hot)
- Olive oil
- Avocado oil (neutral flavour)
- Walnut oil
- Hazelnut oil
- Sesame oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Champagne vinegar
- Rice wine vinegar
- Soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
- Mustard
- Miso
- Garlic
- Sweetener
- Cilantro
- Tahini
- Pesto
Roasted or Sautéed Vegetables:
- Brussels sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Kohlrabi
- Bell peppers
- Onions
- Mushrooms
- Celery
- Celeriac/celery root
- Fennel
- Radishes
- Green beans
- Turnips
- Rutabaga/Swede
- Daikon radish (see photo; stewed beef finger meat and daikon radish)
Grated or Matchstick Raw Vegetables:
- Zucchini, summer squash
- Fennel
- Kohlrabi
- Cabbage
- Jicama
- Beets (carby, so just a little, for the colour)
Other Veggies:
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Bell peppers
- Steamed green beans
- Onions
- Celery
Other Ingredients:
- Olives
- Avocado
Fruit (sparingly):
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Strawberries
- Cranberries (raw or frozen, unsweetened)
- Pomegranate seeds (arils)
Cold Weather Salad Recipe Ideas: