Though there are a few vegetables that I like cooked, there are many more that
I like raw. So sometimes I'll chop them up and eat them individually or try
to incorporated the cooked veggies [that I like] into other things, like
stews, chili, omelletes, soup, etc.

Now that I'm 'getting into' salads once again, I'd like to find some
interesting salads to try [vegetable and/or fruit or even protien/meat based].
So what kinds of salads do YOU like? And where are some of the good salad
bars?

31 responses total.

Recently, my sister was talking about her cravings for a spinach salad and
what she likes in it.. Which kind of got me into a mood for one, too. Though
its not exactly the same as her version, the past couple days I fixed: baby
spinach, 'grape' tomatoes, mandarin oranges, craisins and slivered almonds
topped with poppyseed dressing. It was very easy to fix and tasted good...

I used to have a Ruby Tuesday's near me and I loved their salad bar--it always
had a good [and fresh] variety of toppings as well as pasta salad, potato
salad, etc. I don't think there's a RT's in this area, though.  I also used
to like the house salad at the Outback [and would occasionally have the 'meal'
sized one. But the one time I had it here in AA, I was somewhat disappointed
with it, it didn't live up to my high expectations of it. Though it was
certainly better than those places that just serve lettuce with maybe a slice
of tomatoe or cucumber on top.

The salad bar at the Whole Foods in Durham was quite a bit more extensive than
I recall the one here in AA.  So sometimes after a long day and if I was in
the mood for a good filling meal, I used to stop there and fix something good.

Our most recent salad has been sliced winter radishes (green, red, white,
daikon) left for a few days in the juice from homemade dill pickles.  The
vinegar apparently neutralizes the hot radish flavor but leaves them crunchy.
I will try slivered cabbage the same way next.

I have always liked the salads at Panera. I like the bread there too. 

I like big everything-but-lettuce salads.  Usual ingredients when i make 
them at home are:  carrots, broccoli (sometime baby spinach), onion, 
real (tm) cheese, sunflower seeds, olive oil, cider vinegar, pepper, and 
salt.  Frequent additions are:  tomato, garlic, and beans (kidney, tofu,
or garbanzo).  If on sale, i may include cukes, cabbage, or cauliflower. 
Can't recall the last time i added meat, fish, or eggs (to my mind, they
need a heavier salad or dressing to fit in). 

Does anyone have any interesting chicken or egg salad ideas?

I like to put my egg salad on bread. ;) 

Actually, I am not a big fan of mayonnaise. I can tolerate it in egg 
salad but prefer to make egg salad with something else. Sometimes I use 
ranch dressing but sour cream works ok too. 

I like to make chicken salad with a bit of mayonaise (or plain yogurt 
if I have it), curry powder and mango chutney, with maybe some grapes 
and celery thrown in.  It's pretty tasty.

oooh. plain yogurt! Why didnt I think of that. I'll bet that would be 
good with egg salad and tuna salad too

Especially if you get that good Greek/Mediterranean yogurt.

I've used plain yogurt for both egg salad, tuna and chicken salad.  I 
prefer mayo, but if I"m cutting back on fat I'll use it or maybe go 
half & half.

One of my FAVORITE meals is taking a chicken breast, grinding it up in 
the food processor (I have a mini one, so cleanup is really easy), 
putting a little salt & garlic & mayo and making a spread.  I generally 
use veggies like cucumbers or tomatoes to spread it on instead of 
crackers.  It's really super yummy.

That does sound good, Jeanne. Well except for the mayo part ;)

I like chicken salad with pickles, carrots, peas, and mayo with some sage,
salt, and cilantro.  Usually, i'll pull the skin off a bunch of drumsticks
and grill em out back then cut the meat off and dice it with cooked veggies
I mentioned the mix it all together in a big bowl.

I've had good chicken salad that had grapes and/or apples in it, among other
things. Sometimes nuts, too.

I like the idea of putting grapes and/or apples in chicken salad. 

I LOVE putting celery in chicken salad and  tuna salad. 

isn't that a waldorf salad?  (Chicken, grapes, walnuts)

Usually not but you can put chicken in a Waldorf salad

http://www.kitchenproject.com/history/Waldorf_Salad.htm

Hmm, I thought chicken was always a part of a waldorf salad, too. I guess I
need to look that up! :-)

Waldorf in my kitchen is apple, celery, walnuts, mayo.  

for some reason I always though it had grapes and chicken too.  But 
either way I like it. :)

Basic egg salad: egg, mustard, mayo, and [usually] sweet relish. Sometimes
I through on a piece of cheese. Sometimes I toast the bread.  I've also been
known to use scallions and/or sprouts.  Sprouts are also good on chicken
salad.

Heh...a waldorf salad in my house growing up was a concoction of 
iceberg lettuce, cut up apples, celery, bananas and mini marshmallows, 
with a dressing of equal parts Miracle Whip, milk and sugar.

No, I'm not joking.

Re:10--What makes Greek/meditarranian yogurt different from the yogurt made
here in the states? A different type of 'culture' base or perhaps some kind
of spice or flavoring? Or perhaps better quality ingredients...

Other salads I've liked:
-tomato with fresh mazorella cheese, and basil. I think the dressing on it
is oil and vinegar but I'm not sure.

-my Grandmother used to make a good thinly sliced cucumber and onion type
salad with vinegar. I think she had some kind of seasoning in with it, too.
Or maybe salt...

-Speaking of cucumber, I do like that cucumber/yogurt type thing often found
in Indian restaurants.  [And the cucumber/something-based topping found with
good gyros.]

Mediterranean yogurt is made with whole milk (sometimes with cream added),
and no added ingredients such as the thickeners found in most American yogurt.
You can buy it at a Mediterranean food store.  It separates and is more
liquid.  And does not have sugar added.  It might also have a different blend
of bacteria in it (which cause the fermentation that sours the milk to
yogurt).   In former Yugoslavia yogurt was something you drank, often mixed
with water to extend it.

Is that kind of like some of the yogurt [and fruit or other flavorings] that
some meditarranian serve?

You can get a nice greek yogurt at Trader Joe's.

The kinds I get are definitely thicker - they make me think of sour 
cream in a way.  

Nobody in former Yugoslavia ever even heard of flavored or sweetened yogurt
when I was there in the 70s and 80s.  Adding cream makes it thicker.  Water
buffalo yogurt is creamier and thicker.

I buy whole milk unsweetened yogurt from Trader Joe's. It is made in the
USA though, as far as I can tell

Is it thickened with anything, or just made with milk and cultures?

I dont think it is thickened with anything but I'll check the container 
when I get home. 

Response not possible - You must register and login before posting.

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss