When the seasons change, sometimes you just need a fresh start. Brighten up your diet with the flavors of the season! Salads of the Season combine fresh greens and seasonal toppings for tasty and nutritious recipes that are perfect for the warmer weather. From colorful vegetable toppings to creamy dressings, you’ll be sure to find the perfect combination of flavors to make your salads the star of the meal.
1. Salivating for Salads: Late-Season Delights
As the season turns colder, the urge to eat light and fresh ingredients is natural. Salads have become the perfect way to balance a hearty meal or provide a much-needed respite from heavier meals of winter. Here are some late-season delights to get your mouth salivatingly ready:
- Savory: Take your taste buds on a soulful journey with a Rustic Roasted Acorn Squash & Butternut Harvest Salad, featuring roasted acorn squash and butternut, wild rice, pomegranate, kale, feta, and a balsamic dijon vinaigrette.
- Nutty and Sweet: Give your salad a crunchy upgrade with toasted almonds, glazed pecans, sweet apple slices, and a hint of honey in a Winter Salad with Granny Smith Apples and Pecans.
- Tangy and Fruity: Rejuvenate your salad game with Pomegranate-Mint Salad, a vibrant combination of pomegranate, radicchio, fennel, mint and a tart lemon-pomegranate vinaigrette.
This year, seasonal root vegetables can work wonders in salads. Look out for baby potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and carrots. Roast until crisp and take your salad to the next level.
Berries also add nutrition and flavor to nearly any type of salad. Start with cranberries, for a vibrant salad that enhances the flavor profile. Or, use tart pomegranates for a zesty bite. For an uber-festive salad, top with candied cranberries and a spiced cranberry dressing.
And, finally, add in a few winter greens for maximum freshness and crunch. Use baby spinach, mix with cabbage, or go the extra mile and add some baby kale. Get creative and combine these intriguing greens with your own combination of ingredients to create a unique salad.
2. Gather Your Greens: Crafting Seasonal Salads
As the days grow warmer, it’s time to lighten up your meals with some cool and refreshing salads. There’s something so comforting about gathering up the freshest seasonal greens and fruits found in your local farmer’s market and turning them into a delicious and nutritious side dish that will brighten your day. Whether you’re a novice or experienced in the world of craft salads, here are a few tips to get you started:
- Choose the Right Greens: There’s an abundance of greens to choose from in the spring. Consider adding Bibb lettuce, chard, watercress, spinach, kale, and arugula to your salads. To make sure you’re getting the freshest greens, look out for crisp leaves and vibrant colors.
- Go for Vibrant Fruits & Veggies: As far as fruits and vegetables go, you can go for sweet or savory — it’s entirely up to you. All sorts of colors and textures can be used here. Add cherry tomatoes, jicama, oranges, and pomegranate for a burst of flavor and texture. Throw in some spicy red peppers and carrots to kick it up a notch.
- Mix It Up: Now you can start playing around with the flavors by adding crunchy nuts and seeds. Toast some sunflower or pumpkin seeds in an oven-safe pan, then sprinkle them over the salad. Other great additions include toasted walnuts, pine nuts, chia seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseed, or hemp hearts.
- Go for Fun Garnishes: Put the finishing touches on your masterpiece with some fun garnishes. Try adding pickled onions, fresh herbs, capers, or olives for a salty kick. Fresh avocado, crunchy radishes, or roasted corn make great additions as well.
- Don’t Forget the Dressing: Now you can move on to the good stuff — dressings! Experiment with vinegars, olive oils, freshly squeezed citrus, and herbs to make your own delicious and wholesome dressing. You can also go for lighter dressings like Greek yogurt or tahini.
Now that you have all the ingredients, you can start constructing your salad! You can make a delicious masterpiece with just a few simple ingredients. You may even find yourself mastering the art of craft salads in no time. So grab your bowl, tongs, and knife and go forth and craft away. Enjoy!
3. Top It Off: Vibrant Ingredients for Adding Flair
Bring your recipes to life with these important final touches – vibrant ingredients that will add flair to the meal. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Carrots: Julienne carrots for a pop of bright color and sweet flavor. You can add these to a soup, stir-fry or salad.
- Ginger: Ginger root can add a zesty touch to your dish. Grate it fresh or use a store-bought paste to add a little firework to your meal.
- Sauces: Use a drizzle of chili garlic sauce or sesame oil to put the finishing touches on a stir-fry or bowl of noodles.
- Cilantro: This herb brings a bright flavor to your recipes. Use freshly chopped cilantro to give dishes a zingy touch.
- Radishes: Thinly sliced radishes are perfect for adding crunchy texture to tacos or heady salads.
- Avocado: This creamy fruit can give a hint of richness to an otherwise ordinary dish and is extremely nutritious.
Go beyond the standard components of your recipe and get creative. A few slices of cucumber, a sprinkle of nutmeg, or even some chopped mint leaves can enhance the taste of a meal. Some parts of the world use raisins to sweeten savory dishes. And a small handful of cashews can add a satisfying crunch to any recipe.
These unique ingredients can be a great way to experiment with exciting new flavors and textures. Try creating an all-vegan bowl with roasted cauliflower, crispy tofu cubes, and a spicy sauce. Or go traditional and top your stir-fry with a medley of colorful vegetables and a seasoning of sesame oil.
Whatever your flavor combination, these top-off ingredients can help you create a meal that’s truly your own. Have a blast experimenting with these vibrant ingredients to add remarkable flair to your recipe.
4. Create Freshness: Pair Perfectly with Late-Harvest Veggies
Fall produce springs to life with slow-cooking techniques
As winter approaches, so too does the last of late-harvest vegetables. But don’t be fooled by withering greens and writhing gourds – there’s still plenty of flavor and nutrition left to bring out with slow-cooking techniques.
Here’s a few ideas to help bring out the best of summer-turned-fall produce:
- Partially cook your veggies in the oven or on the stovetop, and finish with a slow-cook session. Sliced bell peppers, diced eggplant, and stewed tomatoes all come alive with extra time and low heat.
- Braise produce with a bit of oil or stock when forming a sauce. This is perfect for preparing side dishes, but is great in soups or on pizza too.
- Pack in extra flavor by incorporating dried spices into slow-cook dishes. Dried chiles make a fajita sauce from woody peppers sizzle, and the warmth of cinnamon is ideal for roasted roots.
- Aim for diversity. By combining longer-cooking items (eg. squash, onions, celery) with faster-cooking ones (eg. kale, mushrooms, and chard), you’re guaranteed to create a flavorful blend with a textured finish.
In the end, don’t be afraid to experiment with old ingredients. When it comes to late-harvest fruits and vegetables, the possibilities are endless! Roasting, grilling, braising and sautéing can work wonders on kids of all sizes. And be sure to pair accordingly: a complex cumin-spiced squash goes perfectly with a tempered tomato sauce. So fire up the stovetop, get creative and enjoy the freshness of fall.
Salads of the season don’t have to be boring or tasteless. With endless combinations of fresh greens and colorful toppings, you’ll be sure to make a delicious salad that will tantalize all of your taste buds. Give salads a chance and explore the possibilities each season. Your taste buds will thank you!
