New Take on Salad

It it just me, or have there been an excessive amount of those self serve frozen yogurt bars popping up everywhere? In Columbus, I see a new one opening up all the time. They have become really popular and I think the magic is in the toppings. From breakfast cereal to candy bars to mochi bites, the best yogurt bar is the one with the most toppings. I feel the same way about salad. The best salad bars have the best toppings. And salads are the best for a hot summer day when you want something light, but filling. For dinner the other night,I wanted to remake my normal “blah” everyday salad into something with more complex flavors. So I added some fun toppings like barley and apples. I really wanted to make a fun salad bar with tons of different toppings, but then I realized that  both my husband and I would probably like almost all the toppings, so I just tossed it all together. Someday when I have older kids, I think it would be really fun to do a salad bar at home and encourage them to try all sorts of toppings that are new to them.

Here is what I put in this salad:

• spinach
• ice burg lettuce
• fresh lettuce from my garden
• zucchini and yellow summer squash, quartered and sliced thin
• carrots, sliced
• tomatoes, chopped
• cucumbers, quartered and sliced
• radishes (from my garden), sliced
• sweet peppers, chopped in small pieces
• mushrooms, sliced
• avocados, chopped
• slivered almonds, toasted
• chickpeas
• homemade spelt bread croutons
• sunflower seeds
• apples, diced
• pearled barley, cooked like rice
• dried craisins
• pomegranate arils 
• hard boiled eggs, chopped
• mozzarella cheese, shredded
• diced beets (on the side, because I don’t love them)

The croutons, chickpeas, barley, and toasted almonds gave it a nutty taste and the fruit balanced it out with a touch of sweetness. The chickpeas and nuts combined with the barley give you a complete protein. You could add meat if you choose. I think a little crumbled bacon would have been delicious. To make the croutons, cube thick slices of of homemade bread. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle on some salt and Italian seasonings, and bake until crispy.

Here are some additional salad topping ideas so you can get creative with your salads:

• different varieties of lettuce (arugula, butter lettuce, romaine, kale, mixed greens)
• snow peas
• roasted corn
• roasted asparagus
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• jicama
• kohlrabi
• red onion, finely chopped
• roasted sweet potato or butternut squash
• green onion or scallions
• artichoke hearts
• edamame
• soy nuts
• water chestnuts
• sundried tomatoes
• salsa
• roasted Brussels sprouts
• sprouts
• fresh basil
• fresh cilantro
• blue berries
• straw berries
• pears
• raspberries
• grapes
• mango
• pineapple
• mandarin oranges
• raisins
• grape fruit segments
• other cooked grains (bulgur wheat, faro, quinoa, millet, wild rice, buckwheat)
• couscous (big grain)
• pecans
• walnuts
• cashews
• pine nuts
• sesame seeds
• peanuts
• flax seeds
• chia seeds
• pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• any kind of bean
• hominy
• bacon
• grilled chicken
• grilled shrimp
• deli meat
• pepperoni
• tofu
• wontons or Chinese noodles
• crushed crackers or tortilla chips
• croutons made of different breads ( sourdough, rye, wheat, spelt)
• different cheeses (parmesan, cheddar, blue cheese, feta, gorgonzola, goat cheese)
• cottage cheese
• pasta (orzo is a good one)
• olives
• lemon zest

Can you think of anything else? If you have more ideas to add to the list, comment below. I hope I got your creative salad juices flowing!

Happy Fourth of July!

By  Edible Experiments