We're down to greens and onions in the fridge right now, but we still enjoyed a beautiful and tasty salad last night. I topped the baby spinach and red leaf lettuce with thin slices of red onion, freshly cooked pinto beans, raisins and toasted sunflower seeds. Jeff loves beans on his salad.
Last night's salad — baby spinach, red leaf lettuce, thinly sliced red onion, freshly cooked pinto beans, raisins and toasted sunflower seeds.
I make layered salads, as opposed to tossed salads. The ingredients are all spread out nicely in layers, so when I serve, I dig straight down with the serving utensils and pull up a portion of each layer. No missed ingredients, no digging around for a few more smaller ingredients.
I like to see the greens making a bed for a variety of ingredients, which can be as varied or as simple as my kitchen supplies. I usually have greens in the refrigerator, but I don't always have other vegetables. So I dress them up. The greens go down easier if other ingredients are present to vary the tastes and textures. Good toppings for green salads, in addition to other vegetables, are: onions, nuts, seeds, beans, dried fruits, herbs, and olives.
We eat salad every day. I start with a pretty bowl. My favorite is a clear crystal bowl that reveals all the layers of vegetables, but I have others that I rotate for my own enjoyment and variety. I put the greens in the bottom of the bowl and top that with everything else, putting the larger items in first and topping it at the end with something small and colorful. A salad needs contrasting colors to be beautiful.
A salad also needs a good dressing. We usually dress our salads with an oil and vinegar dressing. I combine two parts extra virgin olive oil and one part vinegar, either raw apple cider or balsamic. I add spices liberally to the oil and vinegar. My current favorites to add are sea salt, pepper, dill and onion powder. I shake gently before pouring over the individual servings. And then we dig in!
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Oh, just a gorgeous salad, Wardeh!
We began having salads each day beginning February 6th, when we started our permanent healthy living adventure. (as opposed to my other temporary ones.)
I think tonight I will add raisins to my salad. I had forgotten about adding dried fruits. The family whom I occasionally order bulk natural foods from adds dried fruits and seeds to spinach/lettuces. I had one at their home a year or two ago and it was grand. Thanks for the reminder about the dried fruits!
One of our favorite add-ins for salads are dried cranberries, walnuts and cubed swiss cheese!
How did Naomi like her doll clothes? With joy and delight, I’m sure! How about a picture with the doll dressed in one of the outfits? What is Miss Doll’s name? Yes, I too love the look of your salads, Wardeh! Love, Mom
It sounds so beautiful – like you make your work at home a form of meditation and worship – i know I am saying it all wrong. What I mean is sometimes I just go through the motions and don’t do the best I can for my family giving them the most wholesome and beautiful food possible – you are honoring your family in what you do!!! Blessings to you. I hope you don’t mind – I would like to add you to my blogroll so I don’t lose your blog – it is quite an inspiration!
Blessings,
Ellen
Hi, Ellen! Thank you for your kind words. I don’t mind at all if you list my blog in your blog roll.
I love planning, preparing and serving healthy, delicious meals to my family. Some days I don’t enjoy as much as others.
I thank the Lord that He allows me to enjoy my work for my dear family. I do it for them and I do it for Him.
Love, Wardeh