Rethinking The Cold Salad

I admit it. I used to be a salad hater. This may seem odd, being that I am a vegetarian but I think the sentiment followed over from my meat eating days when a salad meant some wilted iceburg lettuce, a few tomatoes and some slices of yellow onion. Maybe there would be some bell pepper in there. The only way to make that seem interesting to me was to drench it in salad dressing at which point the healthiness of eating a salad became null and void.

After giving the cold salad a second chance over the past few years I've learned that it wasn't the food genre that is salad I was against but rather the poor representations, the bland tasting, too watery or wilted versions.

As a vegetarian the salad is sometimes the best way to get a good meal fast. I've found that a squeeze of lemon over spinach or Romaine lettuce can make a world of difference when coupled with some olive oil, salt and fresh ground pepper. Even the greens can vary. Try throwing in a handful of Arugula, red onion (instead of the yellow or sweet type) or avocado. For protein kidney beans from a can, white or red, make a great addition.

This past weekend I made a great salad for a family dinner and used a recipe from Giada De Laurentiis. Despite her penchant for low cut shirts and sensual background music, to be seen on her show Everyday Italian weekday afternoons at 4:30 p.m., De Laurentiis offers consistently delicious recipes. I whipped together the Tuscan Salad in 15 minutes. Give it a try!