Salad Ideas: The BIG Salad + a basic jar dressing

Let’s talk about healthy eating, let’s talk about salad ideas and let’s talk about leftovers. Now, let’s talk about this salad. The BIG salad.

It’s a few weeks into January and hopefully you’re sticking to those resolutions. If not, here’s some inspiration in the form of a salad. A really big salad.  This is a favorite meal in my mom’s house and I’ve adopted it. It’s a throw-together with what you got kind of meal, and there for more of a ‘salad-idea’ than a real recipe. So I’m going to include my favorite, basic vinaigrette at the bottom of this post to make it up to you. But don’t be fooled by that either, you can swap and sub in what ever you got or what ever you like in that, too.

So here’s your salad idea: layers in rows. Start with a bed of mixed greens and layer in rows all your toppings. Everyone can build their salad with the things they like and leave out the things they hate. Serve this alongside a pot of soup and fresh bread for an easy dinner.

What to include? For us, it’s some combination of shredded chicken (either leftovers or store bought rotisserie), bacon, cucumbers, carrots, grape tomatoes, onion, hard boiled eggs, celery, sweet bell peppers or olives. Other ideas? Try cheese (like feta!), sliced steak, avocado, raw broccoli, cauliflower or radishes. Add fruit, like fresh berries, apples or mandarin oranges. Add a row of croutons or crunchy won-ton noodles. Endless combinations. Scroll down for that dressing I promised you.

Because homemade dressing is easy and better, I say make your own always. But since you’re likely feeding a group, set out a variety of dressings along side a homemade version to spoon on your salad and make everyone happy. I make a version of this easy jar-dressing recipe with whatever I have on hand, just like this salad. If you want my recommendations for herbs are basil, oregano and rosemary since I have those growing most often. Use at least three different herbs to give you the most impact.

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Salad Ideas: Basic Jar Vinaigrette

Your standard dressing ratio is one part oil to one half part acid, adjust accordingly to make a larger quantity. Use dried herbs in place of fresh if necessary. Anchovy paste sound gross? Fine, use miso paste. 

1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs (at least 3 herbs)
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
1 tbs salt
1 tbs pepper
1 tbs anchovy paste

Start with Mason jar to build your dressing. Dump everything in, cover and shake well. Shake again before serving. Will keep in the fridge for a week. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

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