Over the years I have made a myriad of salads some with meat and some without. I've been working on documenting them for some time, however I've struggled with capturing the ingredients in a blog post worthy manner. Recently I feel nudged to lean into what works for me and to do so in a way that aligns with my real life.
What does that mean? That can mean, the pictured I've capture is simply the complete salad and not each ingredient how to gather, cut or layer a salad. Often when I make a salad I'm searching around my kitchen for the seasonal fruits and vegetables I have on hand. This salad is from the pantry and fruit staples I had on hand for the week. Sometimes that means I make the same salad often with just a few variations.
Fresh fruit and nuts are a staple in our home. Often I will hit up our local grocery and grab what's on sale or what I know ( edit what I think) everyone in our home will enjoy. I tend to pick up a variety of nuts from Aldi or sometimes a few uncommon varieties to experiment with from Sprouts Farmers Market. Sprouts has bulk bins which makes purchasing in small quantities a bit more accessible and affordable.
Pictured above is a pear, blackberry, onion and gruyere cheese salad that I threw together for lunch. If you are plant based omit the cheese and enjoy. Below you'll find the ingredients and process and a few pictures.
Equipment
I made this recipe using my favorite, shoot who am I fooling my first and only chef's knife. Learning to use one is worth the time. Here is the chef's knife I have.
Chef's Knife">Chef's Knife :
Salad Spinner">Salad Spinner : Used for your drying your salad greens, found here
Cutting Board : You likely already have one, but if you don't here is one with an easy storage caddy.
Ingredients
- 2 -3 handfuls of your favorite salad greens ( I prefer a crispier greens like green leaf lettuce)
- 2 Slices of White Onion
- ½ Bosc Pear. Bosc pears tend to be sweet and crisp
- 1 handful of blackberries
- ½ to 1 ounce Gruyere Cheese
- ½ handful of chopped nuts, almonds pictured
- ½ handful of dried cranberries
If there is an ingredient you love, add more!
Dressing:
- Poppy Seed Dressing : I didn't make one. Feel free to grab a bottle from your local grocery or if you are an online shopper here">here is one of my favorites.
Instructions
Gather all ingredients.
Rinse your greens thoroughly in ice cold water to remove any dirt. Ice cold water helps keep your greens crisp and fresh.
Dry greens, preferably in a salad spinner. If you don't have one, paper towels or a clean kitchen towel can be used to pat dry your greens.
Soggy greens tend to comprise the taste of the salad and cause the leftover salad to wilt quickly.
Cut
Give your greens a rough chop, cut onion about a quarter of an inch thick or smaller and then cut in half. Cube pears into half inch pieces. Crush almonds if you choose. I did not this time but I often do when sharing with others. I love texture and crunch but I encourage you to explore which way you enjoy most.
Your plate is a canvas. Have fun layering the ingredients in a way that makes you excited to savor this salad.
Drizzle your salad with your favorite poppy seed dressing. Be sure drizzle not drown it y'all.
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