Salad Pizazzl

Salads; your either love them or hate them. I love them though I often find myself getting board with them. I just am not the greatest at Salad Pizazz! Though I have been working on that and have learned a few things since I reintroduced salads back into my diet. I hope to come up with some more delicious salad bling!

I like to go ahead and wash all the lettuce and greens the first time I open them. It saves you time and from a hassle later. Besides I am more likely and willing to make a salad if the lettuce is already cleaned and prepped.

Have you ever added Pickles to your salad?

Or maybe Jalapenos?

I had never added pickles to my salads until I read that Skinny Runner adds pickles to her's. Wow, it really livens up a salad, and Jalapenos were just a natural progression for me. I love me some Jalapenos!! Ay Picante! I add them to my salad thinly sliced, not whole. I also avoid the seeds, a few are ok but too many and my mouth is on fire! When done right, and by 'right' I mean ' to your personal preference', it really gives your taste bugs something to work with.

I always try to add a protein to my salads, It just makes it yummier and more satisfying. To date I have added Pistachios, cashews (not salted), pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, and even sesame seeds. I have a whole bag of walnuts still to open and try on a salad. I am hesitant because I think I may have a settle allergy to them. I like them and can eat them, but after a few my mouth gets dry, an artificial dry. Nothing worse happens, but I just don't enjoy the cotton mouth effect. So far I have plenty other bags o' nuts to use. No rush on the walnuts.

Often in place of or heck even with nuts already in my salad I like to add beans. Before I would just pop open a can and have at them. I have since learned from The Daily Green food news blog, about the hazards of canned goods, and so have started to prep beans on my own. It is quite simple and not really that time consuming at all.

These are my usual Dressing Ingredients. I mix some mustard with the mayo if I want a thicker dressing, or with milk if I want it thinner. I always drizzle a little olive oil over my greens. The capers and the lemon juice are back ups if I don't have anything else to provide a punch. This all said I have discovered that a dressing is not always necessary. WHAT? yep! It's not so necessary when the plate is loaded with so much flavor already.

This salad was delish' and no dressing. Grilled chicken and mushrooms from the night before, hummus, alvocado, and feta. It was a little over loaded ( a lot overloaded!) but I didn't want it to go to waste. Leftovers can be a surprised salad topping! Who'd thunk!

This salad I just had for lunch the other day. A plate full of lettuce, with Feta cheese, pickle slices, jalapenos slices, pistachios and get this, Hummus!  (FYI: Hummus is a Middle Eastern puree of chickpeas and sesame seeds. You can read my post about how to make it, here.) I drizzled a little olive oil on the exterior ring of lettuce and then when to town. This was so yummy. I added my home made Hummus to a salad for the first time ever and I will be doing it again! So crazy good and good for you.