Main dish or side? The first part of your meal or the last dish served before dessert.
Let’s start with lettuce. It is a blank canvas. The possibilities are endless.
Transforming a wedge of romaine lettuce into a beautiful “salad” takes just a few ingredients.
The classic “lettuce wedge”, is on many restaurant menus. This wedge has all the favorites, blue cheese or gorgonzola, tomatoes, onions, optional bacon bits. Ranch or blue cheese dressing. Yum! I love both! Pairs well with beef, pizza or make it your main meal. Warm baguette is optional. But maybe the perfect way to round out this salad.
Salad? Why yes! Caprese salad. Although, truth be told, this one is missing fresh basil. It’s ok though. Sometimes a salad is what ingredients you may have on hand. Fresh tomatoes, creamy burrata cheese, extra virgin olive oil, Maldon finishing salt, fresh ground pepper and perfectly toasted Italian sliced bread rubbed with fresh garlic. It’s pure magic.
Taco Tuesday is serious business at our house. In lieu of a traditional taco, we create a healthy taco salad. Leafy greens, corn (from frozen, steamed and thawed), crunchy cucumbers, chopped red onions, your favorite salsa, and ground turkey cooked with my taco seasoning. Topped with sour cream or Greek yogurt and lastly crowned with a piece of pickled jalapeno. Add more spice if you like.
Salads are so personal. Create your own masterpiece. Use the ingredients you have on hand. If you are missing something, it’s ok. Go with the flow. It’s the perfect side dish or main meal. Lunch or dinner. Light or hardy. Your imagination is your recipe!
The Flannel Shirt Chronicles 