simple salads

image courtesy of the New York Times

Wednesday is my favorite day of the work week. Ok, just kidding, Friday is obviously my favorite day, but Wednesdays aren’t so bad for me either, mostly because it is the day that the New York Times updates its Dining and Wine section (and now that I am a West Coast gal, I love me some LA Times Food section as well). I usually snag 3 or 4 new recipes to store in my “Things I want to Make One Day” folder which probably should be called my “Things I Will Probably Never Have Time to Make but OMG They Look So Good” folder. I love when I see articles like Mark Bittman’s recent “101 Simple Salads for the Season". I love salad, especially during the summer, but I tend to fall into a rut and make the same salad over and over again, which, don't get me wrong, is totally delish, but can get boring. Hopefully this will help me out expand my salad horizons. Also, there are links to a bunch of homemade salad dressings. If you haven’t jumped on the homemade salad dressing bandwagon you just don’t know what you are missing.

I can’t wait to try:

39. Yucatecan street food as salad: Roast fresh corn kernels in a pan with a little oil; toss with cayenne or minced chilis, lime juice and a little queso fresco. Cherry tomatoes are optional.

76. Slice fresh figs — many, if you live where they grow — and top with crumbled bacon, balsamic vinegar (the best you have) and crumbled blue cheese.

99. Toss cooked quinoa with fresh sliced apricots, cherries, pecans, and enough lemon and black pepper to make the whole thing savory.