The Secret to Making Fool-Proof Salads
To set the scene for this fine salad making recipe …
I’m on the French Riviera in September with college friends …
And after a day of touring, rather than heading out into town for dinner, we decide to eat the French way …
At “home” relaxing - with a view of the sea - and some delicious french cheese, a simple salad that I made, and a roast chicken from the market.
When a couple of those friends recently reached out and said “WE NEED YOUR SALAD RECIPE!,” I thought that maybe my salad making story was newsletter worthy.
So here we go.
I do receive compliments on my salads quite frequently. And I have to laugh.
Because, bottomline, it’s basically just a salad with olive oil, vinegar and a little salt.
But, I admit, there are a couple strategies that I use that do take a salad to a new level. I like to call it the upside down way of making salad.
It’s how my mom always made a salad. So of course it’s what my sister and I have always done.
We’ve joked about bottling and selling it, because we do always get those compliments. But then we think, there’s nothing to it, and typically end up laughing.
Usually I make a big salad for lunch, and most often a dinner salad, sometimes at breakfast as well … and having that salad creates an easy way to account for a majority of those vegetable servings we require (see more on that below).
And like I said, there are a couple of strategies that make a difference.
First, the dressing recipe. Don’t hold your breath. I’m sure you’ve made this lots of times.
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar (or a vinegar you like, or lemon)
A few grinds of salt and pepper
These quantities can make a pretty hearty salad for four. Just keep in mind the ratio of 3:1 - three parts olive oil to 1 part acid.
But there is one strategy my sister and I were taught that really levels up the salad making game:
✅ START with the dressing in the bottom of the bowl.
Get your salad bowl out, and put in the EVOO and vinegar … or a squeeze of lemon if you prefer (more on that below) and a little salt (my mom’s recipe called for a teaspoon; I think that is a little too much).
✅ IF YOU HAVE EXTRA TIME … here is another way to “uplevel” your salad.
I don’t always do this, but when I entertain I try to, or if I build the beginning of my salad at the start of dinner meal prep, I will as well.
I’ll take a garlic clove or two, slice them in half, and drop them in the olive oil and vinegar. Those cloves sit and marinate while I do other prep work. Also, a sprinkle of oregano can also add nice flavor.
✅ ADD THE VEGETABLES.
Assuming you like onions, that goes in next. I usually add sliced scallions, or purple onion.
Then add whatever veggies you prefer. I typically add cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives. But this is where you can add pretty much anything you want - and can get in a good range of veggies - peppers, small broccoli or cauliflower florets, avocado, carrots, beets, mushrooms, sliced green beans, zucchini, summer squash, sweet potato, radish … and so on.
And don’t forget the fruit. Sliced pears or apples, and blueberries are also delicious in salads. Just depends on what you have on hand, and what you're in the mood for.
✅ MIX UP THE VEGGIES IN THE DRESSING, AND THEN JUST LET THAT SIT …while making the rest of the meal.
Obviously if you’re throwing together a lunch salad only, I always start with the dressing in the bottom of the bowl, then my vegetables and toss that together and then add the greens at the end. And then I’m ready to eat.
But again, if you have the time … let those veggies just sit in the dressing for awhile.
✅ IF YOU DO HAVE THOSE GARLIC CLOVES MARINATING WITH THE DRESSING AND VEGGIES, remove them before adding the greens.
Or, sometimes I will chop a little of the garlic finely and mix it in with the vegetables.
✅ AND THEN GREENS ON TOP. Whatever greens you prefer.
Romaine, Butter, Kale, Arugula, Cabbage, Red Leaf, Green Leaf, Spinach, Dandelion, Beet greens etc. Nice to mix it up from day to day, as every kind of green delivers different nutrients. Red cabbage can be a nice accent color for a green salad as well.
✅ DON’T MIX UP THE ENTIRE SALAD, until you’re ready to serve.
✅ IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN FINISH OFF BY ADDING CHEESE, like feta or goat.
Or … pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, nuts like pecans and walnuts are all delicious salad toppers and boost up nutrients! Even a bit of sauerkraut is delicious (which also provides amazing gut benefits).
Make it a meal in a bowl by adding your favorite protein on top as well.
And it’s really just as simple as that.
A note on greens and acids. I tend to like using lemon juice with heartier greens like kale and arugula. And I like using the vinegar with romaine and other green lettuces and baby spinach.
And finally, a few “health” reminders about how important it is to get those vegetable servings in every day. And salads are a great way to do this.
I like to follow Dr. Robynne Chutkan’s 1-2-3 strategy of 6 servings of veggies a day.
To help figure out how to wrap your head around that endeavor, think …
1 serving of vegetable with breakfast
2 servings of vegetables with lunch
3 servings of vegetables with dinner
I am in the habit of sometimes having salad for breakfast. This was a weird thought at first; now it just seems normal.
Sometimes it’s the previous night’s leftover salad. Or, I’ll make up a quick salad in the morning … arugula and avocado for example, and add a couple poached eggs on it, and preferably more protein (chicken, sausage, prosciutto for example or protein leftover from the night) … because it’s also important to hit at least 30 grams of protein in that first meal of the day. Just for perspective, an egg has only 7 grams of protein.
So that’s it. My friends who have adopted this method of upside down salad making say it’s a “game changer.”
Give it a try, and let me know how it goes.. Or if you have any questions - shoot me an email.