ISO: ISO your favorite chopped salad. We've found this to be a great way to get more...

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michael-in-phoenix

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...veggies into our diet.

I keep a container of blanched broccoli, cauliflower and other greens in our fridge and build a nice chopped salad every day. I par-cook the veggies so they are still crisp and chop them up pretty small so I don't feel like a cow, chewing an endless cud.

Any good ideas for dressings or salad additions? I'm a big fan of Cobb salads, but we are trying to cut the cholesterol and saturated fats.

Thanks in advance,

Michael

 
Rec: Chopped Salad with Salsa Verde Dressing is a favorite

Chopped Salad with Salsa Verde Dressing
Great on its own or served alongside grilled fish, chicken or steak.

Serves 4.

3 tomatillos, husked, quartered
1/3 cup (lightly packed) cilantro
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chopped jalapeño chili
1 garlic clove, peeled
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions

2 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped green cabbage
3/4 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
3/4 cup chopped peeled jicama
3/4 cup fresh corn kernels
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, diced
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Corn tortilla chips (optional)

Puree first 5 ingredients in blender. Pour into medium bowl. Whisk in oil, then green onions. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix all remaining ingredients except chips in bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Serve with chips, if desired.

Source: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/5413
Pat’s note: Great stuff.

http://www.eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=73016

 
And another similar one that we like: Rec: Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Salad
2 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and well drained
3/4 cup chopped seeded tomato
3/4 cup chopped peeled jicama
3/4 cup fresh corn kernels, uncooked (or frozen or canned)
3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes
Half a ripe avocado, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Honey-Lime Dressing
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tsp chopped jalapeño pepper (use canned for less heat)

Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl. In separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over mixture and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/230154

 
Recently made this Layered Cobb Salad with leftover turkey breast and crispy prosciutto.

Didn't have bacon on hand but did have prosciutto so I layed the prosciutto slices on a baking sheet and popped into the oven til the prosciutto was crispy, then cooled it and crumbled (crispy prosciutto is a great substitute for bacon). Used leftover roast turkey breast instead of chicken and a mixture of sungold and red cherry tomatoes (from the garden) cut in half. A tasty salad with an attractive presentation.

Layered Cobb Salad

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 main-course servings

For dressing
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For salad
3 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (1 1/4 pounds)
2 avocados, halved/peeled, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 head romaine, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide slices (8 cups)
6 bacon slices, cooked until crisp, drained, and finely chopped
3 medium tomatoes (3/4 pound), seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 to 3 oz Roquefort, crumbled (1/2 to 3/4 cup)
2 bunches watercress, coarse stems discarded
2 hard-boiled large eggs, halved and forced through a coarse sieve
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Make dressing:
Whisk together all dressing ingredients except oil in a bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.

Make salad:
Bring 5 cups water to a simmer in a 2-quart saucepan, then simmer chicken, uncovered, 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cover, then let stand until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and cool completely. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Spread romaine over bottom of a 6- to 8-quart glass bowl and top with an even layer of chicken. Sprinkle bacon over chicken, then continue layering with tomatoes, cheese (to taste), avocados, watercress, eggs, and chives.

Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss.

Cooks' note: Dressing can be made and salad assembled 1 hour ahead and chilled separately, covered.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/106567

 
You're welcome. And a couple more on my to-try list, two of which will be nice for Fall/holiday

meals.

Chopped Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Blue Cheese and Pomegranate Vinaigrette
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/chopped-apple-salad-with-toasted-walnuts-blue-cheese-and-pomegranate-vinaigrette-recipe/index.html

Cape Cod Chopped Salad
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cape-cod-chopped-salad-recipe/index.html

California-style Chopped Salad with Shrimp
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/california-style-chopped-salad-with-shrimp-recipe/index.html

Chopped Salad with Feta, Chickpeas and Pita Croutons
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sara-moulton/chopped-salad-with-feta-chickpeas-and-pita-croutons-recipe/index.html

California Pizza Kitchen Chopped Salad
http://www.food.com/recipe/california-pizza-kitchen-chopped-salad-112979

Chopped Italian Salad
http://www.food.com/recipe/chopped-italian-salad-172589

Greek-Italian Chopped Salad
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/108234

This Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette sounds good on the Choppped Salad - Revising a classic recipe
http://www.herbivoracious.com/2009/05/lemon-mustard-vinaigrette-the-simplest-and-best-salad-dressing-recipe.html

http://www.herbivoracious.com/2010/04/chopped-salad-revisiting-a-classic-recipe.html

and this one I saved because I thought it would be fun for a party, shower or picnic....a self-contained chopped salad. smileys/wink.gif
Italian Chopped Salad in Shells
http://www.food.com/recipe/italian-chopped-salad-in-shells-29329

 
My pleasure. Chop. Chop. smileys/smile.gif

My to-be-tried list is staggeringly long right now. You should see how many soups I have on my list to try...makes me want to wish for a long cold winter.... but then again...not! smileys/wink.gif

 
I do a salad with sliced mango, avocado, chicken breast and toasted almonds over arugula with a

bitter orange vinaigrette and some minced chives or green onions. It eats purty gewd. (Bitter orange juice is available at most Latin markets. It's usually used in marinades but I figgered, what the heck.)

Bitter Orange Vinaigrette
(roughly)

Fresh Lime Juice
Bitter Orange Juice
Rice Vinegar
Dijon Mustard
Grape Seed Oil
Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

I don't measure but it's about 2 Tbsp each of the acids and around a 1/4 cup each of the oils to make 3/4 cup vinaigrette. Season to taste. Boom, done.

 
I made the Italian chopped salad in the shells for a summer buffet. A crowd pleaser. smileys/smile.gif

 
From my to-try list: Chopped Greek Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette

CHOPPED GREEK SALAD WITH SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE

For this clever riff on Greek salad, traditional ingredients like feta cheese and black olives get chopped into small pieces, then tossed with a shallot dressing. "None of the strong flavors take over," says Dave Alhadeff, who often orders the dish at Dressler. "Because it's all nicely chopped, you get a hint of feta, a taste of tomatoes. It's so much more complex than most Greek salads."

Ingredients

Dressing:
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (my note: can use half white vinegar and half red wine vinegar or half white vinegar and half red balsamic vinegar)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 small shallot, halved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad:
10 ounces mixed baby greens, coarsely chopped
4 Belgian endives—halved, cored and coarsely chopped
1 English cucumber—peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup coarsely chopped dill
3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives (5 ounces), halved
1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled (2 cups)

Directions

1. In a blender, combine the vinegar, lemon juice and shallot, and puree. With the machine on, add the olive oil and canola oil, and puree until emulsified. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl, toss the greens with the endives, cucumber, tomatoes, dill, olives and feta. Add half of the dressing, season with salt and pepper, and toss. Add the remaining dressing, toss again and serve.

Make Ahead: The dressing can be refrigerated overnight.

SERVINGS: 8

From A Scene Grows in Brooklyn - Food & Wine - Sept. 2006

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chopped-greek-salad-with-shallot-vinaigrette

 
Chopped Salad:

CHOPPED SALAD

Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons vinegar - good choices include balsamic, sherry, red wine, white wine
¼ teaspoon salt
pinch black pepper
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 medium carrots, peeled
4 stalks celery stalks, preferably from the heart, washed
1 medium red onion
1 medium red bell pepper, washed
1 regular-sized cucumber or 2 english cucumbers, washed
1 avocado, halved, seed removed, flesh scooped from skin
2 hardboiled eggs, peeled
2 romaine hearts, washed and dried

1. For the vinaigrette: Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tightfitting lid and shake until combined.

2. For the salad: Chop all ingredients except romaine into ⅛- to ¼-inch cubes and place in large bowl. Cut romaine into approximately 1-inch pieces and add to bowl.

3. Add vinaigrette to salad ingredients and mix thoroughly. Serve.

Serves 4

adapted slightly from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/2009/01/11/chopped-salad/

 
Palomino's Chop Chop Salad

Just love this. One of my favorite salads ever.

Palomino Chop Chop Salad
6 ounces (about 3 cups) romaine hearts, julienned
4 leaves fresh basil, julienned
2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) provolone cheese, cubed
1 ounce (about 3 tablespoons) whole garbanzo beans
1 ounce salami, julienned
2 ounces smoked turkey breast, in 1/2-inch pieces
2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) diced tomato
Garnish:
Pinch grated Parmesan cheese
Pepper to taste
2 basil sprigs
Dressing:
1 egg yolk (pasteurized if worried about raw egg)
3 ounces balsamic vinegar
1 roasted garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ounce olive oil

To make dressing: Whip yolks to a froth. Add vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Continue to whip until mixture is "tight," or very well-combined. (Or, place yolks in blender and blend for 2-3 minutes.) Add other ingredients and blend 2-3 minutes longer. Drizzle in oil and continue to whip or blend until emulsified.
Makes 1/2 cup.
To assemble salad: Combine salad ingredients, reserving half the tomatoes for garnish. Toss with dressing. Garnish with remaining tomatoes, Parmesan, pepper and basil sprig. Serves 2.
Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including salt to taste): 340 calories, 25 g total fat, 8 g saturated fat, 125 mg cholesterol, 310 mg sodium, 12 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate.*

 
Other great things to keep on hand...

Blanched edamame
Rinsed beans (garbanzo, red, black)
Shredded chicken or turkey
Hard boiled eggs
Feta
Chopped firm tofu
Chopped ham
Oven roasted tomatoes
Olives
Shrimp

I use spinach as my greens and lately, started adding a chiffonade of basil, mint, or cilantro in with the greens.

 
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