Fresh Starts: Chopped Salads

January 1, 2011

When you compile lots of ingredients on the cutting board and give them a quick, rough chop, you get the best of each flavor and texture in every bite. Try our three favorite salads for this time of year and feel free to add or take away ingredients as you see fit.

3 Chopped Salads
As a rule, combine 2 cups of greens and 1 tablespoon of each additional ingredient to create a single serving salad. You can easily multiply the measurements to create a family-size dish. Roughly chop each ingredient into bite-size pieces, approximately the same size, then compile them in your salad bowl and toss with dressing.

Tip: Most of the ingredients can be cut ahead of time, but save chopping your greens until just before serving.

arugala pistacio goat cheese salad

Chopped Salad 1: Arugula, Pistachios, Goat Cheese & Dates with Broken Breadstick Croutons
We love using arugula for this dish—it’s hearty green with distinct peppery flavor. Have leftover rotisserie chicken or turkey on hand? Add it to your salad as a welcome protein.

For the Dressing: Toss the salad with our Lemon Vinaigrette (see recipe below). As a finishing touch, chop thin, store-bought breadsticks into 1/2” pieces and sprinkle on top.

Chopped Salad 2: Spinach, Mushrooms, Peppered Bacon & Chickpeas with Blue Cheese Dust
Who says a salad can’t be filling? This one is brimming with healthy greens, chickpeas and rich, salty flavors like mushrooms.

Healthy Solution: Get the sharp, dense flavor of blue cheese that you love without all of the calories. Select a firmer variety of this cheese (or freeze it), then use a grater or microplane to create a fine dust.
For the Dressing: Add a spoonful of buttermilk and a few grinds of black pepper to the Lemon Vinaigrette.

Tip: It’s easy to tailor a chopped salad to your liking. Picky eaters can always skip the mushrooms, and for a lighter version, try replacing the bacon with leftover chicken or shrimp.

beet walnut goat cheese salad

Chopped Salad 3: Roasted Beets, Feta Cheese & Walnuts with Orange Vinaigrette
Beets are especially delicious in the winter months. We love their bold, meaty flavor, which is only enhanced when roasted and paired with a citrus dressing.

How to Roast Beets: Before chopping, scrub the beets and pat dry. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil. Roast at 375ºF for 30-45 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife. When cool enough to handle, remove the skins with your fingers and chop.
For the Dressing: Start with the Lemon Vinaigrette as a base, then stir in a few tablespoons of orange marmalade.

Tip: If you have leftover beets, try using them in an entirely different way with our quick and easy Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze.

Lemon Vinaigrette
Serves 4
Prep time: About 1 minute

INGREDIENTS
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Stir together the lemon juice and mustard. Slowly stream in the oil, whisking until well blended.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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