A salad can be so much more than just a pre-courser to a meal or a bland diet food.
Dishes made from leafy greens can make a delicious, and healthy, main attraction of any meal.
To turn a simple salad into a spectacular dish, just add your favorite ingredients. The possibilities are infinite when it comes to salad creations. Why not try your favorite restaurant salad at home or experiment with tastes from other countries?
For a hearty meal, just add your favorite protein such as chicken, turkey, or steak. Toss in some of your favorite veggies, fruits, or nuts to add different tastes and textures. Crumbled or grated cheeses also make flavorful additions.
And one of the best ways to enjoy a salad … is chopped!
“A chopped salad is a salad that has been diced into smaller pieces so it’s able to be eaten easily,” explains Jacky Humphries, General Manager of Cheffie’s Café.
My favorite part is that you get a taste of everything in the salad in each and every bite.
“Here at Cheffie’s, we use a mezzaluna – which is a double bladed knife with a handle which rocks back and forth.” These special knives are easy to find at stores, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry. Just chop up your salad with a large chef’s knife.
“The most popular salad that people order chopped would probably be our Santa Fe.” With so many flavors and textures … crunchy Romaine, black bean & corn salad, cherry tomatoes, chicken, white cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing … salads like this one really lend themselves to being delicious chopped.
This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish. Bon Appetit!
For more information about Cheffie’s Café and their salads, visit www.cheffies.com.
Santa Fe Chopped Salad
- 2 cups chopped Romaine Lettuce
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Black Bean & Corn Salad
- 2 to 3 Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 tablespoon diced Red Onion
- 2 tablespoons shredded White Cheddar Cheese
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced cooked Chicken
- 2 tablespoons Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Place all ingredients in a medium bowl except the dressing and toss to combine. Transfer mixture to a large cutting board and chop together. Transfer back to the bowl, add dressing, and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Serves 1.
Recipe adapted from Cheffie’s Café.
