Things are starting to warm up out there and its that time again to find yummy vegetable and fruit dishes! For some, it’s because bikini season is right around the corner but for me, I love the freshness and bright color that is seen in springtime meal options. The yellows, greens and reds are just a few shades that are appearing more and more as the temperature rises. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts are all being created with a new rainbow flare that promises healthy and happy glow in Boston foodies. One section of the menu is also heating up with promise- and that’s the salads! There are now other options available to us “greens” lovers that step outside the winter boundaries of garden and Caesar salads. Restaurants all around the city are showcasing their newest creations that envelop interesting and tasty ingredients that vamp up the classic salad plate. Whether you’re someone who enjoys simplicity or someone who enjoys eating dangerously, here are a couple of favorites that grazed my palette with scrumptious perfection!
photo credit: tutzone.org
For the Fruit Lover
Salads infused with berries are growing to be one of the most requested dishes by patrons. You might think the combination is strange but trust me when I say that strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and even blackberries drive a sensational sweetness when combined with spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers and shaved carrots. The best matches for dressings are wide in variation but I prefer balsamic vinegar with this type of salad because it intertwines the sweetness with a pinch of tart.
Tree fruit also makes wonderful additions to salads, making them both tastier and healthier. Clever chefs have incorporated apples, peaches and plums to romaine lettuce based salads, causing an incremented draw to these out-of-the-box options.
photo credit: epicurious.com
For the Vegetable Lover
I’m definitely situated in this department because I’ve been known to throw in a handful of chopped broccoli and cauliflower to my dinner salads. The benefit from doing this is to charge up your vitamin intake while still keeping the meal low on calories. If you want to get fancy, sample an Asparagus Farro Salad that has ingredients including spinach, cranberries, walnuts and Parmesan cheese. Or how about throwing in some Lima, wax, green, red or black beans to infuse some extra protein? Recipes I’ve tasted that were stupendous were Super Duper Bean Salad and Easy Pea Salad created by allrecipes.com that have simple instructions on how to make your own. Tear off a piece of pita bread and constructed a salad sandwich to really get decadent with salad dining!
Suzie Canale
Westwood, MA