A Springlike Surprise
We are over here chomping down greens like it’s our job and finally, finally(!) winter is winding down so that our salads actually seem seasonal - we hope. Last week was a full set of salads and by Friday we enjoyed the first “warm” day in far too long.
I cannot tell you how good it felt to not need a heavy coat when going out for dinner on Friday night. Basically, it was bliss. I also decided I needed a new spring jacket. 😏
Sorry, back to the food. Shopping is for another day. Let’s discuss the salads, the springtime mindset that has officially set in, and everything else delicious that’s been going on around here. So. Much. Yum.
Chicken and Spinach Waldorf Salad
Source: Cook Like A Pro by Ina Garten
Tip: This salad was naturally gluten free. Just remember to purchase nuts that are produced in a proper facility (if there’s wheat, cross-contamination is possible).
Review: When one thinks of a luxurious, relaxing day during the summer, this salad should be part of their day. When one considers a greens-filled meal mid-June, or late-August, this salad should be a part of it. And if you’re someone who is deciding which salad would pair well with champagne (or rosé) because what else is one to drink when having a day of luxury in the Hamptons, look no further than this salad. Get my drift?
Not only did this delicious dish scream “I’m loving summer, and this salad, in the Hamptons,” but it also just evoked a sense of elegance from the ingredients and flavors all together. Of course, it’s a meal that could be made anytime but I do think it would taste the best when eaten outdoors on a beautiful back deck overlooking a marsh, a lush garden, or, better yet, the ocean.
Believe me, this salad will be front and center come the warmer months because it was insanely good, quite filling, and would be perfect to bring to a friend’s backyard party, a family gathering, or just a decadent way to spruce up a regular Thursday.
I loved the mix of greens - spinach and kale - as well as the abundant protein sources of shredded chicken, almonds, walnuts, egg, and bacon. So while you’re munching away on a mountain of greens, you’re also being extra healthy with multiple protein sources. Win win. And everyone will be asking for seconds. ;)
Finally, this salad had a hint of sweet from thinly sliced apple - just enough!
Shrimp Salad with Fennel and Arugula
Source: The Lemon Bowl. Grab the recipe, here!
Tip: This is a naturally gluten free and dairy free dish.
Review: Something we feature here quite often these days are salads that are overflowing with textures and bold flavors. Gone are the bowls of basic greens and plain veggies. Bring on the bold! Bring on the fun! Just because it’s a bowl of salad doesn’t mean it needs to be anything remotely related to boring. And this delicious dish, while fairly straightforward in appearance, is anything but ordinary.
From now on I think all of my minimal ingredient salads need to include fennel. What a great flavor and crunch! In this bowl it was a delightful contrast to the spicy shrimp and peppery arugula as well as adding another layer of texture. The perfect extra ingredient!
Are you familiar with fennel? It’s popping up more often on our meal plans and truly can’t complain. It’s also a wonderful adopter of whatever dressing we make (but is still distinct) which makes it even better. I’ve always been Team Arugula, but becoming a Fennel Fan has taken time. I’m fully onboard now. :)
Let us not forget the proteins! This wonderful meal included spicy shrimp and white beans which created an awesome spicy-and-not combo. I loved the cool, creamy beans in the same bite as the spicy, warm shrimp. So good! High praise to this recipe for including two proteins that are also opposite in texture and temperature. Bravo. For future salads I will be sure to remember this tactic for extra flavors and proteins; it’s a winning combination.
My note on the basic dressing of olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper: you’re right on target for being simple and just flavorful enough. But I do admit to wishing it had a little more kick to compete with the bright, spicy shrimp. Or maybe more heft? Yes, it’s much healthier to have a vinaigrette-style dressing, but I’m raising my hand to say a creamier option may have been even more delicious. ;)
We will be making this salad throughout the spring and summer with a smidge of tweaking here and there, but overall it was simply fantastic.
Cobb Salad with Honey-Mustard Ranch Dressing
Source: Cravings by Chrissy Teigen
Tip: This was a naturally gluten free recipe.
Review: We’ve come a long way, friends, in the world of salads (and not just this week) and this latest venture from the branch of Cobb Salad has me excited in a whole new way. Sure, we have made a few other Cobbs, but this one takes the cake, er, lettuce.
Leave it to Chrissy Teigen, of course, to take a fairly standard salad that’s pretty popular and make it a knockout. Seems to be that the secret to making a Cobb salad spectacular is to do a few simple things: roast the corn, amplify the chicken seasoning, and create a to-die-for creamy dressing that combines two joys of the world, honey mustard and ranch. Mind. Blown.
The roasted corn had an amped flavor and texture thanks to time under the broiler, and the chicken was spicy and snazzy due to a hefty seasoning - loads of flavor that paired perfectly with the rest of the salad. And it was a nice contrast to the cold lettuce and avocado.
Now, I would never think of combining honey mustard dressing with ranch dressing, but boy am I glad Chrissy did! It’s so delicious! Like, so good I could dip every single food ever into it and be happy. Well, maybe not chocolate, but you get my point. ;) This dressing totally refreshed the Cobb salad and took it from great to gorgeous.
We loved this Cobb for all of the reasons above, but most of all due to the fact that it, once again, is a terrific example of how salads-for-dinner shall never be boring again. I firmly support the greens-as-dinner plan and I hope you’ll try one of these next time you reach for the lettuce at dinner time.
Eats and Events of the Weekend...
Our first move on Friday night was to get somewhere for dinner that felt summery; the weather was in the 60s! So we ventured over to Legal C Bar because warm weather (warm enough) means seafood. Well, seafood is anytime fare, but on this particular evening I wanted a meal that felt like the middle of June.
Despite the zoo-like atmosphere, it was packed, we had a delicious dinner in the bar filled with fish. 😎 I had a great baked cod with a kale salad and brown rice, Seth opted for fish and chips (I stole a couple bites). A scrumptious start to the weekend!
Homemade breakfast tacos.
Keeping with the spring fever, we went for a walk in the Back Bay of Boston on Saturday. And while the temperature had dropped quite a bit overnight it was still a beautiful day for a sunny (and windy) walk. We had a quick lunch at one of our favorites, Thinking Cup which offers coffee, GF sandwiches and sweets, and a full, non-GF menu.
Wind-blown. :)
More seafood?! Yes, please. Late afternoon on Saturday we met up with friends at Mission on the Bay which had a truly gorgeous view, excellent cocktails, and some fantastic mussels. We didn’t stay for dinner, but the menu looked terrific (plenty of GF options). We will definitely go back soon! I hear they have a great rooftop for drinks and snacks come summer.
Saturday afternoon views.
Bloody Mary with all of the garnish.
Dinner Saturday night was a relaxed, easy meal at The Stones which was delicious per usual. Of course, I ordered my usual shaved Brussels sprouts and kale salad. Yum! And we tried the popcorn as dessert - topped with truffle butter and gruyere. 😎
Sunday kicked off Seth’s birthday week! 🎉 And despite starting the celebrations with a hearty round of grocery shopping, we really got the party started when I baked him a batch of extra-chippy chocolate chip cookies (recipe from Smitten Kitchen), and let him eat one hot from the oven. Am I a great wife or what?! 😂
Fresh dough.
All kidding aside, I’m so excited for his birthday at the end of this week - we’ll be celebrating all week long! Maybe I’ll bake a cake, too. 😉
Cookies for birthday week!
So while the warmest part of the weekend came and went rather quickly, we thoroughly enjoyed the abundant sunshine, great food, time with friends, and the start of birthday celebrations for Seth. Sounds pretty fabulous to me!
We hope you had a fun weekend that was filled with food and perhaps a cookie or two. 😉🍪
Eat, well.
Mollie and Seth
