May is National Salad Month

Arwen Rasmussen
May 1
3 min read

Submitted by Bernie Allen, Aging & Transportation Programs Manager

As we look forward to warmer weather, May is a great time to focus on delicious and healthy salad options. The good news is that a salad can be much more than just the traditional side salad, consisting of lettuce, croutons and dressing. A salad can be a nutritional powerhouse!

By adding items such as nuts, grains, fruit and protein to our salads, we can easily upgrade a side salad into a filling and nutritious meal. Here are some Spring-inspired recipes to try out:

Crunchy Mandarin Orange-Chicken Salad

Recipe from Food.com

Ingredients for the Salad:

• 3 cups finely chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce

• 2 cups shredded red cabbage

• 2 cups shredded chicken

• ½ cup jarred mandarin oranges, drained

• 1 instant ramen packet, crushed (flavor packet discarded)

• ½ cup shredded carrot

• 1/3 cup sliced green onions

• ¼ cup sliced almonds

Ingredients for the Dressing

• 3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp. honey

• 1 tbsp. sesame oil

• 1 tbsp. hoisin sauce

• 2 tbsp. soy sauce

• 1 tsp. minced ginger

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• ¼ cup vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Make salad: In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, red cabbage, chicken, mandarin oranges, crushed ramen noodles, carrots, green onions, and sliced almonds.

2. Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. Slowly drizzle in vegetable oil, whisking constantly until emulsified.

3. Before serving, drizzle over salad and toss to combine.

Steak Taco Salad

Recipe from Delish.com

Ingredients:

• ¼ c. plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin oil, divided

• ¾ lb. steak (such as flank)

• 1 tbsp. taco seasoning

• Juice of two small limes

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• 1 tsp. dried oregano

• Sea salt

• 1 head romaine, chopped

• 1 c. corn kernels

• 1 c. black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

• 2 green onions, sliced

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Rub steak with taco seasoning sear until desired doneness, flipping once. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.

2. Meanwhile, make dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining oil, lime juice, cumin, and oregano. Season with salt.

3. In a salad bowl, add romaine, seared steak, corn, black beans, tomatoes, and green onions. Season with sea salt, if desired.

Pear Chicken Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Receipt from tasteofhome.com

Ingredients for Salad:

• 3 c. torn romaine lettuce

• 1 c. cubed cooked chicken breast

• 1 medium pear, sliced

• ¼ c. crumbled blue cheese

• ¼ c. dried cranberries

Ingredients for Dressing:

• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

• 2 tbsp. maple syrup

• Salt

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine romaine, chicken, pear, cheese, and cranberries.

2. In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, maple syrup, and a dash of salt. Gradually whisk in olive oil until blended.

3. Drizzle dressing over salad, and toss to coat.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Recipe from Delish.com

Ingredients for Salad:

• 6 medium beets, scrubbed

• 6 c. arugula

• 1 avocado, sliced

• 4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

• ½ c. chopped toasted walnuts

Ingredients for Dressing:

• ½ c. extra-virgin olive oil

• ¼ c. balsamic vinegar

• 1 tbsp. maple syrup

• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard

• Kosher slat

• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Wrap each beet in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast until tender (you can insert a fork or knife through the foil to test), about 1 hour. Let sit until cool enough to handle, then peel and cut into wedges.

2. Meanwhile, make vinaigrette: In a jar, shake together olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, and Dijon until fully combined. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Place arugula in a large serving bowl and lightly dress with vinaigrette. Top with beets, avocado, goat cheese, walnuts. Toss gently and add more vinaigrette as needed.