(FUN) Salad
To be honest it can be difficult to make salads fun; but not impossible. I eat a salad almost every day for lunch. Not even primarily for the health benefits, I actually crave salads. To build a Fun Salad I focus on a few important attributes. I always have crunch, acidity, sweetness, and protein. There are an infinite number of ways to achieve all of these attributes so get creative and let the fun begin.
October in NC is Harvest Season. Time for pumpkins, squash, warm spices, and all things spooky. With this salad I wanted warm spices and colors to welcome Fall, especially after the extreme heat of NC Summer. Keep reading to find out how I make it a (FUN) Salad.
I have written the recipe to serve 4 people. I would consider it a larger portion of salad so if
you are serving as a side salad, be mindful of that. This is a salad I would prep on Sunday night for lunch throughout the week. Prep and store the ingredients ahead of time and assemble the salad as you go. This could also be a healthy dinner option. Add grilled chicken or roasted salmon. I typically add tuna to my lunch salads. You can find all sorts of fun tuna packet flavors to spice up your salads. I could eat brussel sprouts every week. My favorite way to eat brussel sprouts are fried and I will order them from any restaurant everytime I see them on the menu. An easier method for cooking at home is the air fryer. You can see my recipe for Air-Fryer Brussel Sprouts here. I finish them by tossing in a balsamic vinegar glaze. I do not cook with butternut squash often enough. It is most popular in soup form but I also have a recipe for Air-Fryer Butternut Squash here. I use warm spices and finish with maple syrup. Carrots are easy enough, but you can get creative with them as well. If you have an empty jar of pickled jalapenos put some carrots sticks in the leftover brine and leave in fridge overnight for spicy carrot sticks. Dried cranberries are a great way to add a bite of sweetness to a salad. I used them in this salad for both color and sweetness. Crunch in this salad is achieved from glazed pecans and pumpkin seeds. The glazed pecans lend a pop of sweetness and complex maple savory flavor that I really enjoy. The pumpkin seeds are perfect for the Fall season.
If you purchased the September Box, you will likely have some Jamie’s Poppyseed Dressing in your fridge which is the perfect compliment to this salad. If not, you can find this delicious dressing at Salvaged Heirlooms. I have also seen some really fun pumpkin dressing recipes online if you’re feeling creative.
Find the full recipe in your October (FUN)damental Foodie Box.
For Full Air Fryer Sweet Potato recipe click here: Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes