Oh salad is so boring, so bland. Right? Oh geez, definitely not! Salad becomes one of my favorite summertime meals. You can either buy the greens fresh at the market, or plant your own starts. For a gal like me who is making meals for one, the dirt is the perfect lettuce storage device. You pick off the leaves you want to munch on and the rest will still be there next week when you get your next red leaf hankering (instead of going brown and mushy in your fridge – like so many well laid vegetable plans).
I love to bring a big salad to the bakery as my lunch. To make it really easy for the week I pull out 5 of my large food storage containers and fill them about 3/4 of the way with my favorite raw leafy green. Then I toss in some chopped fresh or dried herbs. I love lots of basil and cilantro (although not in the same salad). Then I add the goodies. Those are the cooked chicken, feta cheese from Lazy Lady Farm, sliced radishes, sprouts from Toll-a-Bell Farm (my favorite are the lentils – they are a green and a protein!) and whatever else tasty ends up in my fridge after market. Then I use little 2 oz food storage containers for the salad dressing. I like adding dried spices and salt directly to the salad then just putting olive oil and lemon juice or balsamic vinegar in the little container. But you can also just fill the little container with a complete dressing. I’ve included a recipe from Sugar Ridge Farm for their Maple Sweet ‘n Sour Dressing. Put the little containers inside each of your big salad containers, put a lid on them and stick them in the fridge. Now you have salad for the entire week and it’s so easy, you don’t have to worry about missing out on your daily dose of greens just because you’re running late in the morning. Good grub.
Next weekend (June 6) make sure to check out the Montpelier Fashion Show when we will be joining forces and moving some of our vendors up to State St for the event. MontpelierFashionShow.com
Maple Sweet ‘n Sour Dressing
1/2 c Oil
1/2 c Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 c Catsup
3/4 c VT pure maple syrup
1 tsp minced garlic
pinch horseradish
Mix all ingredients together, pour over your favorite salad and enjoy!
Recipes contributed by Stephen & Diane Jones of Sugar Ridge Farm
Post from “Our Food” found in The Montpelier Bridge newspaper
by Claire Fitts
