When I’m thinking about creating a salad, I like to follow the seasons and highlight what is fresh like this fresh corn and summer blackberry salad.

As luck would have it, I had access to the freshest picked corn from my friend’s produce stand. Burns Produce, located on Patton Road in Arrington right down from Arrington Vineyards is selling Luke Bryan’s corn. How fun is that.

As I was making this salad to take to a dinner, I knew this fresh corn had to be a part of it. I immediately thought that blackberries would be a great accompaniment along with a tangy cheese and a crisp vinaigrette.

I hit it right, as this salad disappeared fast with a fight over that last bite.

Salad is a funny thing. Sometimes people don’t think they like salad because the balance is off. I have never seen anyone not love my salads because of my keen understanding of salt, fat and acid.

The Acids

• Acids on a salad include vinegars and citrus such as lemon and lime juice.
• When adding mustard or honey, mix it first with the acid. Then add oil
• Feel free to mix your vinegars. I do this all the timeYou can also add lemon to a vinaigrette.
• Skip the cheap “so-called” balsamic. A $3.99 bottle of balsamic is not authentic and you’re better off using an inexpensive but good red wine vinegar.

The Fat

• The main fat in a salad is the oil in the vinaigrette.
• I also mix my oils. Sometimes I use half extra virgin olive oil and half avocado oil.

The Salt

While you don’t want to overdo salt in a salad, it’s very important. Sometimes the salt is in the cheese, such as ricotta salada, a briny feta or a Pecorino, so adjust accordingly. It could also be in the nuts or an addition of bacon.

Here are my tips for Making a Great Salad 

• Make sure lettuce is completely dry before you add a dressing or vinaigrette. Use a salad spinner if needed.
• Pre-mix your oil and vinegar. Using either dijon mustard or honey will help keep emulsify these two ingredients. I usually use mustard.
• Add salt and pepper to the vinaigrette and dip a piece of lettuce in. It should have a bit of a bite.
• Don’t serve salad with dressing on the side.  It must be tossed to taste balanced.
• Go easy with vinaigrette when using gentle lettuces like butter lettuces.
• Leaf lettuces do not need a lot of vinaigrette, while lettuces with a lot of of water content like romaine seem to need a lot more and also do well with creamy dressings.
• Assemble salad in advance, but put vinaigrette on right before serving. (Kale is the exception).
• Season again with salt and pepper.

Fresh Corn in a Salad

I did an instagram poll, asking people if they would eat fresh corn in a salad. To my surprise, 25% said no, yet anytime I’ve served it, everyone eats it. If the corn is super fresh, you can just cut it off the cob and put it into the salad. If that concerns you, you can cut the corn into a bowl and microwave it for a few minutes.

Best Cheese Additions

The cheese you choose depends on the salad you’re making.

When I want a briny profile, I add olives and feta cheese like this Greek salad with salmon. For some reason, these are best with a romaine lettuce that has heft.

Slivers of Pecorino work well in arugula with a light olive oil and lemon for the acid. Pecorino and romano are also necessary in kale salads like this.

I used ricotta salata (a sheep’s cheese) in this blackberry corn salad to add tang and salt against the sweet of the corn and berries. Feta or goat cheese would have worked well too.

Crumbled blue cheese in a vinaigrette is fantastic especially with steak dinner.

Crumbled blue cheese also loves certain fruits in a salad, like pears, apples and peaches.

Herbs, Veggies, Nuts

Fresh herbs can be nice addition. I used a small amount of rosemary in this winter salad. Make sure the herbs fit the salad. Basil, parsley, thyme, oregano, mint can add that little bit of extra. For example, fresh oregano in a greek salad is divine. Fresh basil in a tomato salad is amazing.

Tomatoes – Only add tomatoes if they are superb and properly ripened,  cut into bite sized pieces. A well-balanced salad should only need to be eaten with a fork, not a knife and fork. Don’t put tomatoes in until the last minute and never cold.

Cucumbers – Cut off the skins and make them bite sized.

Mushrooms – I am not a fan of raw mushrooms in a salad, but if you are, add them right before serving.

Nuts – I love adding nuts to a salad for added texture, but make sure the nuts makes sense. There are no nuts in this corn blackberry salad because they would clash with the textures. However, in my peach salad, toasted almonds make perfect sense.

More Notes on What Not to do to Make an Easy Vinaigrette

I have a few strong opinions on vinaigrettes.

Keep your vinaigrette simple. It’s a balance of fat, acid, and salt as stated above.

Don’t add in spices such as garlic powder, garlic salt, onion salt. While you think that might sound good, these can be off-putting.  The secret to a good vinaigrette is less is best; balance is key.

Don’t add garlic (unless it’s for a kale salad) and only do that gingerly. Garlic is a turnoff in a vinaigrette.

Don’t add onions to a vinaigrette or to a salad. Raw onions take over and contaminate your ingredients. You may not agree with me on this, but if you want your guests to love your salad, trust me. I admit I have an aversion to raw onion, but one of your guests is bound to feel the same. Leave the onion out. Leave celery out for the same reason. There are people who have just as strong of an aversion to celery as well.

Nuts such as toasted sliced almonds, pecans, walnuts and pistachios can certainly make many salads better.

Most Popular corn recipe

Southern fried corn

More Summer Salads from Spinach Tiger

• Honey Baked Goat Cheese Salad with Lemony Vinaigrette 
• Grilled Peach Salad with Blue Cheese Salad with Toasted Almond, Peach Vinaigrette
• Spinach Salad with Grilled Peaches
• Corn, Avocado Salad with Black Eyed Peas

• Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad
• Swiss Chard Nectarine and Toasted Pecans

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Blackberry Corn Salad with Simple Vinaigrette

Fresh corn off the cob with blackberries, ricotta salata for a summer salad.

Course Salad and Salad Dressing

Cuisine American

Keyword blackberries, corn, ricotta salad, salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 bags butter leaf lettuce
• 2 ears fresh corn
• 1 pint blackberries
• 3 ounces ricotta salata cheese can use feta
• 1/2 teaspoon salt taste and season
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper taste and season

Vinaigrette

• 2 teaspoon dijon mustard can replace with honey
• 6 tablespoons vinegar champagne or red wine
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• dash teaspoon sea salt
• dash teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Vinaigrette

• You may have extra dressing. Keep in jar outside of fridge for future salads. Only apply what you need.
• Mix mustard with vinegar in jar. Add oil and shake until well incorporated.
• Season with dash of salt and pepper.

Salad

• Cut corn off cob. You can add to salad or microwave in bowl for 3 minutes.
• Allow corn to cool.
• Add lettuce, corn, blackberries and crumbled ricotta salata to large salad bowl.
• Toss with just enough vinaigrette to wet all leaves. Taste and add more vinegar as needed.
• Season with salt and pepper.

The post Summer Blackberry Corn Salad with Easy Vinaigrette Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

SUMMER SALADS WITH FRESH CORN

• Blackberry Corn Salad – the one berry that stays fresh the longest.
• Caprese for a Party – How did I never think of this years ago.
• Corn, Avocado Salad, Tomato, Black Eyed Peas – the salad that almost feels like a meal.
• Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad – if you insist on grilling the corn, this is a fun one.

By the way my most popular post of summer for the last three years is THIS FRIED CORN RECIPE.

SUMMER SALADS WITH RAW VEGGIES– Salads that take you right through the fall.

• Broccoli Salad with NO sugar dressing.
• Purple Cauliflower Salad with walnut vinaigrette
• Shaved Cauliflower Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette
• Red Cabbage Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
• Triple Crunch Cabbage Salad with Marcona Almonds

SUMMER SALADS FOR A CROWD WITH ADDED FRUIT

• Cole Slaw with Blue Cheese and Apple
• Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
• Spinach Salad with Grilled Nectarines
• Blackberry with Baked Goat Cheese Salad
• Strawberry Arugula Salad
• Swiss Chard, Nectarines, Toasted Pecans

ITALIAN SALADS (make ahead)

• Italian Potato Salad with Green Beans
• Tuscan Kale

Last by not least, enjoy these Summer Cocktails

Bonus Idea

• Bruschetta

As simple as this is, there are ways to get it right and get it wrong. When done right, it disappears fast and you’ll want to make more right away.

The post Summer Salads for a Crowd appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

At a recent cookout,  I needed a side for burgers. I didn’t want any starch, and a salad seemed too formal. No one around here likes mayonnaise based salads (except me). That delicious cauliflower salad came to mind when my friend texted me from Adele’s during brunch. I looked at the ingredients in their on-line menu and went from there.

Watch the Video for Raw Shaved Cauliflower Salad

Now normally I would not make anything with raw cauliflower, because it has no taste, and isn’t pleasant to eat. However once you add marinate shaved cauliflower in a strong vinegar based dressing, pistachios, golden raisins and scallions, it becomes a pretty addicting salad.

Here’s what I Learned about Raw Shaved Cauliflower Salad.

You almost can’t add enough vinegar and you need to let it marinate overnight. If not, it ends up being fairly tasteless. If you can wait or you plan ahead, it’s amazing, especially if you add nuts for crunch, and dried fruit for sweetness and texture.

You also needs lots of scallions, and a strong mustardy dressing.  I used a ratio of vinegar to oil 1 to 2. Normally I use much less vinegar, but this salad needs a lot of acid. It also needs salt, but add the chopped nuts first (which are salted) before you add too much.

I used a large whole cauliflower and sliced each floret as thinly as possible. I tried both slicing with a knife and a mandolin. The mandolin works better and I use this one also featured below.

As far as nuts, I used chopped, salted pistachios. Harder nuts seem to work better in this salad, and you could also use chopped peanuts or sliced almonds. If you use almonds, sautè them first to intensify their flavor. I added in some red chili flakes for heat.

Tips for the Best Shaved Cauliflower Salad

• Robust Vinaigrette made with Olive Oil and Mustard
• Slice Cauliflower thinly
• Scallions (lot of them)
• Toasted Nuts for more texture
• Add in heat with red chili flakes

Shaved Cauliflower Salad stays crunchy and is the perfect side dish to take to a party or pot luck.

I find that people really appreciate healthier choices at parties. This will be added to my list of salads that travel well, that include this Potluck Autumn Kale Salad and this Brussels Sprouts Salad with Raw Beet Pesto.

 More Spinach Tiger Cauliflower Recipes

• Popcorn Cauliflower
• Cauliflower Parmesan
• Greek Cauliflower
• Cauliflower Bacon Leek Soup
• Purple Cauliflower Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette
• Skillet Cheesesteak with Cauliflower (no bread)

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Shaved Cauliflower Salad with Champagne Mustard Vinaigrette

Raw Cauliflower Salad with pistachios, golden raisins, scallions, and a zesty dijon mustard champagne vinaigrette.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1/2 cup chopped salted pistachios
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 2 bunches of scallions
• 1/2 cup champagne vinaigrette see recipe below
• sea salt
• pepper
• red pepper flakes as needed

Champagne Mustard Vinaigrette

• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar more as needed
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

• Cut out the bottom core of cauliflower. Discard
• Slice cauliflower as thin as you can. Mandolin is best, but you can slice with good sharp knife.
• Toss with vinaigrette.You will want the vinegar to be pronounced. I found that the cauliflower doesn’t hold the vinegar taste.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add in chile flakes.
• Add golden raisins, chopped scallions, nuts, (reserve some nuts for garnish).

Vinaigrette Instructions

• Infuse olive oil with chopped garlic for 20 minutes.
• Put mustard in a jar and mix well with vinegar.
• Slowly add olive oil. Mix well.
• Add red pepper flakes.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Video

Notes

Depending on how large your cauliflower is, you may need more dressing. Once you taste, you may need to add vinegar, but I found I didn’t need to add in more olive oil.
You might also want to add in more nuts, raisins depending on your own taste.

It’s important to refrigerate this salad for several hours or overnight to marinate the cauliflower.

The post Shaved Cauliflower Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette & Video appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Enjoying food with friends and or family is hard to beat.

In former years I have written here about the rise of twitter, etc. ruining dinner parties, but now that sentiment seems so yesterday, as instagram and tik tok have high-jacked relationships with relationship-removed entertainment.

I am not saying anything that hasn’t been said a million times, as most of us take our hands and throw them up in the air in as if to say “this is now our world and nothing can stop it,” while holding tightly to our phone. But wait.

I want to give you something to think about.

When we’re on social media, watching people (like me) cook on reels, salivating over amazing images of all kinds of food that often feels unreachable, my question is who eats that food. Is it all show to get the like, the following, and then they eat alone, or is it that these people have real lives, real friends and there’s going to be a party or a dinner somewhere in their delicious part of the world that we only get to watch?

So shouldn’t you (and I ) stop watching so much and get to cooking, AND INVITING others. Yes, we should, and the party wedge salad for a crowd is one of those recipes that even the novice cook that pull together.

I recently took this to my church group gathering and it received rave reviews and they loved the homemade blue cheese dressing. I highly encourage you to make your own (free of soybean or canola oil). Even if you decide to serve bottled dressings, the idea of the help yourself wedge salad is an affordable winner.

The wedge salad board for a crowd does two things.

• It mimics both a salad bar and a charcuterie board. People love both.
• It gives people a healthy choice at a party that is both delicious and satisfying.

Make the Wedge Salad Bar for the Season

Along with organic iceberg lettuce, you get to pick the accompanying ingredients. You can add or subtract ingredients according to what is in season. Corn for summer, chopped hard boiled egg at any time.

Spring /Summer Wedge

• Tomatoes or try chopped nectarines
• Corn (taken fresh off the cob, not cooked)
• Chopped toasted nuts
• Bacon (every season)
• Cheddar cheese (why not)
• Hard Boiled Egg (option)

Fall Wedge

• Apples or Pears
• Cheddar
• Toasted Almonds
• Bacon

Winter Wedge (Recipe Here)

• Replace fruit with Pomegranate arils
• Pistachios

How to Cut the Wedge

I used organic iceberg lettuce, and cut each head into four wedges. Restaurants serve a much bigger piece, but for the wedge salad board, keep the pieces small enough for everyone to feel free to grab. They can always go back for seconds.

Make Your Own Blue Cheese Dressing

To understand blue cheese, you might want to understand what blue cheese is and what kind of blue cheese to buy. I either use gorgonzola or roquefort.

• Gorgonzola is an Italian cow’s milk cheese, tangy, and can be either sharp or mild, named after the town of Gorgonzola, in Italy.
• Roquefort is a French sheep’s milk blue cheese, and is the strongest of the blue. It is a protected European Union designation of origin, meaning, only blue cheese produced in the caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon can be legally called Roquefort cheese.

It’s been my experience that some blues are much stronger than others and sometimes you don’t really know what you’re buying. Just make sure to buy a whole piece and not those crumbles in the grocery store. RECIPE FOR BLUE CHEESE DRESSING HERE.

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More Salads from Spinach Tiger to Take to a Party

• The Pot Luck Kale Salad Everyone Loves
• Make Ahead Asian Slaw with Ginger Dressing
• Most Requested: Shaved Cauliflower Salad
• Party Caprese Salad
• Festive Kale with Butternut Squash

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Blue Cheese Wedge Salad Board

Classic Blue Cheese Wedge Salad or Try it with a twist, with homemade blue cheese dressing, and various toppings, depending upon the season.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 heads organic iceberg lettuce
• blue cheese dressing Recipe Here
• 4 slices bacon Oven Baked Recipe
• 1/4 cup chopped tomato
• 4 tablespoons cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 corn on cob

Instructions

• Arrange wedges on platter or individual plates. Cut each head into 4 servings.
• Arrange on board or large platter.
• Remove corn off cob (uncooked).
• Chop tomatoes in small bite sized pieces.
• Make Bacon Crumble into small pieces.
• Arrange toppings in small bowls, either on board or a different board.

The post Wedge Salad Board for a Crowd appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

The wedge salad  is very retro (circa 1950’s)  and I’m seeing it on a lot of menus lately. As much as I like a kale salad, I don’t want one every day.

Speaking of retro, have you watched the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel yet? It’s been out for a few years now, but was in season 3 when I first posted this wedge salad recipe.

The wit, the clothes, the storyline, the pace, are enticing in this absolutely original take on a New York Jewish housewife in the 1950’s who has it all, and then stuff happens. Of course, that “all” is defined by 1950’s Jewish mothers who want son-in-laws, grandchildren and close proximity.

This amazon original is just as refreshing and accessorized by proper twists and turns as this festive wedge salad.

Lately I’ve been on a wedge salad kick, ordering them everywhere I go. Typically, made with crisp iceberg lettuce, blue cheese and bacon, the wedge hits all the right notes, when I’m hungry and want salty yet refreshing

In my holiday version of the wedge salad, I add pomegranates and chopped pistachios for a festival holiday feel, bringing yet one more texture and color to the mix.

In a wedge salad summer version, I use fresh tomatoes and possibly some hard boiled eggs and fresh corn.

Sometimes I use a blue cheese vinaigrette; sometimes I make a homemade creamy blue cheese dressing.

I like to throw blue cheese crumbles in my shallot vinaigrette, but sometimes I long for a creamy blue cheese dressing like the one I made here. 

I  used a gorgonzola cheese which is an Italian blue cheese, a little more crumbly,  but not really that much different from other blue cheese.

What I Most Love about the Classic Party Wedge and Blue Cheese Dressing.

Iceberg lettuce gets a bad rap, and for so long has been the lettuce to make fun of, but I’m bringing it back to the table with gusto. The number one reason I love the wedge is that it’s can be a meal. It takes a long time to eat, and I like that. It can handle creamy dressings far better than most lettuces.

There’s a lot of crunch with the wedge and the bacon and a lot of umami satisfaction with the blue cheese. It’s also refreshing at the same time.

Iceberg lettuce has a high water content yet doesn’t wilt easily. It can sit high on a plate smothered in blue cheese vinaigrette or blue cheese dressing and stay crisp. Or the wedge can be the  height of luxury with homemade blue cheese dressing.

It’s the perfect thing to serve at a party! Don’t you just love this slate plate? You can order it here.

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Assemble Your Own Party Wedge Salad

The great idea for a brunch, lunch or dinner, is to allow people to assemble their own wedge. You can set out a bowl of crumbly blue cheese next to the dressing. There are always people who hate the blue, so set out cheddar and ranch for them. Everyone can be happy.

You can serve individual wedge salads on a platter with dressing applied or on the side.

So tell me do you make a salad for your parties? I always do.

Similar Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
• Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
• Blue Cheese Purple Potatoes
• Blue Cheese/Apple Cole Slaw
• Blue Cheese Bacon Biscuit Sandwich
• Grilled Peach Salad with Blue Cheese

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The Wedge Salad Recipe with Variations for a Crowd

Classic Wedge Salad or Try it with a twist, with homemade blue cheese dressing, and various toppings, depending upon the season.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• blue cheese dressing Recipe Here
• 4 slices bacon Oven Baked Recipe
• 2 hard boiled eggs Recipe Here
• 1/4 cup pomegranate arils or chopped tomato
• 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
• 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
• sliced radishes

Instructions

• Arrange wedges on platter or individual plates. Cut into 4 pieces for large sized servings or six pieces for party wedges.
• Top with dressing, followed by toppings.
• You can switch the toppings out as you see fit.
• Top with crumbled blue cheese.
• Serve immediately

The post The Blue Cheese Party Wedge Salad Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

The hard work of the farmer who brings his produce all year to the Nolensville Farmer’s Market enlightened me, as he brought bok choy all winter long. I try to buy something from him every week, as I know he doesn’t spray chemicals and he’s a hard working local farmer.

In all honesty, I never made anything with bok choy, but I like to buy local vegetables, and I knew I’d figure out something.

The first thing I made was grilled bok choy, but now I’m sold on bok choy salad, made simply with olive oil, ginger balsamic vinegar and a healthy sprinkle of salt.

It literally takes five minutes to make and goes well with fatty proteins like pork or brisket. Bok Choy Salad stays crunchy, even when made ahead and tastes so good.

Bok Choy is a winter green, often found in Asian stir fries. While you could use a dressing like I made here in my Asian slaw, my dinner wasn’t Asian, and I needed a very quick preparation. However, do feel free to make any version using ginger dressing, depending on what you’re serving.

How to Make a Five Minute Bok Choy Salad

Let’s make this super easy.

• Bok Choy
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar (the syrupy kind)
• Fresh Ginger
• Sliced Almonds
• Sesame Seeds
• Diced Apple (optional)

Why I Love this Bok Choy Salad Recipe

Firstly there’s the crunch! No other vegetable gives you the same sweet crunch that gives a surprising taste and texture. Secondly, the ease. Kale takes time to de-rib, chop and marinate. This bok choy salad (whatever you choose to call it) is made in mere minutes.

The second time I made it, I added in sliced almonds and it was so good, I almost ate the whole bowl myself. They add that savory crunch, while the chopped ribs add sweet, juicy crunch. Who knew anyone could get so excited over such a simply vegetable.

Let’s Talk Balsamic Vinegar

The type of vinegar that works so well with this recipe is the thick, syrupy kind. I use my blackberry ginger balsamic, but you could choose your own. This vinegar is a little pricey, but can be used over and over in summer salads. If you don’t want to use such a pricey vinegar, just use what you like but sparingly tasting along the way, and don’t forget the salt, which wakes it all up.

Serve this Salad with Fatty Meats

This goes amazingly with pork, brisket, chicken thighs and sausages. It’s also good for summer barbecues, picnics and potlucks since there’s no mayonnaise and it keeps well.

More Salads from Spinach Tiger

• Wedge Sald Board
• Raw Shaved Cauliflower Salad (most requested)
• Broccoli Bacon Salad
• Spinach Salad with Grilled Peaches
• Asian Slaw with Ginger Dressing

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Bok Choy Salad

Bok Choy Salad with Toasted Almonds, Ginger Balsamic

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword bok choy

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 bok choy
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds toasted
• dash sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar see notes
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger see notes
• salt, pepper to taste

Instructions

• Throughly rinse bok choy in cold water and cut stem off. Dry with paper towels.
• Finely chop stalks and leaves.
• Toss first with just enough olive oil to cover the greens, using hands.
• Add balsamic to taste. Add fresh ginger if you have it. You may use more or less than instructed. (This is a salad you make to taste. It's not totally necessary to have ginger on hand).
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add in toasted almonds. Toss again.
• Garnish with sesame seeds if you have them.

Notes

I  used a blackberry ginger balsamic (the syrupy kind). If you don’t have that add some optional fresh ginger if you have it.

The post Bok Choy Salad Recipe Made in Five Minutes appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

My husband had bought them hoping they could be the affordable lobster like seafood for lobster roll. I made a langostino lobster salad, with a mayonnaise based dressing that would be perfect for either salad or lobster roll.

Technically langostine are not lobster, but there is a very similar taste and texture without the price tag.

This is perfect for lunch, parties, lobster rolls, lettuce wraps, or starters. It tastes like a lobster salad, but is much more affordable.

Langostino Vs. Lobster

Langostine (plural for langostino) are not lobster. A different crustacean, they are much smaller in size, but are similar in taste. Often referred to as squat lobster or langostino lobster, as the FDA will not allow langostine to be labeled simply “lobster.”

However, don’t let that stop you from trying langostine in place of your favorite seafood dish. You can often find them for under $12 a pound at either Trader Joe’s or Aldi’s.

Mayonnaise Dressing for Langostino Lobster Salad

• Mayonnaise
• Lemon Juice
• Worcestershire
• Garlic Powder
• Parsley (can use dill if desired)

The other two ingredients are langostine and celery. Celery is an important part of what makes this so good, adding in crunch and color.

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More Seafood Salads from Spinach Tiger

• Shrimp Avocado Tomato
• Crab Louis
• Fresh Tuna Nicoise
• Greek Salmon Salad

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Langostino Lobster Salad

Langostino Lobster Salad which can be also be used for Lobster Roll

Course Sauce

Cuisine American, French

Keyword mayonnaise, remoulade

Ingredients

• 1 pound langostine
• 2 stalks Celery chopped

Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or one minced fresh clove
• 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

• Mix all ingredients for dressing together.
• Add langostine, celery.
• Refrigerate minimum one hour to meld flavors.

The post Langostino Lobster Salad appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

These salads for dinner are substantial enough, yet easy enough to pull together. You can make various substitutions as needed. For example switch out chicken for salmon on the Greek Salad and shrimp for crab on the Crab Louis. I included Asian Slaw and you can add grilled chicken or grilled shrimp for an outstanding salad. I also included my summer wedge salad which can be a meal in and of itself.

Salads for Dinner

• Summer Wedge – Corn, Bacon, Tomato with homemade blue cheese dressing.
• Asian Slaw – A medley of veggies with a great ginger dressing. Add grilled shrimp.
• Taco Salad – With the best taco salad dressing.
• Spinach Salad with Grilled Peaches – Add grilled chicken breast or rotisserie chicken. Fall in love with a peach vinaigrette.
• Shrimp Avocado Tomato Salad – This can be put together fast, but feels like slow food.
• Kale Greek Salad with Salmon – Add Lemon Dressing, Olives, Feta.
• Salad Nicoise – with Seared Tuna, Shallot Vinaigrette. Feel free to replace this with canned tuna.
• Crab Louis – With the best remoulade dressing. Feel free to replace crab which is pricey with steamed shrimp.
• Big Mac Salad – It’s all in the right sauce.

The post Salads for Dinner in August appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

McDonald’s actually makes their sauce with sweet pickles and sugar, but this is my version and I think it is the best big mac sauce around.

Today I give you my version of Big Mac Sauce for either a large big mac salad, a big mac burger, or big mac bowls. You could even make big mac tacos on flour tortillas or my grain free tortillas.

The Best Big Mac Sauce Recipe

It is not the thousand island type dressing one sees on many burgers. It is different in that it is not tomato based.

• 1 cup Mayonnaise (I prefer Better Body Foods (no canola oil and has a tang).
• 3 tablespoons Dill Pickle, diced
• Dill Pickle Juice (splash)or white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Yellow Mustard
• 2 tablespoons Sweet Onion, very fine dice
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Paprika

How to Make the Original Big Mac Burger

Two grilled flat patties, melted cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce and lots of this sauce and a triple bun. You can still do that, but I’m opting more for a big mac salad.

What is the Best Mayonnaise?

There is no substitute for Better Body Foods Mayonnaise and it makes everything better, including this sauce. According to Amazon I’ve purchased this mayonnaise 19 times already. Unlike most avocado based mayonnaise, this one has a lot of zest and flavor.

Big Mac Salad with Big Mac Sauce

• lettuce
• shredded cheddar cheese
• tomatoes
• pickles
• Big Mac sauce
• Tomatoes (optional addition)

Related Recipes

• Keto Chicken Tenders would be great with the sauce
• Remoulade Sauce
• Taco Salad Dressing
• Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

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Big Mac Sauce

Big Mac Sauce with Big Mac Salad

Course Salad and Salad Dressing

Cuisine American

Keyword Big Mac Salad, Big Mac Sauce

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Sauce Time 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise Better Body Brand (amazon)
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 3 tablespoons dill pickles finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons onion finely chopped
• splash pickle juice or white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Big Mac Salad

• 6 cups lettuce
• 1 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• Big Mac Sauce as needed

Instructions

Big Mac Sauce

• Make sure pickles and onion are very finely chopped.
  
• Mix together with all ingredients.
  

Big Mac Salad – Two Ways

• There are two ways to serve this salad.
• You can make small burger patties, top with thin slices cheddar, allow to melt, and place on salad and serve with sauce, extra pickles.
• Cook crumbled ground beef (season with salt and pepper) and place on salad with shredded cheese, sauce, extra pickles (optional chopped tomato).
  

The post Best Big Mac Sauce Recipe with Big Mac Salad appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

The very next day I replicated this salad adding in lemon pasta, feta cheese, tossed with a very lemony dressing. Trader Joe’s sold a lemon pasta for a while which was perfect to add and complimented the feta cheese perfectly. At the last minute I added in some tomatoes for color. I would have included some olives if I had some on hand.

I am known for my salads, because I always make my own dressing and have mastered the what lettuce goes with what type of dressing thing. It is a thing. For example, if you want to mix a pasta and feta cheese with lettuce, a heartier lettuce such as romaine works best. The crunch and bite from romaine lettuce compliments the bite of an al dente pasta.

Green Salad with lemon salad dressing is a versatile salad, but I especially like how a briny feta cheese fits right in. Since pasta is on the bland side, a strong cheese works well. You could also use slivers of parmesan cheese or crumbled blue cheese as a substitute.

You can make this an entree salad by adding pulled chicken or salmon.

Feta Cheese

As I wrote in my olive feta appetizer post, look for a feta cheese sitting in brine that is 100% sheep’s milk. Not all feta is alike, and you may seem crumbled feta sold in your grocery store. Usually a pre-crumbled feta is tasteless, and doesn’t add much to a dish.

More Salads from Spinach Tiger

• Wedge Salad Bar with Homemade Blue Cheese
• Asian Slaw with Ginger Dressing
• Taco Salad with Special Dressing
• Crab Louis with Remoulade
• Caprese Party Salad
• Kale Salad with Apple and Sweet Potato (our most popular of all)

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Green Salad, Lemon Dressing

Salad with Feta, Pasta, Lemon Dressing

Course Salad and Salad Dressing

Cuisine American

Keyword green salad, lemon salad dressing

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

• 10 cups romain lettuce 2 bags Italian Lettuce Mix
• 4 ounces feta cheese (in brine)
• 10 grape tomatoes sliced in half, cross-wise
• 1 cup cooked pasta such as penne, corkscrew
• Lemon Dressing as needed

Lemon Dressing

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 lemon juice and zest
• sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1/4 red wine vinegar or champagne or white vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

The post Green Salad, Lemon Salad Dressing Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.