Best Salad Bar Choices Recipes

SALAD BAR IDEAS

Steps:

• Make the hard boiled eggs, according to the Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs or Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs methods.
• Wash and chop the vegetables; place them in serving bowls.
• Drain and rinse the chickpeas or beans, if using.
• Make the salad dressing. Serve!

SEVEN-LAYER SALAD BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Cook peas per package directions; cool completely. Place in refrigerator to chill until ready to use.
• Meanwhile, unroll dough sheets; place in ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan. Press edges together to seal dough and form crust. Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.
• Spoon mayonnaise into medium resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut small tip off end of bag. Squeeze all but about 2 tablespoons mayonnaise over top of pizza crust; spread evenly.
• Top with romaine, chopped bacon, diced cucumber and onion, chilled peas and cheese. Squeeze remaining mayonnaise over top of cheese.
• Cut into 5 rows by 4 rows; serve immediately.

BEST SALAD BAR CHOICES

Steps:

• Best Salad Bar ChoicesSalad bars offer so much variety and are a fast way to create a meal. With all of the tempting options, what should you choose if you want to lose? -Pile on the plain veggies! Choose greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, sprouts, peppers, squash, water chestnuts, radishes and onions. -Add a little protein. Choose chicken, turkey, ham, imitation crab, flaked tuna, kidney or garbanzo beans, and cottage cheese. -Choose fresh fruit, such as pineapple, melon, bananas and apples. -Avoid marinated or mayonnaise-based salads, cheeses, chopped egg and olives. -Limit higher-fat toppings, such as croutons, shoestring potatoes, chow mein noodles, tortilla chips, sunflower seeds and bacon bits.From "Betty Crocker's Best of Healthy & Hearty Cooking." Text Copyright 1998 General Mills, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ULTIMATE SALAD BAR

Steps:

• Use this more as a guide for creating the ultimate salad bar at home. You don't have to follow this completely as written.
• First the base. I like to have three different lettuces to choose from. In three separate large bowls, place the chopped romaine, spring lettuce mix and baby spinach and set aside.
• Next up is the protein. Use help from the store for this. Go to the deli counter and get roasted chicken and just slice or shred at home. Cooked ham that you dice up can be a quick fix as well! If you want to cook the tofu yourself, drain extra-firm tofu very well and pat dry. Then cube up and sauté in a pan with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook the bacon strips in the oven on a baking sheet for a quick and easy no-mess way of cooking. Lastly, hard boil some eggs for a quick protein rich alternative to meat!
• No salad bar is complete without veggie toppings, and you'll want lots of them. In small bowls, lay out the different sliced and chopped vegetables. This can be whatever you like, have on hand or find at the grocery store in season. I used avocado, carrots, peas, cucumber, corn, tomatoes, and red onion. Canned beans like chickpeas or black beans add a nice hearty bite to salads as well.
• Now let's talk cheese. Sure we're trying to be healthy but a small amount of cheese never hurt anyone. Set out some of your favorite cheeses. I like crumbled feta for a nice salty bite, or grated parmesan. Simple shredded cheddar or cubed mozzarella would be great as well.
• Finish things off with some crunchy and/or chewy toppings. Nuts or seeds are always a good idea. Sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts or dried fruit are all good options. Take advantage of what the store has to offer. You can't forget the croutons either. I don't think I can have a salad without croutons.
• For dressings: You can buy some or you can make one or both of these super easy dressings. For the Dijon Vinaigrette, place all of the ingredients into a mason jar and secure tightly with the lid. Then shake until fully combined. It's that simple! For the creamy Dijon dressing, whisk together the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Transfer to serving dishes and place near the end of your salad bar.
• Then just have your guests go through and create their own salads!