7 Days of Salads
Break out those cozy blankets and steaming mugs of apple cider because the holiday season is here! Between the obligatory Christmas-carol karaoke, the ritualized tree selection and the Hallmark movie marathons (a guilty pleasure in my family), I’ve definitely fallen victim to more food comas than I’d like to admit. After all, who can resist downing some homemade gingerbread while listening to “All I Want for Christmas Is You?” So, I decided I’d try and mix the inevitable holiday snacking with a few more healthy alternatives this year — specifically, salads! Salads aren’t just your stereotypical lettuce-and-ranch combo, and more and more stylish ones are becoming a staple on restaurant menus and Instagram feeds alike. In the last week, I’ve tried out seven different salad combinations, and there are a few I would definitely add to spruce up my holiday diet. (All of these salads are on a bed of lettuce or mixed greens.)
Bethany Clements / Daily Nexus
Day 1:
Ingredients:
- Salami slices (I used five slices and sliced them into squares)
- Mozzarella cheese (I took about five mozzarella balls and shredded them for a lighter texture)
- ½ of a red bell pepper, chopped
- Tomatoes (diced)
- Black olives (I just scattered a handful over my salad)
- Crispy fried onions (Fresh Gourmet brand, garlic/pepper flavored)
- Italian dressing
Review:
The week began with an Italian-inspired salad. I remember practically devouring a side salad I once had with some pizza that was topped with heaping mounds of shredded mozzarella cheese, tomato and black olives. I’d always wanted to recreate the salad at home, and my seven-days-of-salad challenge gave me the perfect opportunity! Though I had to settle for slicing some mozzarella balls, the salad ended up tasting like a new take on an old favorite, which was a promising start to my week!
Bethany Clements / Daily Nexus
Day 2:
Ingredients:
- Turkey (shredded)
- Apples (chopped — I used a mix of Envy, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith)
- Feta cheese
- Pumpkin seeds
- Pecans (chopped)
- Cranberries
- Golden raisins
- Balsamic vinaigrette
Review:
For the second salad, I tried to create a “harvest” theme! The cranberries and Granny Smith apples were mouthwateringly tangy. Paired with the sweetness of the red and yellow apples and the golden raisins, the flavor perfectly complemented the turkey breast and feta cheese! Adding the chopped pecans and pumpkin seeds added a little crunch to the dish — it was almost like turning Thanksgiving dinner into a salad!
Bethany Clements / Daily Nexus
DAY 3:
Ingredients:
- A handful of shredded four-cheese blend
- Chicken (¼ cup shredded)
- Corn (I scattered a handful over my salad)
- Tomato (¼ cup diced)
- Red bell pepper (I chopped the other half of my red bell pepper from the other salad)
- Black beans (Same as the corn, I scattered a handful over my salad)
- Lime and lemon juice (sprinkled)
- Avocado-lime dressing
Directions for avocado-lime dressing:
- Place one avocado, one peeled clove of garlic, ¼ cup of chopped cilantro, ¼ cup plain greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, ¼ tablespoon of salt and ¼ tablespoon of pepper in a food processor or blender.
- Process until smooth, and add about ⅓ cup of water to thin the dressing to your desired consistency.
- Keep in a sealed container for up to two weeks.
Review:
I tried for a Southwest-style salad today, and every bite had me closing my eyes and envisioning horse rides into the sunset. The corn, beans, bell pepper and tomato gave the salad a really nice texture, and the sprinkle of lime and lemon juice resulted in an amazing explosion of tart flavor. Drizzled with creamy avocado-lime dressing, the only thing missing from this salad is a Western film marathon!
Bethany Clements / Daily Nexus
Day 4:
Ingredients:
- Baby carrots (thinly sliced)
- Broccoli (chopped)
- Assorted nuts (chopped)
- Wonton strips
- Sesame dressing
Review:
Today’s salad relied more on a crunchy, veggie-heavy ingredient list. With boatloads of broccoli and baby carrots tossed into a bed of lettuce, the addition of chopped nuts and crispy wonton strips gave the salad a rich, nutty flavor. A few slivers of ginger and sesame dressing were the perfect final touches to kick this salad into high gear.
Bethany Clements / Daily Nexus
Day 5:
Ingredients:
- Ceviche (or another seafood-based topping — I’ve used grilled shrimp with great results!)
- Red bell pepper (chopped)
- Avocado (chopped)
- Mango (chopped)
- Blueberries
- Lime and lemon juice (sprinkled)
- Crushed tortilla chips
Review:
On my fifth day, I attempted to recreate one of my all-time favorite salads. As a seafood-inspired dish, it was originally topped with grilled shrimp, but, to save time and money, I stuck with some ceviche. The mangoes and blueberries were a tangy, tart addition to the salad. With some crunchy tortilla chips and a sprinkle of lime and lemon juice, I decided I didn’t even need dressing — the ingredients paired perfectly with each other to create a refreshing, tropical taste.
Bethany Clements / Daily Nexus
Day 6:
Ingredients:
- Goat cheese
- Mango (chopped)
- Blueberries
- Apples (chopped — I used a mix of Envy, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith)
- Pear (chopped)
- Broccoli (chopped)
- Golden raisins
- Raspberry vinaigrette
Review:
I’m always partial to a good fruit salad, so on the sixth day, I made a fruit salad and tossed it in with my bed of greens. After all, salads are one of the best places to experiment with ingredient combinations, so I decided to give it a try. Plus, I could use up the rest of my mangoes, apples and blueberries from the previous salads! Though I wished I had some strawberries, peaches or raspberries to make a more well-rounded array of fruits, the addition of pears and golden raisins was nice as well. The creaminess of the goat cheese and the tart vinaigrette rounded out the salad perfectly — a tangy treat for the taste buds.
Bethany Clements / Daily Nexus
Day 7:
Ingredients:
- Turkey (sliced)
- Ham (sliced)
- Hard-boiled egg (sliced)
- Black olives
- Broccoli (chopped)
- Carrots (chopped)
- Radish (chopped)
- Blue cheese
Review:
For the last day, I decided to stick with a good old chef salad — it took a little more preparation to hard boil the egg, but I personally feel that egg is part of what makes a chef salad so rich and delicious! To counter the fruity salad on day six, this one was chock-full of broccoli, carrots and radish (the radish was a last-minute addition, but it sure spiced up the dish!). The meat, olives and creamy blue cheese dressing were the perfect finishing touches for my last salad of the week.
While the holidays are a time to release those societal pressures and treat yourself to a mug of rich, marshmallow-topped hot chocolate, sometimes it’s nice to opt for a lighter alternative to the traditional meals. It’s a fun and healthy way to spice up your daily diet, not to mention super flexible and personalized! (Share your own go-to salad recipes on Instagram by tagging @ucsbonthemenu!) Plus, salads are a quick fix for any (socially distanced!) family gatherings or potlucks on the calendar for this year. I’ll definitely be whipping a few of these up for my holiday meal rotation. Happy holidays!
(Share your own go-to salad recipes on Instagram by tagging @ucsbonthemenu!)
