It really isn’t just leaves!
Have you ever looked up the word salad in a dictionary? I did… for some reason people have a pre-conception that a salad is a bunch of leaves or ‘rabbit food’. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I like a leafy salad but it is definitely not the be all and end all.
Who said a salad had to be leaves, leaves and more leaves? Seriously…. show me the person or book that says that and I’ll tell them to go and give their heads a wobble.
The Oxford dictionary (that’s right, I wasn’t kidding) actually defines a salad as:
NOUN
1A cold dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing and sometimes accompanied by meat, fish, or other ingredients:
So why oh why do we reach for the iceberg lettuce and some salad tomatoes the minute the sun comes out and we have to start getting ‘beach ready’. I was guilty of this too so you’re not alone there. After three days of lettuce tomato and cucumber for lunch in one week a few years ago, I figured there was something just plain wrong with that! Why can’t a salad be more?
This is where I got to thinking. The dictionary tells me the primary base for a salad is vegetables. I love my veggies so this isn’t an issue but it definitely needed to get more exciting. So I started playing about with flavours and textures. The way you cook something can completely change its sensory qualities, one of the reasons I love to cook and experiment so much. I’ve got a mixture of grilled and slow cooked peppers in here for a mixture of smokiness and sweetness.
Kale has such an earthy flavour so I think it balances richer flavours quite well. In this salad it works brilliantly with the Asian flavours I use in my marinade like ginger, soy and chilli. It packs a whopping protein hit too as I’ve used chicken and an exotic bean mix… pat on the back for me! The look of food is so important to me and I think the more colourful a dish the more moreish it is. This definitely ticks the colour and flavour boxes.
I’d love to know your favourite salad recipes so please share : ) x
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Published by Bea's Bites Online
Hi!
I'm Bea, as well as being new to the world of blogging I have been a food teacher in secondary schools for four years. I live just outside Manchester and all its foodie offerings. I'll be posting all about travel, food I enjoy, whether it's at a restaurant, a recipe I've trialled or something I have knocked up myself. I will also add a few drinks here and there because let's face it, it's got to be done!
I am lucky enough to have grown up with a variety of influences, my mum is from Zimbabwe, my dad is from Ghana and I grew up in a village in the North West, so food has always been a blend and balance of cultures for me.
From being little, food has played a large part in our family, whether it be for celebrations, commiserations or comfort. I began helping out in the kitchen from a young age and was fortunate enough to be given the reins on occasion from about the age of 11.
I love being in the kitchen and having the opportunity to create something to make others smile. Whether it be an autumnal main or a gooey dessert :) I have 3 bottomless pits I call brothers as well as a fiance and they are more than happy to try what I make and be extremely blunt so I welcome all comments : )
I am a total believer in happy eating. Food should put a smile on your face no matter if it is a weekday after work dinner or a special occasion. I love following recipes and do think it is sometimes a necessity but I also think that food should be personal and geared towards what you like and I hope this comes across in my blog.
I hope you enjoy reading my posts, let me know if you stop by, it will definitely put a smile on my face!
Please don't hesitate to get in touch, my email is: beasbitesonline@hotmail.com
If you have any posts you'd like to see then please feel free to Email me, DM me on Instagram, Facebook or Tweet me and I'll do my best : )
I hope I'll get a chance to chat to you.
Bea x
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