spinach

13 Fantastic Lettuce-Free Salads

Marla Walters — Mon, 15 Aug 2016 10:30:06 +0000

Too hot to cook, but burned out on traditional lettuce-heavy salads? When the thermometer registers over 80ºF, I'm reluctant to fire up the oven. However, I want to eat all the delicious produce that summer brings, including fresh corn, berries, and tomatoes. There is a solution! Here are 13 ways to enjoy cool salads, without lettuce.

1. Guacamole Potato Salad

Anything involving avocados is totally on my radar. This guacamole potato salad caught my eye right away. I threw in a little leftover grilled salmon and it was a perfect cool, summer meal.

2. Warm Corn Salad With Bacon and Cider Vinegar

Did you overbuy on fresh corn? You'll be glad you did when you taste this warm corn salad. And did somebody mention bacon? That's in there, too.

3. Bread Salad (Panzanella)

Love carbs? Yeah, me, too, but garlic bread would involve heating up the oven. Fortunately, I had this perfect end-of-summer panzanella recipe bookmarked. It calls for fresh tomatoes, too, so this is a great way to use them up. I have a phobia about soggy bread, but don't worry, it doesn't get that way if your bread is dried out.

4. Cold Beet Salad

It is still amazing to me that, as a child, I wouldn't eat beets. Now, they are one of my favorite veggies. Check out this beet, walnut, and gorgonzola salad recipe. It's wonderful. I don't like to waste the beet tops, so instead of using baby greens, as called for in the recipe, I saute my beet greens and make a power bowl with the greens, the beet salad, and quinoa.

5. Zoodle Salad

I love the silly kitchen gadget that makes "noodles" out of zucchini, carrots, and squash. Do you have a bumper crop of zucchini? (It's kind of hard not to, right?) Here is a delicious zoodle salad solution. It also uses tomatoes, for those of us who overbought.

6. Asian Coleslaw

I planted way too much cabbage in the garden this year, but fortunately, had this Asian coleslaw recipe. Do not leave out the sesame oil, which totally makes the recipe. This is also really good with grilled chicken or shrimp.

7. Crunchy Pea Salad

My friend Debbie gave me this recipe years ago and it's one of my favorites.

Ingredients

1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup cooked, drained, and crumbled bacon
1 cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped red onion
1 10oz bag of frozen peas (or 1 ¼ cups fresh peas, shelled)
1 cup salted peanuts

Method

Combine all ingredients except for the peanuts. Chill for an hour. Just before serving, top with peanuts.

8. Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad)

When it's hot, this cucumber salad is extremely refreshing. Use Japanese cucumbers, if you can find them. This is best served chilled. Toss some cooked, chilled shrimp in for a delicious entree.

9. Tofu Salad With Watercress

This pretty tofu salad is popular in Hawaii, and is frequently sold in the deli case. It's really easy to make at home, though. Make sure it's chilled before serving.

10. Strawberry Salad

I can't resist the bargain-level flats of strawberries cropping up in stores now. Who knew they'd be good with bacon as a main dish? Trust me, the flavors work together.

11. Cold Eggplant Salad

In last year's garden, I got carried away with eggplants. That lead me to discover caponata, which is a most wonderfully flavored Sicilian dish. It's really good alongside grilled fish, or just with bread.

12. Pasta Salad

Here is what I love about this pasta salad: It uses fresh veggies, and it's also economical. Between the jarred roasted red peppers and the vinaigrette, it has loads of flavor. If you want to add some cooked shrimp or chicken, it becomes a meal.

13. Rice Salad

This brown rice salad is not only delicious, but also healthy, due to the brown rice, chickpeas, and other veggies. It has feta cheese, too. It's also wonderful to pack as a leftover for lunch.

What other lettuce-free salad variations can you think of? Share with us!

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This article is from Marla Walters of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

35 Tasty Ways to Use Frozen Spinach

Meg Favreau — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 19:09:17 +0000

I love frozen spinach — in fact, it's the only frozen vegetable that I regularly have on hand. It's healthy, easy to add to recipes, and cheap — especially if you buy it up when it's on sale. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Groceries)

If you're looking for new ways to use that block of spinach in your freezer, here are 35 great recipes to try.

1. Spanikopita

Thin phyllo dough can be a little difficult to work with — but if the sheets break while you're constructing this delicious Greek dish, remember that they'll still bake up nice and crispy.

2. Quick Burritos

This is one of my go-to recipes when I don't have enough time to make a full meal. To make a burrito for one, combine ¼ of a can of black beans (rinsed), a cup of frozen spinach, and a small handful of shredded cheddar cheese. Heat, then wrap the mixture in a tortilla. (In addition to the frozen spinach, I also keep a package of cheese and a package of tortillas in the freezer for these).

3. Cream of Spinach Soup

Try this cream of spinach soup — or you can always pump up the nutritional value of another soup recipe by adding frozen spinach. (See also: Delicious Soup From Leftovers)

4. Creamy, Cheesy Side Dish

This recipe combines frozen spinach with cream cheese for a decadent side.

5. Green Smoothies

Smoothies that combine fruit and greens are a great way to add vegetables to your diet. Many call for fresh greens, but that's not necessary — just check out this tropical green smoothie recipe.

6. Crockpot Spinach Casserole

This bread-and-spinach casserole includes instructions for both the stove and crockpot, so you can set it to be ready when you come home from work. (See also: 35 Vegetarian Crockpot Recipes)

7. Spinach Puff Pastry Appetizers

These little spirals are flaky, cheesy, and oh so good.

8. Spinach Pesto

You don't have to make pesto with basil. In fact, you can make it with almost any green — including frozen spinach.

9. Spinach Hamburgers

Add some flavor and nutrition to your bun with this recipe for hamburgers with spinach mixed in with the meat.

10. Spinach Gnocci

This simple spinach and ricotta gnocchi recipe sounds delicious for all ages, but the author especially recommends it for young children who are eating solid foods, but don't have all their teeth yet.

11. Baked Spinach / Spinach Gratin

Smitten Kitchen takes on Julia Child's spinach gratin, with a lighter-than-your-typical-gratin version.

12. Fresh Spinach Pasta

Like fresh homemade bread, there's something about fresh homemade pasta that just can't be replicated by store-bought. Try this homemade spinach pasta recipe that uses frozen spinach.

13. Casseroles

Frozen spinach helps make a mean and healthy (or at least healthier) casserole. Try this chicken and spinach casserole, an egg and spinach casserole (I bet it'd be great for breakfast), or this potato-spinach casserole.

14. Spinach Dip

I'm the person at the party who just stands by the spinach dip, practically breathing the stuff. This spinach dip recipe specifically calls for frozen instead of fresh.

15. Spinach Pizza Crust

If you like hiding vegetables places you wouldn't normally find them, this pizza dough with spinach inside is delicious (and pretty). Or, you can eliminate the flour altogether and make this cauliflower and spinach crust.

16. Lasagna

One of my mom's favorite recipes when I was young was her lasagna, which always had a layer of frozen spinach in it. Try this easy spinach lasagna from Chow.

17. Lentil Stew

Perfect for a meatless winter meal, lentil stew with spinach is warm and filling. (See also: 25 Tasty and Affordable Lentil Recipes)

18. Beef and Spinach Over Rice

About.com's Guide to Middle Eastern Food, Saad Fayed, says that this beef and spinach recipe is a great way to hide vegetables from wee ones.

19. Spinach Fritters

I'm especially interested in this Indian spinach-and-chickpea fritters recipe, which uses both whole chickpeas and chickpea flour. If you buy your chickpea flour at an Indian grocery (where it'll most likely be less expensive than at the health food store), it might also be called besan.

20. Spinach Mashed Potatoes

This seems like the perfect wintertime comfort food combination: garlic mashed potatoes with spinach.

21. Spinach and Artichoke Hummus

This hummus recipe is pitched as a healthier replacement for spinach artichoke dip, but I think it sounds delicious on its own. You can serve it cold or hot with melted cheese on top.

22. Quiche

It's really hard to go wrong with a recipe from Smitten Kitchen — like this simple spinach-and-cheese quiche.

23. Quinoa Spinach Bake

Quinoa and spinach get a shot of additional protein thanks to cottage cheese in this baked meal.

24. Vegan Spinach Sandwich

Kaylah over at The Dainty Squid has instructions for a vegan spinach sandwich that combines the frozen stuff with herbs, spices, and a thick slather of veganaise. (See also: 25 Frugal Items for Your Vegan Grocery List)

25. Spinach Artichoke Chicken

OK, if it's not obvious by the fact that I'm including multiple recipes with it — I love the spinach-artichoke combination. This recipe puts spinach and artichokes over chicken.

26. Spinach and Poached Eggs

I have two versions for you here — indulgent eggs benedict, and super-indulgent deep-fried poached eggs with creamed spinach and Serrano ham.

27. Garlicky Shrimp and Spinach Bake

Not only does this garlicky shrimp and spinach bake look tasty, but it's also gluten-free.

28. Spinach Bars

These cheesy spinach bars are supposedly a great way to get kids to eat more spinach.

29. Stuffed Mushrooms

Another great pick from Smitten Kitchen — stuffed mushrooms with bacon and frozen spinach.

30 Healthy Spinach Soup

Super simple, this spinach soup would be great in the winter with a grilled cheese.

31. Spinach Calzones

I trust the recipes from King Arthur Flour — the folks there know what they're doing what it comes to baked goods. That's why I feel comfortable recommending this simple ricotta and spinach calzone recipe.

32. Greek Veggie Burgers

These veggie burgers from Better Homes and Gardens are flavored with feta and oregano.

33. Spinach Potato Nest Bites

These little hors d'oureves are crunchy on the outside and warm and gooey on the inside.

34. Spinach Bread

You can make a quick-and-easy version that uses premade pizza dough, or try this bread-machine spinach loaf.

35. Spinach Cake

Hey, people love zucchini bread and carrot cake — why not a spinach cake?

What's your favorite frozen spinach recipe?

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This article is from Meg Favreau of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: