Shelter in Place Salads

A friend recently celebrated her birthday. She had at the center of her shelter in place celebration, a salad. It's clear why that would be such a special dinner. When we're trying to shop as infrequently as possible, a salad definitely feels like a luxury. 

Here are some salad options that allow you to enjoy greens well after your shop day, because they rely on produce with longer shelf lives. 

Kale and Toasted Walnut Cesar Salad 
Kale will stay fresh for two weeks if stored properly. The hearty green likes to stay dry and reside in the coldest part of the fridge. So save washing kale for just before use. I've been buying the pre-packaged baby kale and leaving it in it's airtight packaging until we're ready to eat. 

3 cups washed and dried baby kale (can also be made with chopped kale)
1/2 cup walnut halves, lightly toasted 
Parmesan cheese
1 large garlic clove
1 lemon
2-3 shakes of hot sauce, such as Crystal
2-3 shakes Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Toast the walnuts in a small fry pan set over medium heat. Keep an eye on the walnuts to ensure they don't burn. Once lightly toasted, remove from heat and set aside. In a large wooden salad bowl, rub the peeled garlic clove all over the bottom and sides of bowl -- releasing some of the garlic's oils. This will infuse the dressing with a subtle garlic flavor. If you prefer a stronger garlic flavor, finely dice garlic and add to bowl. Otherwise, reserve the clove for other use. Add the juice of one lemon, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper to bowl and whisk together. While whisking, drizzle in olive oil until a smooth dressing is made. Add kale and toss. Using a vegetable peeler make thin strips of Parmesan cheese and toss gently. Scatter toasted walnuts over salad and serve. 

Simple Garbanzo Bean Salad

My mom tossed this salad together often, making it a sentimental favorite. It's a pantry friendly salad that taste fresh thanks to the addition of long-lasting greens parsley and scallions. 

1 14oz can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 scallions, washed, trimmed and sliced thin
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a bowl and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. 

Cauliflower and Pumpkin Seed Salad

This has been my go-to salad to bring to parties for the last year. I toss up small versions for myself for lunch all the time too. It relies on hearty veggies that are also bright and fresh in a salad.

It's best to use arugula within a week of purchasing it, though stored well it will last up to 10 days. If you haven't got arugula, use radicchio as I have in the version I made for this post.  

2 cups roughly chopped cauliflower
3 cups washed arugula (or 1 cup washed and chopped radicchio
1-2 apples diced (I like Pink Lady or Honeycrisp)
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Dressing
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a large bowl, add the dressing ingredients and mix well. Add salad items on top of dressing and toss. Taste for seasoing and add additional salt and pepper if needed.