I was down at my garden plot the other day and picked my very first radish which always makes me ridiculously happy to start to see all that’s to come from planting some seeds. I love that I am in a community garden where it really does feel like an extended family. We water if someone is away, we troubleshoot when something isn’t going as planned, and the best part - we share in our abundance! It’s the most fun because we get things we haven’t planted and if there’s someone that’s further ahead in their growing we get things that aren’t ready our my gardens yet. Like the beautiful basket of spinach I went home with the other day that I had to restrain myself from eating out of my hand so there was enough to cook with when I got home. A clear sign that salad days have begun.

There’s a fresh and energizing vibe that comes with salads. Something about them that just feels so good, especially right now as it feels much like the season we’re in. Fresh and energized for things to come. And if you know me at all I’m always thinking about endless creative possibilities in the kitchen which salad really is a blank canvas for. Because boring salads just don’t jive over here. So let’s dive into ways to bring that kitchen creativity to your salad game shall we?

DRESSINGS

By far the easiest way to add flavour to your salads is making your own dressing. Because store bought just can’t compete with home made in my opinion. And you get to adjust it to your own specific taste - how fun is that. Here’s a quick ration I like to start out with when making salad dressing; 1/3 acid and 2/3 fat. Now again this is just a guide to get you started because you might like your dressing with a bit more of an acidic kick or a smoother, more rounded out flavour. And depending on what you’re using it for (something that can handle sitting in dressing for a while like Greek salad can handle a bit more acid to penetrate the vegetables vs. a simple salad with delicate greens needs more balance) you’ll want to adjust as well. This is why you gotta go with your instincts and intuition to see what works. If you’re new to making dressings start with this ratio then taste and adjust and taste and adjust some more until you find your own sweet spot.

Now there’s endless possibilities when it comes to the acids and fats to combine:

Acids; vinegar - there’s so many options here; white, rice, red wine, sherry, balsamic, all kinds of flavoured options like fig or other fruit. And then there’s lemon, or any citrus.

Fats; oil - good olive oil if you want flavour from it or something neutral like canola or grapeseed if you don’t want anything to overwhelm the other flavours, buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream (these will all have some acid as well so something to remember when you’re adding more acid), egg yolk, mayo

If you want to sweeten it up; honey, maple syrup, pomegranate molasses (this is a great pantry staple that you can find in most grocery stores nowadays, it’s used lots in middle eastern cuisine. It’s got a bit of an acidic kick along with that sweetness which makes it great for dressings and marinades.).

If you want some umami to add a little depth; Worcestershire, soy sauce, parmesan cheese or miso are always good standbys.

Other easy flavour adds; dijon mustard, fresh herbs, garlic, tahini

IT’S ALL ABOUT TEXTURE

I’m always thinking about texture in my cooking. This is what keeps things interesting and makes your cooking go from good to great. How do you do that in salads? Think smooth and creamy avocado with crunchy cucumber, or combining hot and cold (grilled vegetables with cold, crisp lettuce), or a cool, creamy buttermilk dressing with crispy iceberg lettuce and crumbled bacon.

GREENS

There’s so many options when it comes to what greens to use. Tender butter lettuce, spicy arugula, crunchy romaine or bitter radicchio. Experiment and find your favourites and don’t be afraid to mix and match to keep it interesting. And if you’ve never grilled your greens, here’s a PSA to do it - like now. You’ll want to use firmer greens like romaine or radiccio, drizzle with oil oil, season with salt and pepper, then throw on a hot grill for a few minutes per side to get those beautiful grill marks. The greens will wilt a little and it totally changes their flavour.

MIX UP THOSE VEGGIES

There’s so many ways to play with veggies in your salads. Blanching asparagus or beans to get that beautiful colour, grilling or baking broccoli or cauliflower to concentrate the flavour and add some crunch, thinly slicing zucchini or carrots into long strips to change the texture, charring bell peppers to soften and sweeten them up even more, quick pickling cucumber or onions. So many possibilities!

WHEN IN DOUBT ADD CHEESE

Cheese makes everything better, right? I love halloumi in salads - grilled or panfried then added while it’s still warm. Or make yourself some cheese crisps to crumble over top - any hard cheese like parmesan or asiago works here. Grate it and then form into some nests on a baking sheet. Bake at 375* until the cheese is melted and brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

CROUTONS OR BREADCRUMBS

Yes, you can buy your own but if you’re a bread baker like me or have leftover bread, homemade croutons and breadcrumbs are the bomb. You can flavour them with onion, garlic, other herbs or parmesan cheese. I love to tear the bread rather than cut it to get beautiful rustic pieces. Drizzle the bread pieces with olive oil and any spices you’d like, then bake at 400* for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. If you’re making breadcrumbs, blitz in a food processor. I love sprinkling good seasoned breadcrumbs over salads or pasta for some extra crunch. Both keep for a week or so in an airtight container. If you’ve never tried panzanella, make a mental note to try this when your local tomatoes are in season. Let the croutons soak up all the tomato juice and a good dressing with lots of fresh herbs. I’m drooling thinking about it!

EDBILE FLOWERS MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER

Because we eat with our eyes, why not make your salads as beautiful as possible, right? Edible flowers are my obsession at this time of year, and not only do they make your salads look pretty but they add to the flavour. Nasturtiums have the best peppery flavour, Borage tastes like cucumber, certain varieties of signet marigolds taste like tangerines. You can see a list of edible flowers in my Kitchen Garden post HERE - now’s the perfect time to plant some if you haven’t already!

MAKE IT A MEAL

There’s so many ways to make salads a meal; beans, lentils, grilled chicken or salmon, leftover steak thinly sliced, canned tuna (please buy it packed olive oil), or eggs to name a few.

Let’s raise those salad games, shall we? Get creative and play around without a recipe, because you really don’t need it. And if you do one thing, make your own dressing! I’ve got 3 ‘recipes’ for you to use as guidelines but I hope you riff on them and make them your own. Because that’s the fun part.

You can find inspo for this Surf and Turf salad HERE

What’s Cooking This Week: 3 Go To Salad Dressings

Buttermilk Dressing

I love this creamy dressing for so many things. I’m giving you the basic recipe and encourage you to play around with different ingredients to amp up the flavour. Fresh herbs like basil, dill, parsley, tarragon, chives or oregano. Add some finely chopped green onion or even some onion & garlic powder. Lemon zest is great too and if you want it a little thicker, add some sour cream or yogurt. I love adding caramelized onions for a steak salad. You could add some lemon or orange zest. Leftover buttermilk is great for pancakes, cakes, or even to marinate chicken.

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon honey

• salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl or mason jar and mix or shake until combined. Season with salt and pepper and adjust to taste.

Maple Dijon Dressing

This dressing is alway a go to for simple salad. I love how the dijon emulsifies to give that little bit of creamy texture. You could substitute honey for the maple syrup and if you really wanted to make it extra, replace half the oil with warm bacon drippings and serve right away over a cobb style salad.

• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 2/3 cup grapeseed oil

• 1 clove garlic, minced with a microplane

• 2 teaspoon maple syrup

Place the dijon in a bowl. Add the vinegar, garlic and maple syrup and mix until combined. Slowly drizzle the oil into the mixture, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper and adjust to taste.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Who doesn’t love a simple vinaigrette? Because there’s only a couple ingredients, this is where you gotta go with the good stuff - invest in a good aged balsamic and olive that you’ll only use for drizzling. Ingredients matter always! You could swap out the vinegar for some pomegranate molasses - I’d probably add a squeeze of lemon but again, taste and adjust for you, not me. You could also do a mix of citrus; lemon, orange and grapefruit are always a favourite!

• 1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar

• 2/3 cup good olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

Add the vinegar and oil to a mason jar and shake to combine. Season with salt and pepper and adjust as needed.

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