I really enjoyed this simple and refreshing Asian noodle salad! I loved the combination of sweet, salty and tangy flavors.

I added some julienned red bell pepper for extra crunch and color. To make a more substantial salad, stir-fried shrimp, chicken or tofu would also be delicious additions. For the dressing, I added a little sesame oil and soy sauce for extra flavor. Since I only had seasoned rice vinegar, I omitted the extra sugar, and also omitted the salt since I added soy sauce. If you want a little kick to the dressing, add some Asian chile garlic sauce.

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad
-recipe from epicurious.com

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Tags: Asian fish sauce, cilantro, rice noodles, rice vinegar, Vietnamese

If you've ever had a Hawaiian plate lunch then you've tried this style of macaroni salad. It's slightly tangy, slightly sweet and traditionally served with some sort of pan-Asian main entree like teriyaki beef or kalua pork and a few scoops of white rice. I made it recently for a Hawaiian-themed dinner party that Husband and I attended. Each creamy bite of macaroni salad brought back fond memories of a trip to Hawaii a decade earlier when we feasted on plate lunches almost daily.

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Tags: Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, Pasta, plate lunch

Here's a delicious, summery salad that is perfect for your next potluck: roasted red potatoes and crisp-tender green beans tossed in a flavorful rosemary dressing. Yumm!!!

For the dressing, I add a little Dijon mustard for extra flavor and a bit of sugar to soften up the acidity. Also, I roast the potatoes until they are nicely browned, which can take longer than 30 minutes (depending on the size of the potato chunks). I use the ice water that the onions soaked in to cool the cooked green beans. The salad is also really good with the addition of crumbled feta, blue cheese or goat cheese. Enjoy!

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Tags: green beans, kalamata olives, potato salad, potatoes, red onion, rosemary, Salad, Side Dish

I've been making different types of corn and bean salad for years (usually my own concoctions). I came across this particular recipe recently and thought I'd give it a try. It's quick, easy and very tasty. Based on what I had on hand, I substituted 1 chopped canned chipotle pepper for the jalapeno and used pinto beans instead of Great Northern beans. Kidney beans would work well, too, or you can just use all black beans.  I think the recipe makes closer to 6 servings than 8. This salad would also make a good "dip" for tortilla chips (choose a sturdy chip that won't crumble on contact).

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Tags: bean and corn salad, black beans, corn, Salad, Side Dish

It's summertime and prime salad-eating weather. Sure, you can buy store-bought croutons to add to your salad but I challenge you to take a few minutes and make your own. I promise you, once you see how easy it is to make them and how good they are, you'll never buy the store-bought kind again. Well, maybe you will but they won't compare to this homemade version! I make these croutons all the time. They also make a tasty garnish for soup, and they're a  creative  hostess gift when packaged in a pretty jar or bag. Who wouldn't love to receive homemade croutons? 

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Tags: bread, croutons, garlic, olive oil, Salad

This is a delicious salad: tender chunks of chicken, crisp apple and fresh spinach tossed with a tangy-sweet curry and mango chutney dressing . Yumm!

I didn't bother stemming the spinach or tearing it into pieces because I thought it was fine as is. I omitted the golden raisins and substituted chopped celery for added crunch (1 large stalk chopped), and substituted cashew pieces for the slivered almonds. I didn't have green onions so I used chopped red onion instead (green onion would add more color to the dish so I will use it next time). For the dressing, I used olive oil instead of the canola oil. The changes I made were minor and didn't dramatically alter the salad…they just saved me from having to make a last minute trip to the store.

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Tags: almond, chicken salad, curry, mango chutney, spinach

This is a great salad…delicious, beautiful, and perfect for summer! I used leftover regrigerated cooked rice (about 3 cups), substituted 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano for the 1 teaspoon of fresh, used both red onion and green onion, added a splash of red wine vinegar and some sliced sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil.  I used jasmine rice but basmati rice would also be really good. Be sure to scoop the seeds out of the cuke or you'll end up with a watery salad. Also, go easy on the salt because both the feta cheese and kalamata olives are salty; mix it all together than season to taste. For a mexi version, add corn, black beans, sliced pimento-stuffed green olives, a little cumin and cilantro; omit the cuke, spinach, kalamata olives and feta. Enjoy!

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Tags: cucumber, kalamata olives, Mediterranean, red pepper, rice, rice salad, Side Dish

Wow…this salad is good! The dressing is smoky, slightly sweet and slightly spicy with a nice tang from the balsamic vinegar. I love the combination of southwestern flavors: cilantro, chipotle, avocado, red onion, corn.

Read more on Romaine Salad with Spicy Chicken & Warm Chipotle Vinaigrette…

Tags: chicken salad, chipotle, romaine, Salad, spicy

Curried chicken salad is simple to make and packs a ton of flavor in every bite. This recipe calls for "commercial chutney" which is pretty vague. I always use a Major Grey's chutney, a  type of mango chutney (not a brand) that is slightly sweet and spicy. You should be able to find it at most major grocery stores.  Trader Joe's  has a Mango Ginger Chutney that works great, too.

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Tags: Chicken, chicken salad, curry, sandwich

Husband will eat salad but it's never something he gets too jazzed about. He likes veggies, he knows they're good for him, but I've never known him to crave a salad (or at least he's never admitted to it). He was quite intrigued, however, when I told him one night that we're were having Steak Salad for dinner using a leftover piece of steak from the previous night's meal. Steak two nights in a row…you should've seen the look of delight on his face!! This recipe was a cinch to throw together and it tasted great. The dressing is a basic vinaigrette, which is fine on its own but could easily be jazzed up with a teaspoon or so of Dijon mustard and some fresh herbs. I really liked the mixture of salad ingredients: tender steak, tangy blue cheese, red onions, vine-ripened tomatoes, mixed baby greens…how could you possible go wrong with that combo? For the greens, I just used what I had in the fridge (baby greens and a romaine/iceberg salad mix). The substituted greens were fine and it saved me a trip to the store. Add a loaf of crusty bread and you've got a delicious light meal!

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Tags: gorgonzola, Salad, steak, vinaigrette