Well, Hello, Salad Bar
In the grocery store world, most salad bars are yours until about 8:00 PM. Even if you have had a busy day, dinner can be a reality by hitting the salad bar before you head home.
Getting dinner at the salad bar can put you in control of what you will make. And, if you have young children, this is a great way to get them involved with “meal planning on the road.”
I am not going to say that this is the most practical thing to do, BUT, it is often a safe and plant-strong™ resort for me. The salad bar. Sometimes, you just need a smidgen of something and you are short on time. Perfect solution is the salad bar where you can plan an entire dinner, a delicious three-course meal, in fact.
Salad bars are replenished several times a day. Maybe your grocery store has vegetables trays in the produce “cold-pack,” but they are usually wrapped in plastic and a few days old. Better to resort to the salad bar…and here’s an insider tip: If something is low in supply, you can always ask a team member to restock what’s missing…kale seems to be in high demand these days.
You’re in a hurry. You want to eat well. No worry, no sweat. Head to the salad bar. Here are a few suggestions to make a delicious dinner, courtesy of the salad bar:
Salad: this is almost a given. A wide variety of greens (kale, arugula, mixed greens, spinach,, etc.) creates a good base for the salad. Other additions can be the bounty of raw veggies, I love shredded carrots, mushrooms, peas, etc. For the bean factor? I pack those in another container so that I can rinse them off when I get home. Generally, they are salted, so I strongly suggest rinsing the beans. They have been sitting in a salted brine all day, and rinsing them in hot water is a good way to go.
As for dressing? I am a lemon or lime juice kind of gal, so I always pick up some extra of each so that I have a juicy salad dressing. Use a reamer or lemon press to get out every last ounce of the juice.
Oh, and you can also use the salad as the perfect filler to make collard wraps! Not to mention a perfect stir fry, or shall we say, “stir-steam.”
Soup: With fall temps before us, nothing quite hits the spot like a hot, fresh soup. When you get to the salad bar, start with the “three aromatics,” which are celery, onion, and carrots. These lend the delicious flavor you are looking for. I often make my own broth from this combo. I like to add minced kale, fresh corn, and potatoes. And for a kick?
Well, the Engine 2 Hummus (red pepper) is the perfect flavor kick. Use a half-container, and mix well into your soup mixture. All you need to do is boil then simmer, and you have a perfect soup. And as a garnish? A dolyp of Engine 2 Hummus is perfect.
Another great soup garnish? I love to cut Engine 2 Tortillas into thin strips (1/4 inch) and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5-8 minutes. They curl up nicely and make a great, crunchy garnish for your soup or salad.
Dessert: Fresh fruit abounds at the salad bar. And, you do not need a lot of it to make a delicious compote. You might have to cut the fruit into smaller pieces, but some fresh pineapple, berries, and citrus is a great way to start. Head over to the dairy, yes, the dairy department and pick yourself up some “Soy Delicious” sugar free, plain yogurt. Mix it in with the fruit. Make sure you chill it (I usually make this first, as I love how the flavors mingle).
If you are looking for a hot dessert…a fruit crisp is SO easy. Some lemon juice mixed with a half cup of oatmeal, some cinnamon and a few tablespoons of applesauce will create a great “crumb” mixture. Put the fruit in a small baking pan. Cover with the crumb mix, and bake in a 350 over for about 25-30 minutes. It will caramelize and taste delicious.
Closing Comment: Is this the most practical thing? If it is a tool to help you maintain your plant-strong™ status in life, then I do not think you can put a price tag on it at all. You’ll end up buying about 24 ounces of fresh, delicious, fodder for your Engine 2 dinner. It might run about $10-14 dollars, but that is a lot of food, and will easily feed two people. It’s cheaper than eating out, AND you are in total control of all ingredients.
With a dinner like this, you’ll have more time for you…fitting in a yoga class, going for a run, calling a friend, whatever, maybe even laundry!
In the meantime, tell me what your salad bar dinner would look like!
Yum, a delicious and easy plant-strong™ dinner…
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