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You don't make friends with salad

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  • 05-06-2010 7:56pm
    #1
    corblimey
    Registered Users Posts: 4,475 ✭✭✭


    Got a bit of a shock last week when I roughly totted up my daily calories and found that I'm about a week from needing a forklift to get me out of my house. So this weekend, I made my first ever salad. I made the assumption that you can't really cock up a salad, and so I had the following:
    • baby gem lettuce
    • baby carrots
    • spinach leaves
    • sliced mushrooms
    • sliced bell pepper
    • spring onions
    I roughly chopped everything except the spinach which I just destalked. Then I added a pre-packed portion of roast chicken and some left over roast ham, and drizzled the tiniest bit of balsamic vinegar on top. I'm not a big fan of any kind of sauce or dressing and this looked to be the least offensive of the selection on offer.

    It made 3 hefy portions, which in my mind will do me for a week of lunches, but will salad keep? What if I leave the vinegar off? Is there anything my home made salad is missing/shouldn't have? I'm thinking with the base as above, I could conceivably add any sort of cold meat to it and I've got a tasty lunch ready to go?


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    #2
    Faith
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,657 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    It'll wilt badly, quickly. Best to add the dressing at the last possible moment.


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    #3
    corblimey
    Registered Users Posts: 4,475 ✭✭✭corblimey


    Faith wrote: »
    It'll wilt badly, quickly. Best to add the dressing at the last possible moment.

    If I do that, what else do I need to do in order to keep it as fresh as possible, bearing in mind that I'll usually be making it on a Sunday and eating it Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Right now the 2 left over portions are sitting in sealed tupperware containers in the bottom of the fridge.


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    #4
    Mr Magnolia
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,435 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mr Magnolia


    As Faith pointed out, dress it just before you serve it or it will wilt.

    Your ingrediants will depend on your salad, there's a multitude available.

    Dressed cous cous can be a good alternative and will keep for a couple of days, serve it with your chicken or ham and some fresh wheaten bread and you're on a winner.


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    #5
    The Sweeper
    Registered Users Posts: 10,658 ✭✭✭✭The Sweeper


    Chop your ingredients as listed above (possibly omitting onion, which will taint everything - you can add that at the last minute, before the dressing). Place single servings in a tupperware container. Sprinkle on a teaspoon or two of cold water. Seal with an air-tight lid, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. When using, drain off the water before pouring out the salad, then add your onion and dressing. They'll last a few days stored like this.

    It's a tip that also applies to your herbs; to keep them fresh, take them out of their supermarket bag, put them in a either a plastic shopping bag, or a large ziploc bag, sprinkle on some water and then wrap them up or seal the ziploc bag, and store them in the fridge door or in the crisper drawer. They keep really well.


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