Jan D'Atri

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cherry tomatoes

Main Meal Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

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I’ve always thought that we have certain flexibility with our choices for lunch and dinner. But breakfast? That’s a whole different story. If you’re a bacon person, you’re never going to order sausage. If you love your eggs over easy, then scrambled just won’t do. I think it’s safe to say that breakfast our way is non-negotiable. The same thing may be true with salad and salad dressing. If Italian vinaigrette is your choice, then a green goddess dressing is just not going to satisfy. The other issue with salad is, well, it’s generally thought of as the obligatory side to your entrée. That all changes here, with this mega main meal bonanza of goodness, flavor and crunch with a surprisingly bright, and full-bodied Cilantro Lime dressing! Wow, do I love this salad! I love everything about it; the fixings and the fact that it’s the main event! You can start with any lettuce you like. My choice is a combination of healthful greens like a Spring Mix and a crunchy chopped bag salad that is so readily available these days. This recipe has grilled chicken, but it’s fantastic with strips of steak of you’re a beef eater. I’m hoping this salad and the delicious dressing has everything you love and then some. If not, add your favorite fixings and make it a main meal to remember! After a week of Valentine’s cookies and chocolates and candy, I could use an entrée like this! How about you?

Watch my How To Video for Main Meal Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing here!

Trifle Salad

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It’s one of the prettiest ideas for dessert. English Trifle is always a show stopper, with its layers of fresh fruit, pudding and whipped cream. Trifles go back to the 16th century. In fact, they were also called Fruit Fools, believed to have originated from the French word “fouler” which means to mash or press. That’s the fun thing about the trifle. The presentation is gorgeous, and then you just dive in and scoop up soupy, fruity spoonfuls of goodness! Well, I decided to give salad the same eye-popping treatment!
I mean, we pretty much all love a salad of some sort, but they can get a little boring after a while, especially if you eat them a lot.
With this Trifle Salad, you can combine and layer any of your favorite salad fixings in a trifle bowl (or any large clear glass bowl), drizzle with your best Italian dressing and serve it up as a main dish! The sky’s the limit on what you can add to your Trifle Salad. If you’re looking to make it ahead for a special occasion or picnic, you’ll want to choose ingredients that will hold up and not wilt. Color, texture and flavor are also considerations. You can find a trifle bowl at stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond or any kitchen supply store. If you can find the mini trifle bowls, they make perfect individual single serving salad. If you don’t have a trifle bow, a large, clear bowl makes a great substitute, especially if you place it on top of a cake stand for the ultimate presentation.

Here’s how I built my Trifle Salad. (For a large trifle bowl)

Watch my How To video for Trifle Salad Here!