I just made THE MOST scrumptious salad that I've ever had.
I called it the "Somewhere in the Forest" Salad because that's exactly what it tasted like. How did I manage to make it taste like a forest, you may be asking. Well, I just thought of what a forest might make me feel like and what sort of mood it brings out and kind of tried to implement that into the ingredients I chose.
Oh, yes! My dear ingredients! They really were the reason this salad tasted as it did.
I called it the "Somewhere in the Forest" Salad because that's exactly what it tasted like. How did I manage to make it taste like a forest, you may be asking. Well, I just thought of what a forest might make me feel like and what sort of mood it brings out and kind of tried to implement that into the ingredients I chose.
Oh, yes! My dear ingredients! They really were the reason this salad tasted as it did.
To the Left: Cranberries, Forest Honey, Almonds, Brie, Bleu Cheese(in the bleeeuu wrapper), and fig spread/jam (not included in picture: spinach and kiwi)
I really was looking for something different and that's just what I got.
First, I toss in my beautiful greens(spinach) glistening with drops of water(from being washed). Then I sprinkle some cranberries for a more chewy texture (though I realized while actually eating the salad, that they were more like "background berries"-they didn't really stand out). Next, I got pretty creative and made some "kiwi garnish" (basically a mashed-up kiwi) to add a sort of tangy adventurous taste to the mix. It definetly paid off. Of course, I took out my handy-dandy go-to nuts, the dear almonds. Always there to add the 'crunch' I'm looking for. I was really hesitant when it came to drizzling the Forest Honey over my so-far salad, yet I brought my self to do it, and it provided an amazing depth( being a richer, darker, and sweeter honey) as well as nicely complementing the cheese-coming up next).
By now, I was at the ending stage of my salad, deciding on final touches. This is where I really thought about what I was trying to get out of this salad: depth. So, I took out the Bleu cheese, something to give my salad a more intense, deep taste- I definitely didn't want to miss that when making a "forest" salad. But, I really was careful not to put too much. After all, the cheese was supposed to be a finish-note, not a dominating flavor. My final touch was a small slice of brie( for its creaminess) coated in fig jam( very "foresty" and seeds added great texture).
My ending product: an amazingly flavorful, textural, and plain-out delicious salad that I was proud of. Plus, I really got the depth I was looking for and the salad tasted just like a forest. Every bite was an adventure and I felt good about eating it.
A definite success for lunch!
I really was looking for something different and that's just what I got.
First, I toss in my beautiful greens(spinach) glistening with drops of water(from being washed). Then I sprinkle some cranberries for a more chewy texture (though I realized while actually eating the salad, that they were more like "background berries"-they didn't really stand out). Next, I got pretty creative and made some "kiwi garnish" (basically a mashed-up kiwi) to add a sort of tangy adventurous taste to the mix. It definetly paid off. Of course, I took out my handy-dandy go-to nuts, the dear almonds. Always there to add the 'crunch' I'm looking for. I was really hesitant when it came to drizzling the Forest Honey over my so-far salad, yet I brought my self to do it, and it provided an amazing depth( being a richer, darker, and sweeter honey) as well as nicely complementing the cheese-coming up next).
By now, I was at the ending stage of my salad, deciding on final touches. This is where I really thought about what I was trying to get out of this salad: depth. So, I took out the Bleu cheese, something to give my salad a more intense, deep taste- I definitely didn't want to miss that when making a "forest" salad. But, I really was careful not to put too much. After all, the cheese was supposed to be a finish-note, not a dominating flavor. My final touch was a small slice of brie( for its creaminess) coated in fig jam( very "foresty" and seeds added great texture).
My ending product: an amazingly flavorful, textural, and plain-out delicious salad that I was proud of. Plus, I really got the depth I was looking for and the salad tasted just like a forest. Every bite was an adventure and I felt good about eating it.
A definite success for lunch!
SOOO creamy, crunchy, chewy, juicy, sweet, sour, & yummy all in 1 salad!