Liven Up Salads

The festive period seems like a distant memory unfortunately the after effects of overindulgence are still very much in the present and making themselves known. Most people are trying to add a little health to their diets to shed some excess pounds but the typical ‘rabbit food’ salads are just so boring!

Injecting some flavour, colour and texture to your standard lettuce, tomato and cucumber concoction could be the perfect solution to rejuvenating those wilted healthy eating plans, getting you back on track and loving your salads again.

Top Tips;

• Add something sweet

Eating healthy usually means cutting back on the sweeter things in life but rampant sugar cravings can often make our lives hell. Awake your taste buds and add something sweet to your dish. Why not try a grilled peach or a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds?

• Mix up textures

Flavours aren’t the only elements that can transform your mundane salads; combining contrasting textures will also stimulate your taste buds and add a new dimension. Pairing smooth, creamy ricotta or Greek yoghurt with a few crunchy slices of apple or celery and a small helping of nuts can create a party in your mouth, guaranteeing you will definitely look forward to your next meal.

• Play with flavour

You’ve tried adding in new ingredients so why not venture further and make your own dressings? Shop bought dressings will potentially add the most calories to your dish so creating your own will allow you to cut back on the bad bits without giving up on the flavour.

• Introduce some colour

When imagining a salad the colour most people automatically think of is ‘green’ but that doesn’t need to be the case. Visual appeal and presentation can play a big part in the enjoyment of a dish so promote a palette of vibrancy by including rich beetroots, vivid yellow and orange peppers or lively radishes.

• Warm things up

Don’t just concentrate on cold ingredients; the weather’s still in Winter mode so warm things up a bit by adding lightly sautéed onions or a little warm rice to keep the chill at bay.

Salads may be a quick and easy meal to put together, especially useful in busy cafes and restaurants etc. but to achieve total consistency organisation is key.

By investing in a purpose built saladette or refrigerated prep counter you can effectively section all ingredients while maintaining optimum freshness and create an efficient work area to maximise the potential of these high profit margin dishes.

We recommend;

For organisation & storage -

Take a look at the Interlevin ESA1365 Refrigerated Saladette Counter. Measuring 965 x 1365 x 700 mm (H x W x D), 380 litres of storage with 3 shelves is available, more than ample to hold all necessary stock. A choice of GN configurations on the top of the counter allows you to personalise organisation and layout depending on the number of ingredients you require. Running with a temperature range of 2˚C – 10˚C your salads will never suffer from the dreaded wilt again.

For added prep area -  

Try the Interlevin EPI1365G Refrigerated Prep Counter combining chilled storage, ingredient organisation and additional space to prep foods and plate up. Dimensions of 110 x 1365 x 700 mm (H x W x D) generate 380 litres of storage, that’s a generous 13.4 cubic foot and a standard temperature range of 2˚C – 10˚C to guarantee premium chilling and ultimate freshness. The hygienic work surface provides essential prep area for slicing and dicing those new and exciting salad ingredients or to position plates whilst creating a healthy masterpiece. The layout and configuration of GN pans can be personalised to account for individual requirements and the number of elements going into your new and improved health boosting dishes.

Maximise your potential and reignite your customer’s passion for salad with small variations from the norm and steam lined, efficient organisation in the kitchen.