Salad recipes

A veggie hating friend was over dinner and declared "wow, if my mom made vegetables like this!" as he went for seconds. The maple coated cashews are excellent in this recipe and the gentle touch of sweetness balanced with the curry is great.

This delicious and refreshing pasta salad is easy to put together, and it's best served after being chilled, perfect on a hot summer day!

Sweet and sour carrot salad: tender carrot coins, onion, and green pepper marinated in a tangy-sweet tomato dressing. The make-ahead 'copper pennies' salad that only gets better as it sits.

Orzo salad with sun-dried tomatoes, red bell pepper, olives, and scallions in a mustard red wine vinaigrette. A light, Mediterranean-style cold pasta salad for potlucks and picnics.

Lima bean salad with diced tomatoes in a red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing with maple sugar and dry mustard. A simple, hearty bean salad served chilled.

Indian-style pasta salad with curried pork, julienned cucumber, and elbow macaroni in a vinaigrette-mayo dressing. Marinated shredded pork and salted cucumber give this cold salad serious depth.

Three-bean salad packed with green beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, corn, celery, carrots, and pimientos in a sweet-and-tangy vinegar dressing. The classic potluck make-ahead. Keeps in the fridge for weeks and gets better with time.

Marinated spaghetti squash salad with artichoke hearts, fresh herbs, and two cheeses in a tangy rice vinegar dressing. A make-ahead vegetarian side that chills overnight for bold, layered flavor.

Overnight layered salad with chicken, spinach, lettuce, cheddar, and radishes sealed under a tangy mayonnaise-mustard dressing. Make it the night before and toss to serve.

Brown rice summer salad with tarragon vinaigrette, fresh vegetables, peas, and pimentos. Low-fat, no-mayo, and served cold. A make-ahead side dish for hot weather meals.

Pan-fried chicken tossed with fresh cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, and scallions in a punchy sesame-soy dressing spiked with five spice. A cool, crunchy salad with serious depth.

Classic Cobb salad with homemade French dressing: finely chopped greens arranged in tidy rows of chicken, bacon, avocado, egg, tomato, and Roquefort. The original composed salad, tossed tableside.

No flag day or 4th of July celebration would be complete without a potato salad. This version is lighter and healthier that the tradition mayonaise only version but every bit as tasty. It's best made the day before. A great make-ahead classic side-dish so you can enjoy the day more.

Vinegret is Russia's beloved cooked vegetable salad: roasted beets, potatoes, carrots, dill pickles, and peas in a mustard-vinegar dressing with fresh dill. A colorful, make-ahead side.

German potato salad with a warm beer dressing made from a butter-flour roux, dry mustard, and a touch of hot sauce, tossed with crispy bacon. Kartoffelsalat at its best.

This is very tasty even if you can only add the grapes or the pineapple, but really good with both. People who don't like curry, and those who don't like fruit in their meat, LOVE this. It is very refreshing and a great treat for visitors who just had to travel on plane (or for any other dehydrated guests.) :)