Salad/5 recipes

Emerald salad with lime gelatin, shredded cucumber, cottage cheese, and slivered almonds folded into a creamy, jewel-toned mold. A retro potluck classic with cool crunch in every square.

A Cajun-spiced tuna and egg salad mixing flaked tuna, chopped hard-boiled eggs and fresh tomato with a punchy mayo-mustard dressing kicked up with hot sauce and Worcestershire. Bold, briny and a little fiery.

Pasta salad primavera: warm or cold pasta tossed with broccoli, red pepper, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil. A light, vegetable-forward Italian spring salad that works any temperature.

Stir-fried sirloin steak strips over crisp romaine with juicy orange segments, toasted walnuts, and a honey-Dijon citrus vinaigrette. Ready in 30 minutes for a high-protein lunch or light dinner.

Quick taco salad with lean ground beef, bell peppers, and salsa over romaine lettuce with roma tomatoes, cheddar, crushed tortilla chips, and green onions. A 20-minute weeknight Tex-Mex dinner.

Italian antipasto tray assembly with rolled salami and cream cheese pinwheels, cherry tomatoes stuffed with horseradish-spiked tuna, olives, and cold cuts. A classic party platter roadmap.

Thai-style grilled beef salad with charred sirloin over crisp romaine, cucumber, radishes, and herbs, tossed in a fiery fish sauce and chili dressing. A bright summer main in 30 minutes.

Mexicali pasta salad: tricolor pasta tossed with tart tomatillos, sweet pineapple chunks, jalapeño, cilantro, and a lime-zest dressing made from the reserved pineapple juice. Sweet, tangy, fiery summer side.

Pauline's slaw is a fruit-forward Waldorf-leaning coleslaw: shredded cabbage, chopped apple, golden raisins, and a hint of lemon, all bound in a creamy mayo-and-sour-cream dressing. Five-minute side dish.

Pan-fried fish fillet strips on a warm blanched cabbage salad with bell pepper, thyme, and lemon vinaigrette. A light, Central European-style fish and slaw supper.

Grilled eggplant salad layered with yellow tomatoes, fresh mint, and a shallot-lemon vinaigrette. A stunning Mediterranean summer platter that pairs smoky grilled eggplant with cool raw tomato.

Bacon Caesar salad with a creamy homemade dressing emulsified from scratch with garlic, anchovy, lemon and mustard, then tossed with crisp romaine, crumbled bacon, croutons and parmesan. Restaurant-style at home.

Retro lime and lemon jello ring folded with cottage cheese, crushed pineapple, and walnuts, with a horseradish kick. A creamy molded salad unmolded and piled high with fresh strawberries.

Roasted root vegetable salad with carrot-curry vinaigrette and crispy fried horseradish. Parsnips, beets, carrots, celery root, and onion roasted hard, dressed warm. Holiday-table showstopper.

Romaine, shredded fennel, cauliflower, and red onion tossed in a bright lime-garlic dressing with paprika. A crunchy, no-cook side salad that's vegetarian and diabetic-friendly.

Cantaloupe balls and blueberries in a fresh mint sugar syrup served as a fruit salad or chilled dessert with whipped cream. A light, refreshing summer fruit dish.