Ever have a salad that is wilted, limp and over dressed?  I bet we all did at some point and it really leaves a lot to be desired.  Today, I want to walk through some tips for you to follow to make your next salad – your best one.

Raw salads are simple to make but reward attention to details with better texture.

Top 6 Ways to Improve your Salad

1. Wash salad leaves , fresh herbs, and other ingredients in several changes of water until the water remains clear and gritless.  Trim or discard damaged leaves.
2. Reduce leaf size by tearing gently or using a very sharp knife.  Avoid squeezing and dull knives, which damage leaves and produce dark edges and patches.  Cut other vegetables into bite size pieces.
3. Crisp leaves and other ingredients by immersing them in ice water for 15 minutes.  Both water and cold increase the plant tissue stiffness.
4. Chill the dressing in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes to thicken its consistency and help cling to the leaves.  Chill the bowl to keep the salad cold as it’s prepared and served
5. Dry leaves thoroughly using a salad spinner and/or towel.
6. Apply the dressing just before serving, and use just enough to coat the ingredients lightly.

There are some quick and simple tips for your next salad that I hope you have used in the past or will use in the future.  One other thing in mind is to explore and try different textures.  Lately, I have been roasting slivered almonds, pairing it with different fruit and definitely using fresh herbs.  Makes all the difference in the world.

One thing about salad…. Keep it fresh and keep it simple.

Have a super Monday and I will talk to you all on Wednesday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

A couple of years ago I posted some kitchen saving tips that help me save time when time is of the essence. I thought I would be a good time this week to share those again as September is a very busy time for people getting back to the grind after summer vacation, kids are back in school and the weather ( depending on where you are) is starting to cool down.

Now most of these ideas are not rocket science or particularly complicated.  They are simply tips I have tried in the past and have adapted over time.  What I would like to see is people add to the tips in the comments and then I will create an even bigger list in the future.

So without further adieu…

Zesty’s Top 8 Time Saving Kitchen Tips

1.  Keep a clean Kitchen

The more stuff that piles up around you, the harder it is to concentrate on what happens next.  This results in making it harder to find anything you need, costing you more time and mental frustration than it would take to stay clean.

2.  Be-friend the Ice Cream Scoop

When using small pastry shells or individual graham cracker shells to make tarts, I use an ice cream scoop to fill them quickly. A heaping scoopful of pie filling is just the right amount I need for each one.

3.  Advanced Table Setting

Set the table for breakfast and prepare breakfast foods the night before. For pancakes, mix dry ingredients the previous night. In the morning, add wet ingredients and cook.

4.  Stock on Hand

Pressed for time?  Fill an ice cube tray with chicken, beef or vegetable stock.  You can even try tomato sauce and/or cream soups. Dump the frozen cubes into a freezer bag. Then grab a couple of cubes to add to your stir fry, pasta, veggies, or to whip up a quick sauce.

5.  Keep a running grocery list

This holds true to be very effective when it is grocery time both at home as well as in the grocery store.  This will eliminate not having crucial ingredients on hand for your next great recipe.

6.  Cook Once, Cook Big

Make large batches of granola and store in an airtight container; Cut up extra ingredients for another meal when using onions, green peppers, etc; Cook double batches of rice or pasta to be reheated later in the week.

7.  Beat the stick

Set your dirty pots on the stove with some vinegar and water or dish soap and water. Let them boil while you eat. By the time you finish dinner and get started on the dishes, the hot water solution will have loosened stuck-on food.

8.  Sort your dishes

Put like utensils in the same section of the silverware tray in the dishwasher (knives with knives, small forks with small forks, etc.) so that you can pull them out by group and put them away fast. You can also do the same for like sized plates and bowls.

So there you have it, some not so traditional time saving tips.  Before I leave you for another day, I really want everyone to make a effort to post a time saving tip in the comments.  I think it will be fun!

Have a great day and I will see you Friday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Happy Friday folks…. we are just getting packed up for a family trip to Toronto this morning for 5 days.  I was scanning through some old posts and stumbled on this one that really holds true almost a couple of years later.  Give this a read through and note in the comments if you can think of any other great ideas on how to waste less.

Have a great weekend and I will try and post Monday from Toronto.

I was reading a magazine a while back and it had an article related to being more resourceful with products and supplies we would normally throw out.  I thought about some of these and I also talked to Mother Zesty as well and this is the list we came up with.

Top 7 Things Not To Throw Out

1.  Stale Bread – When your bread goes stale before you have time to eat it, freeze it and use it for dressing/stuffing the next time you have a chicken or a turkey.

2.  Bones – Never throw away bones!  These are essential in making delicious homemade stocks.  Great for freezing and adding flavor to many dishes.

3.  Coffee Grinds – These are great to place in certain areas as a natural deodorizer.  Place them in an airated container in the firdge or freezer to absorb smells.

4. Butter Wrappers – Save these in the fridge and next time you have to grease a baking dish for your baking – grab it from the fridge and lube up your pan.

5.  Rotten Bananas – These guys work great in the freezer for smoothies and of course the ultimate zesty bread…. Banana Bread.

6.  Onion Peel – These are great for adding flavors to sauces and soups without the onion texture.  Just chuck them in your dish and remove before serving.

7.  Don’t Forget the Freezer – Utilize your freezer.  Certain foods can be frozen and not lose any of their flavor or impact.  Instead of throwing out freeze.

I thought this was a fun, but practical, list to come up with.  I am sure you have more great ideas so I welcome you to add them in the comments to share with the rest of us.  Have yourself a great Wednesday and I will talk to you tomorrow.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty