5 Clever Salad Recipes for Meat Lovers

Amongst our circle of friends, there is usually that one friend who declines any order of vegetables in their meal. Despite their mother telling them “eat your veggies, they’re good for you” as they grew up, you see them picking out the tomato slices off their cheeseburger and sliding their damp lettuce leaves across the table in an open gesture of offering.

At fast food joints like KFC, you would hear them asking the counter staff “can I change my coleslaw into mashed potatoes?” The glorified potato and gravy mixture is probably the only thing remotely close to vegetables that you’ll ever see them eat. Not to mention, the idea of eating at a vegetarian restaurant is enough to send them running.

Why do I know so much about these people? Because I’m one of them (oops).

 

However people like the idea of eating healthy, the reality is that eating salad feels like eating a bowl of grass to some – green, tasteless and bland. It is a struggle to find the joy in eating tasteless leaves, but the fact remains that vegetables are the backbone of any solid diet!

Eventually as everyone gets older, it remains a fact that we have to consume enough fibre to maintain a functional healthy body. Too much carbohydrates and protein is bad for our bodies, and a sizeable amount of veggies are normally required to balance it out.

 

Here are some tips to make your veggie experience easier!

• Instead of eating the usual fried streaky bacon and eggs, go for a lighter touch on the stomach. Have some vegetable omelets to ease the taste, or a lightly seasoned salad with cooked bacon! Be creative for breakfast, and you won’t have such a heavy responsibility to consume more veggies for the rest of the day.
• Despite what people say about canned vegetables, it’s true that they’re more convenient to eat, as well as being relatively tastier than their fresh counterparts. That could be a stepping stone for you to start trying out different kinds of vegetables!
• Utilize food processors! Smash those veggies down, dice them up or crush them before mixing it with your food. Adding veggies of this texture in meat or eggs is barely noticeable, and it’s still equally as tasty!

 

It is difficult to find vegetables that you’ll be excited to eat. But with these salad recipes, maybe you’ll be able to find vegetables enjoyable, because no one ever said that you can’t have good meat with them!

 

Grilled Steak and Onion Salad

Ingredients

• 2 thick slices crusty bread, torn into bite-size pieces (2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound skirt steak, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 red onion, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 5 ounces baby or wild arugula

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss bread with 2 teaspoons oil and Parmesan, then season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, 7 minutes.
2. Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Season steak with salt and pepper. Drizzle onions with 1 teaspoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill steak and onions until steak is medium-rare and onions are tender, 5 to 7 minutes, flipping once. Let steak rest 5 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of oil. Add arugula and season with salt and pepper. Add onions, steak, and croutons and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

 

 

Cucumber and Mango Salad with Chili-Spiced Pork

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 boneless pork loin chops (3/4 to 1 inch thick; about 1 pound total)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 4 teaspoons honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 English cucumber, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large head romaine lettuce, roughly chopped

 

Method

1. In a medium skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium. Pat pork dry and season with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon chili powder.
2. Cook until pork is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil. Let pork rest 10 minutes before thinly slicing.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, honey, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add mango, cucumber, and lettuce and toss to combine. Divide salad and serve with pork.

 

Steak and Egg Salad

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 pound skirt steak, cut in half if long
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 head romaine lettuce, leaves separated
• 1 head radicchio, leaves separated
• 1 pound tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sherry or red-wine vinegar

 

Method

1. In a saucepan, cover eggs with cold water and bring to a boil over high. Boil 1 minute, then remove from heat. Cover and let sit 10 minutes. Run eggs under cold water until cool enough to handle, then peel and halve lengthwise.
2. Meanwhile, season steak with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Place steak, fat side down, in skillet and cook until seared, browned, and medium-rare, about 7 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
3. Divide steak, lettuce, radicchio, tomatoes, onion, and eggs evenly among four plates. In a small bowl, whisk together oil and vinegar, and drizzle dressing over each salad. Season salads to taste with salt and pepper.

 

Salmon with Simple Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1½ tablespoons flaky sea salt
• 2 pounds fingerling potatoes, large potatoes halved lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Two 6-ounce salmon fillets
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 tarragon sprigs, finely chopped
• ¼ bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 8 basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Ingredients for dressing

• 1 cup frisée (or watercress)
• 1 cup mixed greens
• ½ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, stems removed and leaves left whole
• ½ orange, zested and juiced
• ½ lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Blend the lemon zest and sea salt in a small bowl with your fingers. Toss the potatoes on a large baking sheet with black pepper and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and arrange them in a single layer. Roast the potatoes for 25 minutes, then remove the baking sheet from the oven and toss with the lemon-salt mixture. Return to the oven and continue to roast until the potatoes are golden-brown and tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 5 minutes more.
2. While the potatoes are roasting, season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Mix together the tarragon, parsley, basil, garlic and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium bowl. Spread the herb mixture over the salmon fillets and place the salmon in a small baking dish. Roast until the fish is flaky and almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, cover with aluminum foil and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
3. Make the citrus dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the zest and juice from the lemon and orange with the mustard and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the frisée, mixed greens and parsley leaves to a medium bowl and drizzle the dressing over. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper.
4. To serve, place a salmon fillet on each plate and drizzle with lemon juice. Divide the potatoes and dressed salad and serve.

 

The Cheeseburger Salad

Ingredients

 

Spinach Salad with Ham and Egg

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
• 2 bunches spinach (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 8 ounces ham, sliced 1/4 inch thick, and cut into small sticks
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced
• 6 hard-cooked eggs, quartered

Method

1. In a medium-size saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add onion.
2. Remove from heat, and stir in vinegar, mustard, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. In a large bowl, combine spinach, ham, and radishes. Drizzle onion mixture over salad, and toss to coat evenly.
4. Garnish with hard-cooked eggs, and serve.

 

Grilled Chicken Salad With Avocado and Mango

Ingredients

 

 

Now keep in mind that we are all our own people, and nobody can force you to eat your vegetables. But the fact remains that we do need them, and hopefully these recipes will help you (and me) grow more tolerant to those tough greens!