Healthy & Delicious: Mixed Greens with Pears, Pecans, Blue Cheese, and Honey Balsamic Dressing

If I had my druthers, salads would be made of nuts, cheese, and a fruity dressing with a few leaves of arugula sprinkled on top. Alas, those druthers miss the whole point of a salad, which "should" be a light, healthy meal. I'm not alone, though. Visit any restaurant, and you'll find salads packed with heavy (albeit delicious) add-ons, making them slightly less nutritious than a bag of Big Macs. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Nectarine Salad with Chicken & Carrot Ginger Dressing

This nectarine salad is summer on a plate--ripe nectarines, crunchy summer radishes, sweet corn, basil, and mint. We definitely eat a lot more seasonally in Beijing, where the growing season really does directly affect what we see at the local market.

Winter Greens Salad With Flax Seeds, Shaved Beets, and Radishes

Slicing beets paper-thin with a mandoline is much faster than roasting. Tossed with a simple vinaigrette, their natural sweetness compliments bitter, hearty winter greens like endive, frisée, and radicchio. Some shaved parmesan, radishes, and toasted flax seeds finish this simple salad off.

Winter Green Salad With Walnuts, Apples, and Parmesan-Anchovy Dressing

Crisp bitter greens and tart crunchy apple in a savory anchovy dressing.

The Garden Salad

Presenting my old-school Garden Salad! Yep, the one I can make any day because I always have these vegetables on hand. Sometimes, I even get real fancy and add a sprinkle of parsley. 😳 There

Buttered Spinach From 'The Nourished Kitchen'

Jennifer McGruther found this spinach recipe featured in her new cookbook, The Nourished Kitchen, tucked away in an old journal from a friend. The recipe dated back to 1846, making it the epitome of traditional cooking.

Green Salad With Pickled Mushrooms, Cucumbers, Onions, and Pecorino

Bright pickled vegetables make for a bracing, refreshing salad that goes great with grilled meats.

Bitter Greens Salad With Sesame Dressing

An easy Asian-inspired salad of hearty greens dressed in a sesame dressing.

Blackened Chicken Salad w/ Green Goddess Ranch — Ethan

Winter Greens Salad With Fennel, Citrus, and Creamy Citrus Vinaigrette

This easy winter salad with bitter greens, shaved fennel, citrus, and a sweet and creamy citrus vinaigrette would do equally well with a light lunch or dinner, or as a side dish for a larger feast.