winter salads

All of the richness that comes with the month of December is wonderful and delicious, but some days I just need a break from it all. I still want something filling and flavorful that will satisfy me. That's where legumes come into play for me – specifically, lentils. This salad incorporates classic French flavors, including whole grain mustard, onions, carrots, parsley, and french lentils. I added steamed potatoes because I wanted the salad to be slightly more substantial and have variation of texture, but this is definitely optional.

This salad is much, much better cold and on the second day when the flavors have had a chance to party together overnight in a refrigerator. It makes for a great protein-packed lunch, and you'll find yourself craving it all hours of the day. For the recipe, keep reading.

During the work week, I try to eat a veggie-packed salad for lunch everyday. Yesterday's was so delicious, I snapped a photo and decided to share the recipe with you. It's a spinach salad with roasted red peppers, garbanzo beans, and sautéed eggplant.

The thing that makes it especially flavorful is the vinaigrette — it's a mixture of sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, and smoky harissa. Although you may have to hunt down the harissa (or you could make your own), this salad is worth it.

Since I like to have something crunchy at all my meals, I enjoyed a handful of toasted almonds on the side. For a more substantial meal like dinner, offer the salad with chicken or fish. Ready for the recipe? Read more.

When it's cold out, I crave hot soups, but sometimes, a crunchy salad with a warm component can be just as gratifying. Take this easy lunch salad for example. It's got piles of healthy spinach, salty almonds, and roasted pears. Instead of tossing in croutons and blue cheese, this delicious combination is served alongside the salad in fresh-from-the-oven toasts. I had planned on using dried cranberries for a pop of color but didn't have any in the pantry — feel free to add them in! If you dislike blue cheese, use goat cheese instead. Get the easy recipe.

Although I eat as many salads in Winter as I do in Summer, the type of salads I consume is very different. In Summer, I crave light, leafy, and refreshing salads with fresh fruit and herbs. In Winter, I enjoy hearty salads with lots of textural elements, dark greens, and warm vinaigrettes. This recipe is my ideal Winter salad.

It combines arugula, endive, and radicchio with toasted, crunchy almonds. The dressing is a mixture of warmed olive oil, woody herbs, and sweet apricot jam. Disks of creamy goat cheese and a chunk of toasty bread turn the salad into a filling and healthy meal. To get the recipe, read more

With the cold weather, the time is right to add vibrant color and fresh flavor to salads. Since it's blood orange season, I like to toss this tangy citrus into a simple salad recipe. If your local market doesn't carry blood oranges, you can easily substitute them with regular oranges or even grapefruit.

I was worried that the ribbons of shaved fennel would overpower the salad, but the fennel is mild once mixed with the oranges, arugula, ricotta salata, and a complex red wine vinaigrette. Brighten your Winter salads by reading more.