Recipes For Winter Salads With Healthy Vinaigrettes And Root Vegetables

There are an infinite amount of ideas for salad recipes, although the thought of a salad during the wintertime may sound inconceivable with the lack of fresh vegetables associated with traditional salad ingredients. Root vegetables are a great alternative for salad ingredients and a good source of nutrition during the winter months and can be fairly inexpensive too.

Creating homemade dressings or vinaigrette is not only cost savvy, but it can be utilized for other things in the kitchen, like marinades for meats and fish, or dressing root vegetables before roasting. Homemade vinaigrette can be keep in the refrigerator for up to a month and there are many great innovative ideas for creating your own signature version.

What is a root vegetable? The proper scientific term for a root vegetable,or any vegetable for that matter is referred to edible plants. An edible plant offers it's leaves, steams, and roots to be consumed in one way or another, thus a plant's root is commonly harvested during the late fall and early winter months. While the rest of the vegetable category like cucumbers, bell peppers, eggplant, even nuts are really fruits. A fruit is typically identified when the seeds are found in the center of the "offspring" of the plant, and known as the ovarium or reproductive organ of the plant. If you ever noticed the stages of a flower or fruit plant, it will bud, bloom, produce a flower, then that flower with grow into an edible food on some level.

Best Ways To Eat Root Vegtables

Root vegetables, or roots of edible plants, do not require much when cooking them. There is a lot of flavor and nutrients with in the roots and simple cooking techniques like roasting will add a level of flavor with out much effort. Fresh herbs, Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and extra virgin olive oil, is a classic way to enhance the earthy tones and produce a healthy side dish or a great winter salad.

Pureeing roots for an alternative to mashed potatoes or even adding some to potatoes is another way to cook the vegetables. It not only adds great flavor, it is a great way to sneak in more veggies for those stubborn or picky eaters. Prepare the root puree as you would for mashed potatoes, real butter or extra virgin olive oil, and a little salt and pepper is one method, although a little curry powder or Chinese five spice can really take these roots to another level of culinary bliss.

Making a vinaigrette from scratch versus buying a packet from the supermarket not only will save money but also provide a natural essence to your winter salad. Packaged or bottled vinaigrette will contain additives like msg, and unnecessary amounts of sugar and when looking for organic or all natural alternatives at the supermarket, it can cost as much as $5. Here is a basic vinaigrette that is quick and easy to make and can be used to marinate meats and a great flavoring for roasting root vegetables.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

• 1 Cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 Cup red wine vinegar
• 3 Tbs Dijon mustard
• 3 Tbs. Honey
• 3 Tbs. Freshly chopped Thyme
• 2 Tbs. Minced Shallots
• 2 tsp. Minced Garlic cloves
• Kosher salt and Freshly ground pepper

In a food processor add all ingredients except oil, salt, and pepper, and pulse till incorporated. Switch to mix or on, and slowly add the oil in a steady steam until the vinaigrette starts to come together and the color lightens. Season with salt and pepper. Store in refrigerator up to one month in an air tight container.

Vinaigrette Ideas

This basic vinaigrette is a great starter for other complex and innovated vinaigrette ideas. The main ingredients to keep are the mustard, honey, and some kind of vinegar. The mustard and honey act like a glue of sorts and help balance the acidity as well as bind the vinaigrette.

The actual vinegar can be changed, for instance, Champagne, balsamic, rice wine, or apple cider. If you have access to fresh berries in the summer you can add one cup to white vinegar and make your own blueberry, raspberry, or even blackberry vinegar.

Cinnamon Vinaigrette

*** Prepare as basic vinegar but omit red wine vinegar and garlic, add apple cider vinegar and 3 Tbs. of ground cinnamon.

Curry Vinaigrette

***Add 3 Tbs of your favorite curry to the basic vinaigrette with the juice of a fresh lime.

Bacon Vinaigrette

*** Fry enough bacon to equal 5 Tbs of fat and incorporate it into the basic vinaigrette. Roughly chop cooked bacon and add to the final step. Note: watch the salt here, you may not need any with the sodium content of the bacon.

These are just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to ideas for creating your own signature homemade vinaigrette, adding pureed roasted pears or apples can a great healthy alternative or even adding pureed roasted beets for a vibrant addition to a winter salad. The possibilities are endless.

As I mentioned before, a salad does not have to consist of just lettuce, instead try substitutions like wheat berries, quinoa, or legumes as the base. Incorporate vegetables or "edible plants" that are in season to cut costs as well as tropical fruits that are in season during the winter months.

Roasted Beet Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

• 1lb red beets with greens attached
• 1/4 lb raw bacon (for vinaigrette)
• 1/3 Cup slivered red onions
• 1/3 Cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1 Bunch fresh spinach, washed

Prepare the bacon vinaigrette and set aside. Peel and quarter beets, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast in a 425 degree F oven till tender about 35 minutes. Cool at room temperature.

Wash spinach and beet greens and tear with hands and place in large bowl with remaining salad ingredients including cooled beets. Upon serving time, in a sauce pan gently heat the bacon vinaigrette careful not to break the dressing and pour over salad and serve.

Roasted Butternut and Pear Salad with Cinnamon Vinaigrette

• 1 large butternut squash
• 3 each large firm pears
• 4 oz. arugula
• 3 each large shallots, slivered
• 3 oz Brie Cheese, sliced

An easy method for cooking butternut squash is to halve, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Or if you have a hefty vegetable peeler, peel squash and cut into 1/2 inch chunks, be sure to use a very sharp knife. Roast in a 425 oven for about 40 minutes till tender, cool to room temperature and use a spoon to portion out.

Peel, core, and quarter pears, coat with olive oil and roast at the same temperature for about 15 minutes.

Prepare the cinnamon vinaigrette, set aside.

Simply toss all ingredients with vinaigrette and serve. This particular winter salad pairs wonderfully with poultry and white fleshed fish, even shell fish.

Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Chicken and Balsamic Vinaigrette

*** Wheat berries are in the grain category and can be found in the whole foods section, or rice area of the supermarket.

*** This recipe is great to prepare ahead of time and is awesome for lunch, or a potluck dish.

• 1 cup cooked wheat berries, follow package directions
• 1 cup roasted chicken, roughly chopped
• 5 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 cup halved red grapes
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans
• 1/3 cup slivered red onion
• Balsamic vinaigrette

Substitute balsamic vinegar for red wine vinegar in basic dressing, try to use a good quality balsamic vinegar if you can afford it.

Toss all ingredients together and dress with the vinaigrette, allow the salad to sit in fridge for about 4 hours before eating.

With so many options and varieties of ingredients for salads it is good to keep it simple at first, then as a cook becomes more knowledgeable with seasonal ingredients in their own region, then it will be easier to create amazing salads that are healthy and full of natural flavor.

As a reader can visualize the interesting components as well as thinking outside of the box for home cooking, winter salads, root vegetables, and a healthy vinaigrette can create many meal options that won't break the budget.