Six Seasonal Salads

You may not have thought about this, but salads can really be lifesavers this time of the year.

Lots of people think of holiday entertaining meals as rich, heavy and not super healthy. I know (from personal experience) that many diet rules go right out the window and, until January 1 rolls around, it's one party and splurge after another.

But guess what? It really doesn't have to be that way.

Why not be the one who breaks the trend? The one who offers a super healthy, but crazy delicious meal right in the midst of all the holiday extravagance. Salads are a great way to do this, especially the salads we're showcasing today. They're beautiful, hearty, fresh and loaded with great seasonal ingredients and lots of flavor. As a bonus, much of their prep work can be done ahead, so you can put them together easily and quickly just before dinner.

See what I mean about salads being a lifesaver?

All of these Six Seasonal Salads are great on their own; and really nice served with a simple entree of grilled, roasted or pan-seared beef, poultry or seafood.

For a super easy dinner, pick up a rotisserie chicken, shred the meat and pile it in the center of a large serving tray. Then arrange one of these salads around the chicken. Add a crusty loaf of warm bread and you've got an elegant, delicious dinner that's a welcome respite from all the crazy holiday indulgence.

Of course I'm not saying that, if you're so well behaved with the main course, you can't splurge a bit on dessert... But that's a post for another day. Stay tuned for our Fun, Festive Holiday Desserts post coming up (part of our Let's Get Ready series! In the meantime, pick one or more of these fun, festive salads to jazz up your entertaining repertoire! Your waistline, your family and your friends will thank you!

Roasted Butternut and Barley Salad - this one has gotten rave reviews from everyone who's tried it. It's got a secret ingredient that is a bit of a splurge, but takes it WAY over the top. No one will feel deprived with this salad!

 

Massaged Kale and Butternut Salad with Warm Apple Cider Dressing

 

Kale and Clementine Salad with Clementine Ginger Dressing

 

Arugula, Pom and Pear Salad with Poppy Seed Cider Dressing

 

Cranberry Avocado Salad with Sweet White Balsamic Vinaigrette - if you're looking for an amazing salad, you'll flip over this one. It's been one of the most popular, pinned recipes at The Café!

 

Citrus, Strawberry and Avocado Salad with Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing - bright, fresh, healthy and beautiful, this salad is always a winner! Have you seen all the wonderful citrus fruits at the market lately? They've also had some decent strawberries, not seasonal, but they add a delicious, lovely touch of color to this salad.

I'm all set to pizzaz up my holiday menu in a wonderful, fresh, healthy way, how about you?

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