Side-Dish as a Salad | Day 22 of 31 Days of Salad

Let's chit-chat a little. First, how was your Sunday? My Sunday was great, we went to church, Chris and I gave talks (glad that is out of the way), and then I came home and took a 4 hour nap. Second, do you ever use a classic side-dish recipe and call it salad? I do all the time. Beets with Orange is an example of this. I like making this recipe and serving it warm, as a side dish. Then the next day I like to take it out of the fridge and serve it cold and call it salad. Sometimes I cut the beets and oranges into smaller pieces, put it in a bowl instead of a round dish, maybe season it a little more, and have myself a salad.

Cooking isn't so much about inventing, but more of re-inventing. Instead of giving you a new recipe I wanted to give you some new ideas today.

Here are 5 side-dishes that could easily be turned into/called a salad

// Tomato and Basil Bruschetta - Bruschetta is awesome. It's so quick to make and always so refreshing.  Bruschetta is usually served on top of bread and used as side-dish or appetizer. Yeah, ditch the bread. Ditch the bread and you've got yourself a vinaigrette, which could easily be served as a salad. I love vinaigrettes by the way.

// Lemon Roasted Potatoes and Artichokes - So you know that beautiful Italian Potato Salad we shared on Friday? Well that is my favorite way to eat potatoes, other than french fries. French fries always wins. I like classic potato salads with mayo but I l.o.v.e potato salad with olive oil and vinegar, no mayo. So for this lemon roasted potatoes and artichokes I would serve it cold, add a tiny bit more olive oil, some vinegar, and cherry tomatoes and fresh Mozzarella and call it a salad.

// Roasted Balsamic Brussel Sprouts - I miss brussel sprouts so much. Last year, when brussel sprouts were the cup cake version of side dishes, I probably made brussel sprouts at least a couple times a month. I've never seen brussel sprouts in Brazil, I don't even know the Portuguese name for brussel sprouts. Regardless, I still love brussel sprouts and think they are the bomb. I love them warm. I love them cold. Mostly I love them cold though. I would recommend making these, letting them chill overnight in the fridge, then cut them into 4ths, add some shredded pastrami, cherry tomatoes and turn it into a salad.

// Marinated White Beans - White bean salad is my mom's favorite type of salad, maybe because it's so easy to make. What I like about this dish is that she uses canned beans. Do I prefer un-canned beans? Of course, who doesn't I'm sure she does too. But when you're short on time just open up a can of beans and vamp it into a salad. No excuses. In fact, here is another white bean salad recipe that looks just as delish.

// Green Bean Bacon Bundles - O.K make this, because green beans and bacon go so well together. Except ditch the bundle. Just make the green beans and the bacon, cut both into small pieces, toss it with some Italian  dressing and Bam (!) salada.

Are there any side dishes you like to revamp into a salad? Do share.

Day 1- Green Papaya Salad
Day 2- Avocado and Mango Salad
Day 3- Eggplant Vinaigrette
Day 4- White and Green Salad: Escarole, Pear, Avocado
Day 5- Salpicao
Day 6- Grated Raw Beet Salad
Day 7- Poppyseed Salad Dressing
Day 8- Orange, Honey, & Coconut Dessert Salad
Day 9- Quail Egg Salad
Day 10-Radish Salad
Day 11-Apple, Parmesan, and Pesto Salad
Day 12-BLT Quinoa Salad
Day 13-Poke Salad
Day 14-Spinach Salad
Day 15-Simple Tropical Fruit Salad

Day 16-Chinese Chicken Salad
Day 17-Brazilian Fruit Salad
Day 18-Cold Cabbage Salad
Day 19-Four Bean Salad
Day 20-Italian Potato Salad
Day 21-Tri-Tip Salad