Hardy vegetables give salads depth

Iceberg. The very word makes me shiver. So the last thing I would want for a winter salad is iceberg, or, in fact, any chilled lettuce.

The alternative, however, isn’t to skip veggies until warm weather arrives. Instead, I opt for recipes that mix hardy vegetables with rice, beans and grains. These are stick-to-the-ribs salads that satisfy cold-weather appetites.

Although these robust salads are time-consuming and take more effort than ripping open a bag of greens, you can streamline the process.

For example, if you’re cooking rice for dinner, make a little extra for rice salad. Likewise, prepare more vegetables than you’ll eat in one serving. Leftover roasted bell peppers, onions, potatoes or brussels sprouts are very tasty topped with vinaigrette dressing.

Canned beans are also winter salad staples. Drain and rinse a can of black, kidney or garbanzo beans. Mix with your favorite chopped vegetables, and you’ve got a great side dish in minutes.

If you prefer one-dish meals, add a handful of leftover cooked chicken breast, a couple of hard-cooked eggs or a generous sprinkling of cheese to the salad.

Here are two recipes to start.

Wild rice and brussels sprouts salad

½ cup wild rice

Water

8 medium brussels sprouts, quartered lengthwise (about 1 cup, quartered)

1/4 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts

1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions

1/8 teaspoon dried crushed thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

Story Continues →