Life-Changing Salads Are Real!

I’ve alluded to “Salads That Have Changed My Life” multiple times in my few short posts so I thought it was probably necessary to write a little bit more about these superior salads, since I’m a self-proclaimed salad sommelier (who really likes alliteration).

The first salad that I fell in love with was from the Public House in Chicago.  It was the Quinoa Chopped Salad and it had 14 ingredients that worked together to create magic in my mouth. They were: corn, red pepper, snow peas, red onion, cannellini beans, quinoa, cucumber, celery, tomato, black beans, avocado, mixed greens, basil vinaigrette and last but not least a HUGE chunk of perfect grilled salmon.

This picture is a very poor, sad representation of how amazing this salad really was. You want to know what else was sad? I forgot the leftovers on the table.  I will never forgive myself. 

The second salad might be surprising since it’s from a chain- but I recently had the Mediterranean Shrimp Couscous Salad from Panera, and it’s incredible (and only 360 calories)! Baby spinach, romaine lettuce, lemon balsamic vinaigrette, couscous, shrimp, feta, kalamata olives and tomatoes. Yes please.

(I clearly need to work on my salad photography)

And last, but certainly not least, the Wilted Spinach Salad that I just experienced at V-Note Organic Wine Bar and Vegan Bistro.  You can read my review about it HERE.  They’ve found sweet, savory, salty perfection with this salad that includes spinach, shiitake mushrooms, corn, tempeh, cashews, soy bacon crumble and warm balsamic vinaigrette. 

I can only hope this list will grow in time!

Edit: Hear ye, hear ye- an important announcement! A new salad has come into my life and reached the ranks of “Life Changing.” 

While on a work trip to Las Vegas, I ate this salad twice in two days.  It’s from the Society Café in the Wynn Resort.  

(#wynning)

Check out the ingredients of this Chopped Salad (I opted to swap roasted turkey for grilled shrimp!) 
-Perfectly grilled/blackened shrimp
-Avocado
-Jicama
-Carrots
-Havarti Cheese
-Radish
-Edamame
-Pumpkin Seeds
-Dried Corn 

Honestly, what more could you ask for in a salad? Mayyyybe some sort of fruit would have added a refreshing, sugary pop to the salad, but I have a newfound obsession with jicama, which definitely has a sweetness to it, so really, the salad was perfect. 

Welcome to the club, Society Chopped!