ARTICLE
Best Summer Salads And The Small Appliances For The Job
December 7, 2023-4 min read
Forget side dishes, these summer salads are good enough to be the main event! All it takes is a little gourmet know-how and a trusty blender, food processor and rice cooker to savour a season of salad days. With a little kitchen know-how and an easy salad recipe, you can toss a light and tasty meal together in just minutes.
To make life simple, we’ve asked our friends at Nutribullet, Cuisinart and Vitamix for their best easy salad recipes, showcasing the appliances that take the hard work out of chopping, slicing and dicing.
Here’s to salad days!
Salad Tip: Store It Properly And Save Money
The first step to a successful salad is storing the ingredients the right way. You’ll need a fridge with a well-sealed fruit and vegetable crisper to keep ingredients fresh and crunchy. Packing your fridge properly can also help, plus keeping an eye out for the telltale signs your fridge isn’t coping.
“The latest fridges feature tech that automatically adjusts cooling and humidity depending on how much is being stored and even how often the door is opened. This will save you money in the long run by keeping food fresher for longer,” says Peter Simic, The Good Guys Buyer – Refrigeration and Laundry.
Salads don’t have to break the bank either; they can be a great budget meal that also delivers your daily serve of greens… and flavour!
Shop Fridges
Hisense 417L Bottom Mount Refrigerator
Fisher & Paykel 538L Quad Door Refrigerator
Samsung 655L Side By Side Refrigerator
“The latest fridges feature tech that automatically adjusts cooling and humidity depending on how much is being stored and even how often the door is opened. This will save you money in the long run by keeping food fresher for longer.”
Caesar Salad Dressing
Often the secret to a great salad is the dressing, and a Caesar salad is no exception. A basic combination of chopped cos lettuce, crispy bacon pieces, parmesan cheese and croutons, it’s the dressing that’s crucial. Make a meal of it by adding slices of protein, such as grilled chicken, cooked prawns or hard-boiled egg. Recipe by Vitamix.
Ingredients
6 large egg yolks
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, peeled
80ml lemon juice
4 anchovy fillets
1 tsp dry mustard
120g (1 cup) grated parmesan cheese
250ml (1 cup) olive oil
1 tsp salt (optional)
¼ tsp ground black pepper
Method
1. Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure the lid.
2. Select Variable 1. Turn the machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10.
3. Blend for 25–30 seconds or until smooth. Drizzle over salad ingredients and toss well.
4. Store any leftover dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Shop Food Processors
Vitamix Ascent Series A2500i High-Performance Blender
Breville The Kitchen Wizz 9 Brushed Stainless Steel
Poke Bowl With Brown Rice, Salmon And Edamame
This poke bowl salad from Hawaii is a global hit! A poke bowl, pronounced POH-keh, is always made on a base of rice, grains or quinoa, and traditionally served with chunks of fresh salmon or tuna. You can mix up the protein with canned tuna, cooked chicken or tofu, and let your imagination run wild with the rest of the ingredients. Recipe by Cuisinart.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 cups cooked rice, cooled
200g edamame
150g smoked salmon
1 avocado, quartered and thinly sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 radishes, thinly sliced
100g baby spinach leaves
Pickled ginger
Toasted sesame seeds
Low-salt soy sauce or ponzu sauce, to taste
Method
1. Cook enough rice in the Cuisinart Super Rice & Grains Cooker to make 2 cups when cooked. Once the audible tone has sounded to indicate the end of cooking, turn the unit off and open the lid. Spread the rice out on a baking sheet to cool.
2. Place cooled rice in a medium bowl and arrange edamame, smoked salmon, avocado, tomato, radish and spinach on top.
3. Top with ginger and sesame seeds. Drizzle with soy sauce.
Shop Rice And Grain Cookers
Sunbeam 7 Cup Perfect Deluxe Rice Cooker
Green Goddess Salad Dressing
This is another famous salad dressing (or even a dip) that goes with anything. Popular combos for the Green Goddess Salad include shredded cabbage, sliced spring onions, chopped cucumber or iceberg lettuce, diced capsicum and chunks of avocado. Whatever you dress or dip, this fresh herby mix is heavenly. Recipe by Nutribullet.
Ingredients
1 ½ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, strained
1 cup water
⅓ cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
1 cup coriander, lightly packed, stems removed
1 cup parsley, lightly packed, stems removed
3 green onions
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Place strained cashews into a Nutribullet blender and add the cup of water. Using the chopping or milling blade, mix for 1 minute, or until smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix for a further 2 minutes, or until smooth.
3. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Shop Blenders
Nutribullet Mega Pack 900 Watt
Nutribullet Blender Combo 1200
Brussels Sprouts And Apple Salad
Forget your childhood hostility towards the humble brussels sprout – when you chop up this veggie raw it tastes more like cabbage or broccoli!
This crunchy, nutty salad can be served as is, or you can whiz up a creamy dressing, combining Greek yoghurt, mayonnaise, a splash of vinegar and a squeeze of honey. Recipe by Nutribullet.
Ingredients
3 cups brussels sprouts
2 green apples (or your choice of apple), cored
⅓ cup dry-roasted unsalted hazelnuts
¼ cup seedless raisins
Method
1. Finely chop, grate or shred brussels sprouts and apples. Place in a large bowl and stir to combine.
2. Roughly chop hazelnuts and add to the bowl with the raisins. Toss to combine.
There’ll be salad for days this summer with these simple salad recipes. Make the most of your favourite kitchen appliances, blenders and food processors to create delicious dressings and leafy bowls of goodness to serve your salad A-game. Speak to The Good Guys’ friendly team in-store or order online.
