Here we are again…more holiday fun! While everyone else is bringing you candy, cookies and treats I have something to lighten up the holidays a little bit . Here is a simple salad that you can serve for brunch, lunch or dinner. This is a great way to use up all of those leftovers from your holiday feast. A main course salad with loads of hearty nibbles inside…turkey, nuts and cheese give great energy sustain.
So you can make it to dessert and still have room…
This is a versatile salad, so toss in any protein, nuts, fresh or dried fruit you have on hand. Pomegranate seeds are always a favorite here. Raisins, apricots, dried cranberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries. Any of those would add a nice touch of sweet too.
Serve with a simple twist of lemon, fruity olive oil and with a dash of salt and pepper. I told you. Keep it simple.
I usually make my own salad dressing. When in a pinch we enjoy this with fun flavors from Marzetti Simply Dressed. I am happy to share them with you here. There are loads of flavors to suit your fancy and the great thing is they are made with all natural ingredients. For this salad the Pomegranate flavor is my favorite. There are so many to choose from though.
When it comes to cheese I like a tangy, creamy goat cheese. Crumbled blue cheese, gorgonzola and feta are delicious as well. If you only have firmer cheese in the house then toss some of that in. I have never said no to a sharp cheddar, Gruyére or shaved parmesan.
I always love cheese and fruit paired together. See…
What are your favorite salad ingredients? Do you have a favorite salad dressing?
Have you been letting loose for the holidays with your eating or can you still wear those skinny jeans? Speaking of healthy holiday eating please check out my video segment on that topic I just did for Abe’s Market.
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Giveaway Details
To keep you making all of those healthy salads Marzetti Simply Dressed is providing 2 lucky readers with an awesome gift including:
- Wooden salad bowl &Â salad tongs (the ones you see in my photos)
- Five free product coupons
This giveaway will be open until Saturday, December 24th, midnight PST. The winner will be chosen at Random.org and will be notified via email, so please make sure your email address is correct. You will have 3 days to respond to me, or a new winner will be chosen. Open to residents of the USA.
How to Enter
This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Lyn #122 and Jacqui #83. Stay tuned for more fun giveaways soon.
Leave some comments. Tell me about what ingredients you like to put in your salad. What is your favorite kind of salad dressing?
To earn extra entries, leave a separate comment for each of the steps listed below. You can leave one comment (entry) or many comments (entries) The choice is yours. If you don’t leave separate comments for each step, the number generator will not count them as separate entries.
- Vote for my Thai Spiced French Fries to become the new Alexia Foods flavor. You can vote one time per day until March 30th 2012. Leave a comment each time you vote.
- Pinterest follow me there & pin this post
- Follow @MarlaMeridith on Twitter
- Tweet this giveaway, being sure to include my Twitter handle (@MarlaMeridith). Here’s a sample tweet you could use or make up your own: I want to win the Marzetti Simply Dressed Salad #giveaway on MarlaMeridith.com @MarlaMeridith http://bit.ly/v8K1yB #holiday #Christmas
- Head over to the Marzetti Simply Dressed website and tell me which flavor you would like to try.
- Tell me which MarlaMeridith.com Recipe you have tried or would like to.
- Sign up for my Email or RSS feeds
- Stumble this post & follow @familyfresh on StumbleUpon
- Add a link to this post (or any of my posts) on your blog.
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- Add the MarlaMeridith.com badge into your sidebar or somewhere on your blog
- Share this giveaway in any other creative way you can think up & let me know.
*You can stay in touch with MarlaMeridith.com and Marzetti on Facebook too!
Salad Recipe Links
- Asian Slaw with Cashews Pear and Ginger Dressing Cookin Canuck
- Barley and Spinach Fall Salad with Maple Syrup Vinaigrette eCurry
- Blue Cheese and Pear Salad Pham Fatale
- Grilled Chicken Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette MarlaMeridith.com
- Spinach Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts MarlaMeridith.com
MarlaMeridith.com disclosure: I am hosting this giveaway so you can experience Marzetti Simply Dressed for yourself. The opinions on this blog are entirely my own. I was sent samples of their products to review and was compensated for my time. All photography and styling are by Marla Meridith and are copyrighted material.
What a beautiful salad. Pomegranate seeds are my favorite salad addition. Happy holidays, Marla!
A fantastic salad! It must taste really good.
Happy Holidays!
Cheers,
Rosa
I am all about the pomegranate in a salad. I also love tomatoes and cucumbers and perhaps some tuna or chicken.
As for the Salad dressing a bit of ranch would be great.
I love to garden, and my favorite salads aren’t the ones where I keep it simple. I love to mix some of everything I have growing all together. Yum!
Their ginger sesame salad dressing sounds delicious!
I think I’m going to have to try your raspberry lemon muffins with cream cheese frosting.
I subscribe via RSS.
I LOVE FIIIIIGS, omg.
Bev, I share your passion for FIIIIGS….
I love to put lots of veggies, some blue cheese and sunflower seeds! I love blue cheese dressing!
I love grapes and greek yogurt in my salads!
katherinedibello (at) gmail (dot) com
I love spinach and romaine lettuce with cheddar, mushrooms and cucumbers. Add dill with oil oil and splash of vinigear .
voted for you
follow you on twitter @cjsorel
tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/cjsorel/status/149540915076276224
Simply Dressed® Pomegranate Salad Dressing sounds good
bananna and buttermilk cake for breakfast is good.
I love a really good chopped salad with a lot of protein in it! Happy Holidays, Marla!
Susan, chopped salad rules. Love a little bit of everything in each bite!
i subscribe via email
katherinedibello (at) gmail (dot) com
I love Marzettis. Seriously my grandma loved the stuff and turned me onto in…in the 1980s when I was a little girl!!!
Averie, total 80’s flashback huh!! I remember it from back when I lived in NYC. This might be a new line of product though.
I follow you on twitter
I FB like you
email subscriber
I Instagram follow
follow you on stumbleupon and stumbled it
I love pistachios in my salads and I was recently introduced to an emulsified lemon basil dressing that is dynamite!
Sami, do you have a recipe link to that lemon basil dressing? Sounds great!
My favorite dressing is Greek and we love olives and banana peppers in our salad.
shared your post on facebook
I receive your e-mail updates!
I would love to try Marzetti’s Champagne dressing!
I subscribe via email as well
I like Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. I usually add 2% milk shredded cheese, real bacon pieces, and whole wheat croutons to my salad.
I would love to try your Berries and Goat Cheese mini pizzas! Yumm!
I love a spinach salad with a warm bacon vinaigrette and sliced persimmons.
Email subscriber
I like using cranberries, feta and sunflower seeds in my salad.
I’d Like to try the Organic Caesar
i enjoy lots of crunchy celery and sprouts in my salads, and i like mustard-based dressings.
I get your RSS feeds
I love a homemade dressing with olive oil, red wine vinegar and lots of basil.
What a beautiful salad. It’s perfect to serve along the holiday feast and I always need my veggies fix! 🙂 I usually make my own dressing and my favorite is Meyer Lemon with Herbs.
Amy, that sounds like a great dressing! In the spring I need to get my hands on some Meyer Lemons. Veggies are always the bulk of my meals…even at holiday time.
I voted for your Thai fries.
Voted for youThai Spiced French Fries to become the new Alexia Foods flavor.
I am following you on twitter @rusthawk.
Following @MarlaMeridith on Twitter
Subscribed to your RSS feed. 🙂
I subscribe to your email.
I’d like to try the Simply Dressed® Caesar Salad Dressing
I would like to try the Cheesy Bacon Apple Frittata from Healthy Recipes.
tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/rusthawk/status/149556632311963648
My all time favorite salad is a Panzanella salad with a balsamic vinaigrette! But I love adding chicken and ham, and other veggies to my salad. I do not like cheese, so you can skip that on mine 🙂
Erin, not a problem. We can skip the cheese for you. Love the sound of the Panzanella with the extras thrown in 🙂
I voted for your fries!
I like cheese, onions and olives….red vinegar and olive oil.
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I receive your email updates
I’d love to try their Ginger Sesame dressing. Sounds delicious!
Already signed up for your emails 🙂
I love arugula with dried cranberries and walnuts. For the dressing, I like honey dijon.
I’ve tried your bacon and cheese stuffed mushrooms recipe multiple times. My husband just adores mushrooms and hey you can’t go wrong w/ bacon.
Alina, you can never go wrong with bacon. Agreed.
Salad – head lettuce, cucumbers, red onions (simply a must) and some honey mustard dressing.
I’d love to try out their Ginger Sesame Dressing.
I subscribe to this blog via email.
I’d love to try out your meatball lollipops recipe. I think next weekend I shall do that 🙂
Sean, that is a fun recipe. Can you tell from the photos that was one of my very first blog posts!
Voted for your Thai Spiced FF on FB.
I voted for your Thai Spiced french fries on Facebook.
I like to put mixed baby greens, goat cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries, and honey crisp apple with a dressing of pumpkin, maple syrup, walnut oil, apple cider, seeded Dijon, and cider vinegar.
Holly that pumpkin dressing sounds awesome! Do you purée/emulsify it all together in a blender?
I subscribe to FFC via email.
I love adding beets, olives, feta, and roasted pecans to salads!
I love including soft cheese like feta or goat cheese in my salad, so good! My current favorite salad dressing is one I make with walnut oil…I never knew an oil could be so flavorful!! 🙂
Sara, I loooooove walnut oil too. You are right, a great way to dress a salad. Some other nut oils that are also awesome: Pecan & Hazelnut.
Pumpkin seed oil is fun too, though not a nut. The color is pretty 🙂
I follow on pinterest and I pinned this post.
I follow on twitter.
I love fruity salads!! They are my favorite. I also love any type of vinagrette!
I voted for your Thai Spiced French Fries to become the new Alexia Foods flavor
I follow @MarlaMeridith on Twitter
Congrats Jacqui! You are a winner for this giveaway!
The Marzetti SImply Dressed flavor I would like to try most is the Greek Feta Dressing… I am obsessed with Feta cheese!
Jacqui, feta is one of my favorites as well. Use it all the time!
I reallyyyy want to try your Peanut Butter Pumpkin Coffee Cake
I am already subscribed to your email feed
Gorgeous for the holiday table! I pinned ya!
Aw shucks…thanks Valerie. I love those pins 🙂
Following you on Twitter.
Tweeted your giveaway.
Shared on Facebook.
Stumbled it!
I like to add chickpeas and extra sharp cheddar to make a main dish salad.
Louis, I love chickpeas in my salad too. They are filling in a great way and energizing. Perfect for meatless meals.
I’d love to try the blue cheese dressing.
I subscribe to your RSS feed
I like to use a Dijon/red wine vinegar/balsamic vinaigrette over my salads.
My husband would love the blue cheese dressing. I mostly like a mix of olive oil and wine vinegar. I like mix of baby greens or herb greens.
I follow you on twitter.
I tweeted about this giveaway. https://twitter.com/#!/grobiemum/status/149585470756626435
I would like to try their Ginger Sesame Salad Dressing .
I subscribe to you by email.
I voted for your Thai Spiced fries.
I love the combination of figs, nuts, goat cheese, and pomegranates. Yum!
Salad – give me salad and save us all from ourselves and all these cookies and cakes!!! Love the Kath Kidston plates ; ) when are you giving them to me?!!!!
Yay! Miss Lucy is a lover of Kath Kidston designs as well. How did you know I was gonna send all of my Brit finds your way?!
Thank goodness for salad among a sea of desserts 😉
That salad is so pretty! Photos rock!
I love to add fresh fruit (pom seeds are one of my favorites, but I also love oranges, apples, pears, grapefruit, avocado), nuts and seeds, and dried fruit.
beautiful salad! so festive!
I Voted for your Thai Spiced French Fries to become the new Alexia Foods flavor.
I Follow @MarlaMeridith on Twitter
I am Signed up for my Email & RSS feeds
Pinterest follow me there & pin this post
http://pinterest.com/pin/86975836523273017/
Tweeted this giveaway
https://twitter.com/#!/jrwarfield/status/149633311638167552
I would love to try the coleslaw dressing
I would love to try the lemon ricotta breakfast cookies
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=729068065301&id=71005186
I shard on facebook too
I love dried cranberries added to my salads. Nuts are a favorite too.
Voted for your Thai Spiced French Fries again today.
Follow you on Twitter – catslitterbox
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/CatsLitterBox/status/149643364743127040
Congrats Lyn! You are one of the winners of this giveaway 🙂
E-mail subscriber
This IS so festive, Marla! I love pomegranates, great addition to a salad!
I love salads, especially when there is a great variety in ingredients and textures. I generally enjoy mesclun or bitter greens with either goat or blue cheese (maybe feta or another cheese), chopped nuts, maybe some dried fruit, and a simple vinaigrette. I also enjoy salads made with grains like couscous and quinoa.
I didn’t know Marzetti had this dressing until I saw this post-thank you! I usually buy a balsamic dressing at Trader Joe’s. I’ll have to look for this even I don’t win.
Hi Linda!
Glad I could introduce you to something new 🙂
I’m pretty simple when it comes to salad. I love to put apples in my salad with a nice balsamic dressing!
I love everything in my salad…but what I want to say is that you are amazing! AMAZING. Your photos…just wow.
This salad is lovely! My favorite salad is with spinach, strawberries, toasted almonds and goats cheese. A but summery, but my fav nonetheless!
I follow you on twitter – @katrinadingle
I love the colors in this salad. I eat salads so frequently, so I cannot wait to incorporate this recipe!
SO PRETTY! The dressing sounds delightful.
Happy Holidays!
I usually make my own salad dressing. My favorite thing to put in salad is spinach, carrots, cucumbers, some leftover cheese and maybe some nuts for crunch.
Marla, I don’t know what else to say except this salad is absolutely gorgeous!!!
I love winter salads – they are so hearty and bright. This one looks fabulous!
subscribed to you via email
ginger sesame salad dressing is one i’d like to try
voted for your fries
pinned you on pinterest
I would like to try this recipe : Spinach Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts
I love apples on salads!
Pumpkin pie popsicles is one of your recipes i’d like to try
voted for your fries
simply dressed pomegranite dressing sounds delicious!
Marla-This salad is gorgeous! Totally something I would make 🙂
Lovely salad! I adore dried or fresh figs in salad. We make lots of main dish salads with whatever we have on hand (chickpeas are a personal fave) and make simple dressings with citrus and olive oil.
I subscribe!
I love bleu cheese dressing. Yum. Two nights per month we do a salad night where we just have a gianormous salad for dinner with all the toppings we can think of. This is a leap for my husband who was brought up with meat and potatoes, thinking corn was a vegetable and anything green is toxic. Thank you for the giveaway.
I would go for the blue cheese, but have a friend who would like the ginger sesame.
What a gorgeous salad, such a great way to get some healthy food in during the holidays!
It’s me again 🙂 I’m with ya on healthy holiday eating. My husband brings home desserts from patients almost daily during the holidays. We appreciate it, but honestly I grosses me out. I’d much prefer this salad. I included it in today’s post of my favorite holiday recipes.
I like to put watermelon, feta, and candied pecans in my salad. I top it with a homemade orange balsamic vinaigrette.
I voted for your Thai Spiced French Fries to become the new Alexia Foods flavor.
I follow @MarlaMeridith on Twitter
I’d like to try to balsamic salad dressing.
I’d like to try your baked pumpkin pie oatmeal recipe.
I signed up for your RSS feed!
I’m a sucker for any salad with nuts, especially pistachios. I love a nice salty, toasty, crunchy bite in my salad!
it looks so good and easy! what a great combination!
I love a salad with mixed baby greens, crumbled gorgonzola, dried cherries, walnuts and very thinly sliced red onion – dressed very simply with oil & vinegar and salt & pepper
This looks like a wonderful, healthy, holiday salad. Love the addition of the pomegranate! Merry Christmas!
Hi Marla,
That salad looks absolutely delicious! Yummo!
Wow, so beautiful and festive! And such a flavoursome combination!
I love your photos and plates! A real feast!
I know I’m too late for the giveaway, but that salad looks AMAZING!!! Oh, and the PLATES!!! They are SO sweet!
Bridget, you will be seeing a lot of those plates come spring time! They are fun & cheery huh 🙂
I want to try this salad!!! Looks and sounds deeeelish!!!! 🙂
This salad looks festive and fabulous.
Question? What is that beautiful bread in another picture shown with wedges of Blue Cheese? What brand or what recipe, PLEASE!
Hi Beverly. That bread is from the Blvd restaurant at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire. You will need to contact them to find out more about it. Was very tasty!
Hi, Marla! Just to let you know this dish made the list of the 25 mouthwatering dishes from different blogs in From Brazil To You…