Meatless Friday: Salad Please, But Hold the Lettuce

We searched the Meatless Friday recipe archives for salad recipes that don't include the vegetable everyone's been avoiding this summer.

What's in your salad bowl? Chances are, it's not iceberg or romaine lettuce these days, with the food-poisoning scare we've been facing. The other night I was out with my husband, older son, and his fiancée, and a couple of the menu specials were salads. The description for the first one noted that the greens in the salad were "arugula (not a lettuce)" while the second item boasted "arugula (still not a lettuce)."

Farmers' markets have been doing a booming business in locally-grown lettuce and other vegetables, and that's a great way to both support local farmers and, hopefully, avoid problems with food poisoning. No matter where you get your produce, be sure to clean it well (introduce the kids to the salad spinner and let them spin and spin and spin).

We've found a few salads in our recipe archives that don't call for lettuce at all. And you can always use spring greens, spinach, or arugula (or a mix of those, well washed, of course) in place of lettuce in just about any salad.

Lisa Hendey's Corn and Tortellini Salad

Lisa Hendey created a cool corn, tortellini, and avocado salad that's easy to bring to any Labor Day Weekend picnic.

Rosemary Bogdan's Kale Slaw

Rosemary's whole family enjoys this crunchy recipe, and kale is packed with vitamins A and K. This salad is also a picnic favorite.

Karen Ullo's Tomato Salad

Karen Ullo created a variation on Caprese salad that even her kids will eat! And this is the time of year to get the best tomatoes.

Elizabeth Varga's Vegan Kale Harvest Salad

Yes, more kale! Elizabeth's recipe celebrates all the flavors of fall. It's packed with protein, vegetables, and tasty fall flavors: apples, cranberries, and walnuts.