2008_12_10-Kale.jpgIt's cold and chilly outside, and we're not quite sure if the sun even came up today. So while we're eating copious quantities of soup, we're also craving greens and fresh vegetables for color and nourishment. You may think that salads are off-limits and out of season, but that isn't so! There are plenty of vegetables at their peak this time of year, and many make wonderful salads.

Here's a gallery of eleven favorite salads to eat right now.

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You'll notice a few ingredients that repeat frequently. Cabbage, beets, and fennel are all very good this time of year, and dark leafy greens like chard and kale grow right through the winter. You can buy arugula and other more tender greens from greenhouses.

See, even though we aren't completely above buying something from far away once in a while in the winter, certain things just seem to taste better in the right time of year. Asparagus seems odd when not at its true peak in spring, and tomatoes belong to late summer.

These vegetables are just the same: cabbage often has a sweet ripeness this time of year, and the fennel bulbs are big and juicy. Don't miss out on this season of vegetables!

  1. Beet Salad with Horseradish Cream and Frizzled Sweet Onions
    2. An elegant composed salad from Sara Kate.

  2. Kale Salad with Pecorino and Lemon
    3. Ultra-simple and very refreshing.

  3. Goi Chay (Vietnamese Vegetarian Salad)
    4. Shredded cabbage, carrots, rice noodles, peanuts. Add chicken or tofu to make it a meal.

  4. Grated Beet Salad with Blue Cheese
    5. Another rich beet salad for warmth and color.

  5. Orange, Olive, and Fennel Salad
    6. Fennel and olives - colorful and delicious! Substitute another bitter green for the arugula, or leave it out completely.

  6. Sesame Cabbage Salad
    7. This cabbage salad may not be much to look at, but boy is it good. We could eat buckets of this cabbage dressed with oil, vinegar, and soy sauce, and crunchy with noodles and almonds. It's easy and pure alchemy.

  7. Kohlrabi Slaw
    8. Another winter vegetable put to refreshing and crunchy good use.

  8. Fennel, Orange, and Shallot Salad
    9. Another fennel salad -- even simpler. This is a good vehicle for very good olive oil.

  9. Sexy, Spicy Broccoli
    10. Don't forget this instant classic! Spicy broccoli marinated in olive oil and garlic is sure to warm up any winter night.

  10. Orzo Salad with Rosemary Almonds and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
    11. A taste of summer in the winter. Full-grown winter spinach, endive and other winter greens, with sun-dried tomatoes and herbs.

  11. Cabbage Beet Coleslaw
    12. Cabbage AND beets! The ultimate winter salad?

What are your favorite salads to eat this time of year?

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