Healthy Menu Tips for 2016 - Northern VA, DC and MD Catering by Teatime

Best Catered Salad EVER!

I LOVE Summer Salads with ingredients fresh off the grill.
One of my favorites is a bed of mixed field greens tossed with a
balsamic vinaigrette. On top of this go tiny golden farmer’s market
grape tomatoes, chopped chives or scallion, dried cranberries otherwise
known as craisons and some chopped nuts. (we like toasted pecans) I grill ears
of sweet corn, then cut it off the husk in chunks and scatter on top. Grill a
couple of chicken breasts in a garlic lime marinade, slice and add to
the salad with some feta or Gorgonzola cheese and Voila! The perfect combination of hot and
cold along with sweet, salty, crunchy, sour as well as the savory
component with the chicken. You could grill beef or pork with the same
results, or substitute another vegetable if you don’t have access to
fresh corn. Just be prepared to make this in a BIG bowl for each of
your guests!

Few things are more classic than a Cesar salad as a side dish. To make it a dinner or lunch entree, try adding grilled chicken and corn,

Catering By Teatime is a Northern Virginia catering company that serves the Washington DC metropolitan area. We see a wide variety of palates in the nation’s capitol. Many of our guests prefer lighter fare. Ruth’s House Salad fits the bill:

Mixed Greens, Tomato, Scallion, Dried Cranberry, Toasted Pecans, Gorgonzola Cheese in a Balsamic Dressing. Again the perfect combination of sweet, salty, crunchy in a refreshing and healthy first course or side dish. This is almost always on our menus for a wedding reception buffet. As an alternative to Gorgonzola if you are not a fan of the “blue” cheeses, shaved Parmesan is another option.

We recently catered a corporate business luncheon at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Montgomery County MD; serving as a first course a salad of Romain and Baby Spinach with Tomato, Asian Pear and Feta Cheese in a Raspberry Vinaigrette. This could make a splendid supper salad with the addition of Grilled Shrimp or Scallops.

There are so many variations on a supper salad. Tear strips of kale or Swiss chard into the mix. Field greens are delicious and tender but take care not to dress the salad until right before eating as they wilt quicker than a sturdy Romain lettuce. In summer months when the local Northern Virginia Farmer’s Markets are hopping, explore all the varieties of heirloom tomatoes. Combine citrus or fruit based vinaigrettes with savory grilled meats. Include salty cheeses – Gorgonzola, Blue, Feta, Parmesan. Basically any traditional menu option can be incorporated into a salad entree. Give us a call today to talk about your next party!

Northern Virginia Catering: Salad for Dinner