Raising the Salad Bar: Beyond Leafy Greens--Inventive Salads with Beans, Whole Grains, Pasta, Chicken, and More [Paperback]

RAISING THE SALAD BAR is one of the best cookbooks I have ever sampled. I prepared dozens of the salads, and each is more scrumptious than the next. The Wheat Berry Salad with Citrus Dressing was my favorite until my husband prepared the Baby Spinach and Strawberry Salad and the Seared Scallop Salad with Watercress and Pineapple for my birthday and both were dazzlers.

So is the Grilled Chicken Salad with Red and Yellow Peppers and Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette.

I can't understand the reviewer who said the dressings were too oily and sweet. I've never tasted such delicious salads in my life. And the dressings are over-the-top delicious.

The food critics agree. The book has received glowing reviews. Check out the review in The Seattle Times if you don't believe me.

There are more than 70 salads featured in this cookbook, and so far, the ones I've sampled are as delicious as they look in the gorgeous photographs.

I dare anyone to try the Wheat Berry Salad on p. 195 and not love it. Or any of the salads I mentioned above. Or the Jicama, Mango and Green Cabbage Slaw with Citrus Vinaigrette. Or the Cajun Shrimp and Corn Salad with Lime-Chile Dressing. Or The Seared Salmon with Baby Greens and Mango Salsa Vinaigrette. Or the Mixed Greens and Radicchio Salad with Grilled Sliced Steak. The Gremolata Dressing with greated lemon zest is a perfect complement to the steak--and certainly not sweet, but not bitter either. This reader and cook thought the Gremolate Dressing was outstanding with the steak. Certainly beats your standard Steak Sauce!

I could go on and on, but if you are a salad lover, don't just take my word for it. Buy the book and sample some of the dozens of scrumptious salads in RAISING THE SALAD BAR. I'd be surprised if you don't agree with me.

This terrific book is full of inspiration. If you are a salad eater, but find that you're stuck in a rut, this wonderfully-illustrated book will crank up your creativity. Great main dish salads and side dishes, too. And not just green salads, but potato, pasta and other grains. I especially love the section on how to make good dressings. A must - and a great gift. Enjoy!

I had pretty much sworn off of buying new cookbooks because there are so many great internet sources for recipes. I still don't know what came over me the day that I bought it but I am so glad I did! I have since made many of these salads for myself and gatherings and each has ben a huge hit. Many of the recipes are interesting and a little different than the usual, I especially love the fruit and leafy greens combinations. The ingredients are easy to find and preparation is simple enough to do at the last minute. Salads aside, the dressing recipes stand out on their own. I often whip up one of these for whatever veggies I have in the fridge. Seriously, I have never been a dressing whipper-upper before but I haven't served a store bought dressing in the year that I've owned this book! My everyday dressing is the Maple Baslamic Vinaigrette.