Ella’s Salad

02

After waking up twice this week with new snow on the ground, I’m sad to report that maybe we haven’t officially reached “salad weather” yet. Sigh.

But, no matter, right? Salads can definitely be eaten year-round, especially when you’re trying to get back to lighter meals after all the comfort foods of winter. And, besides, this is one of my new favorite salads.

It’s based off one at a popular Chicago lunch/sandwich place called Hannah’s Bretzel.  They have really great sandwiches, but when I go I tend to get the small one (wecken) with an Ella’s salad on the side. Not to sound like a Yelp review, but the first time I got it, I was amazed at the size of the salad. Most “side” salads, especially in the Loop, are a few scrawny pieces of lettuces and maybe like 3 bites of other vegetables drowning in dressing. After I got past how miraculously substantial this one was, I loved it even more for the way it tasted.

This salad includes some of my favorite things: asparagus, roasted tomatoes, cashews, mozzarella, and cannellini beans. Definitely not your typical side salad. It comes with a white balsamic vinaigrette that’s a little tangier than normal vinaigrettes (which works for me, as I vastly prefer this to oilier vinaigrettes).  It’s worth going for, even if you don’t eat any of their vast array of fancy schmancy chocolate bars staring at you as you make your way through the line.

Now, if only this salad had the magical powers to bring warmer weather.

 

Ella’s Salad

blogherads.adq.push(['Middle1', 'skm-ad-Middle1']);
//

2 thoughts on “Ella’s Salad

  1. I can always get excited about salad, especially when it has so many fun mix-ins! And that dressing…I love white balsamic and don’t use it enough!

Leave a Reply to Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *