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"   Now that the weather&amp;#039;s heating up, it&amp;#039;s salad season! The next time you need a cool-down (right now?) try one of our favorite salads for a refreshing energy boost. Our secret shortcuts for washing greens and mixing up homemade vinaigrette make salads a snap to prepare. Read on for the Test Kitchen&amp;#039;s tips, then check out the June issue of Good Housekeeping for 13 delicious salad recipes-like the Chicken Gyro Salad pictured here. All Dressed Up Make 1 big batch of vinaigrette and store in a glass jar in the fridge. When it&amp;#039;s time to dress your salad, make sure the jar&amp;#039;s lid is screwed on securely, and shake! Most salads can be prepped in advance, but you should wait until just before serving to dress your greens. Try our Classic Vinaigrette recipe (below) or consult our Recipe Finder for more ideas. We promise, you&amp;#039;ll never want to go back to bottled dressing again. Classic Vinaigrette Makes 3/4 c.Total Time 5 minutes 1/4 c. red wine vinegar 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil In a med. bowl, with wire whisk, stir together red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Continue whisking and add extra-virgin olive oil in slow, steady stream. Whisk until well blended and emulsified. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Balsamic Vinaigrette: Prepare as directed but substitute balsamic vinegar for red wine vinegar.Lemon Vinaigrette: Follow the classic recipe above, but swap in lemon juice for the vinegar. Spin Cycle The inside bowl of a salad spinner doubles as a convenient colander. Just rinse your greens in the bowl, place the bowl back in the spinner and spin them dry, then store them in the fridge. The washed greens will be ready to use the next time you want to throw together a quick salad. In the market for a new salad spinner? Find out which one aced our lab test. Veg Out Want to add fresh, colorful veggies to your salad-no chopping required? Place frozen vegetables like corn, edamame, or peas in a colander and rinse with warm tap water. When thawed, drain the veggies and add them to your salad.  Salad in a Jar Make on-the-go healthy eating a no-brainer by layering salad in ordinary mason jars. Your salad will still taste fresh, even if you leave it in your fridge at work all day. The key to a crunchy jar salad is layering in the right order: 1.) Start with dressing or other wet ingredients at the bottom, so that they don&amp;#039;t sit on top, making everything soggy. 2.) Follow with hearty veggies (like carrots and radishes) or legumes (like chickpeas and beans). 3.) If you&amp;#039;re adding a layer of protein, that goes in next. 4.) Want to add grains (like rice, bulgar, and quinoa)? Put those in now. 5.) Delicate leafy greens go last so that they aren&amp;#039;t squashed by heavy veggies. Top with croutons or crunchy noodles. When lunchtime rolls around, just shake up the jar or stir together using a fork. The best part? When you&amp;#039;re done eating, pop the jar in the dishwasher for a speedy cleanup. Store-Bought Salad Boosters Your local supermarket offers tons of add-in options to amp up the flavor and texture of your salad. Try some of these sweet and savory ideas: -Tyson Grilled &amp;amp;amp; Ready Chicken Breast Strips provide instant protein when you&amp;#039;re in a hurry. -Wonderful Almond Accents Honey Roasted Cranberries add tartness and crunch to a bland salad. -Pine nuts -Toasted sunflower seeds -Candied walnuts -Mandarin oranges -Crispy noodles -Crumbled tortilla chips -Water chestnuts -Sugar Snap Peas -Chickpeas (right from the can or roasted) -Dried fruits, like cranberries and apricots -Avocado slices -Egg (hard-cooked or over easy) -Herbs: Basil, mint, dill, chives, etc. Want to make inspired salads all summer long? Follow our &amp;quot;Scrumptious Salads&amp;quot; board on Pinterest! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/institute/a19529/easy-shortcuts-summer-salads/>