Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/06/18/toast-your-nuts.html
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Use a bigger bowl, it actually works. Place all the items in the bowl, but not the greens. Mix items in bowl with dressing of choice, then place that on top of the greens. Presentation will be 10 fold from your previous attempts.
Now you know my secret to a great salad.
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Excellent plan chef!
And always use the freshest produce available.
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Pretty much. Everything else is just showing off.
Of course, most of my recipes are “chop it up, mix it up, make it hot.” Salad only gets to step 2.
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Would have loved an infographic jpg instead.
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I make lots of salads at home (and use some of these tips) but the other important ingredient is an optional protein to give it oomph. A favorite here is teriyaki chicken breast, and here’s my method for a nice glaze:
• Stick chicken breasts in a ziplock bag with Soy Vay Island Teriyaki for most of the day or overnight.
• Put them into a very hot pan and brown for a few minutes to heat them up. Remove to a cutting board. When cool enough, slice into large chunks.
• While the chicken’s cooling, boil the marinade (or fresh teriyaki sauce) until it’s a thick dark glaze. Sauté the chicken chunks until they’re all glazed and cooked through. Chop into smaller bits if desired.
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Pass.
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For the spinner/washing portion - do this in warm water if you have time before the meal. Not quite as warm as you would wash your hands. It shocks/crisps the lettuce. We used to do this in the old days when I worked in the produce department - trim and wash the heads, then into the walk-in after draining.
Then we’d cut the butts off when it was time to put out for sale.
Also, buy heads and chop them all up at the same time and store in a large reusable container in the fridge for up to a week. Then they are ready when needed.
Ripped leaves keep longer and won’t go brown and mushy on the edges like chopped leaves will.
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I never have that problem. Forgot to add - I line the container with paper towel.
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Seriously, those words could be the entirety of the lyrics of the songs that they play at the gym I go to. 
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No pain, no gain!
(I’m so unfamiliar with the gym I call it James.)
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One of the best parts of living in and absorbing Taiwan culture was getting over salads. It’s better cooked.
Salad spinner doesn’t necessarily get your greens dry. I keep old holey bleached white towels to dry salads.
Sweetened herb vinegars, with or without garlic, keep salads interesting. For kids or adults, chop up half a can or more of whole berry cranberry sauce in a quart of white vinegar. Dirt cheap and tastes great.
Indian roasted garbanzo beans (channa dal) are tastier and more nutritious than croutons, especially if you can get them spiced.
I keep old holey bleached white towels to dry salads
This may be what you mean (and it’s messy), but I put the greens in those white kitchen towels and sling 'em. Water everywhere (except the greens). Very refreshing … 
The problem with toasting is that they go from perfect to over-toasted in about 143 milliseconds. Still worth doing; the flavor is night and day … But (and I cannot emphasize this enough): be careful with your nuts!
You could also get crazy and dip them in wasabi like the Japanese do. Wowsa!
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