Salad Bar on Fire This Spring

A review of what the salad bar offers

Zoey Ueland | Co-Editor-in-Chief

In a list of lunch options, ranging from the main hot lunch, to the improved power bowl station, the sandwich bar, off-campus Kowalski’s, Chipotle, Pancheros runs, or even the “vendies,” the salad bar may not be among top choices. However, throughout my three years at the Upper School, it has remained one of my favorites as I enter the packed floors of the lunchroom each day.

Seemingly recently updated, the two options for greens provide various bases for salad each day. A staunch hater of spinach, my choice falls between arugula and romaine. As for toppings, I regularly choose tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, peppers, olives, and snap peas. I ap- preciate their other options, banana peppers, various cheeses, and dried fruit, but don’t regularly choose them. Though I am a fan of many types of salads, by mid-day I am drained and in need of protein to keep me sustained throughout the remainder of the school day. While various types of chicken are regularly available in the silver boxes, as a vegetarian, protein in the salad bar is hard to come by. I would happily incorporate tofu into my salads each day. Chickpeas, another source of protein used to be readily available, but were removed. although delicious, were falling off a bit and the blend wasn’t quite there. When comparing cheese and sauce combos, Punch easily takes the win here. Punch has a unique sauce that consists of just crushed tomatoes rather than a full sauce spread. This pairs really well with the light mozzarella on top. Blaze also has a really good combo and a fantastic sauce, but the ratio is a bit off, and the cheese is really filling. The crusts were also in a close competition. Blaze’s crust is perfectly crispy and brown, while

As for dressing, I’m fairly picky. The balsamic vinaigrette, though occasionally strange in texture, is perfectly tart, tangy, and sweet. Yet, aside from the vinaigrette, the other dressings aren’t to my liking.

Other auditions to the salad bar, including the premade salad, provide another light lunch alternative. Recent favorites include pesto pasta, soba noodle salad, and their Mediterranean mix.

Blaze offers a plethora of delicious toppings to choose from.

Punch’s is perfectly fluffy and easy to eat. The edge here goes to Punch because Punch’s crust on its own is delicious.

Overall, Punch narrowly defeated Blaze, but don’t underrate Blaze Pizza, as it is still a very delicious pizza with amazing sauce and toppings and a nice, crispy crust.

How To Make Chicken Schnitzel

*From Dinner Done Between Carpools Cookbook

Yoni Zacks | Sports Editor

- 1/2 to 2 pounds of chicken

- 1 to 1 1/4 cup homestyle bread crumbs

- 1/2 cup oil

- 1/2 cup sesame seeds

- 3/4 cup salt

- A dash of black pepper

Cooking Instructions

First, pre-heat the oven to 425°F. Also, prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Next, combine the bread crumbs (or panko crumbs), oil, sesame seeds, salt, pepper (if wanted), and garlic in a bowl or Ziploc bag (A Ziploc bag is better because the ingredients are better mixed). Following this, bread the chicken by dipping it in the bowl/bag and coating it with oil. Then, place the chicken onto the baking pans, making sure there is room in between each piece. Coat it with non-stick cooking spray and cover the entire pan with foil. While it’s covered, bake it for 10 minutes. Then, uncover chicken and cook for 10-16 minutes. Make sure the chicken is cooked and that the inside juices are not pink, but clear. This is an important step that will lower the risk of food poisoning. Finally, enjoy your chicken!