Beyond spotlighting Portland’s incredible culinary talent in the world of salads, we wanted to mix things up by handing the reins over to a couple of local Portland kids for the day. We asked them to share their own playful takes on salad.
While these next two creations may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “salad,” we love how imaginative, whimsical, and fun they turned out. After all, they’re straight from the minds of a seven and nine-year-old, which makes them as authentic as they come.
So, without further ado, let’s see what these two Portland kids put together!
Edie’s Rainbow Candy Salad
First up is Edie Rich (they/them), my curious, smart, and vivacious nine-year-old child. Edie loves colorful foods and has a soft spot for sweet things, which is where this candy salad comes in.
Edie took this assignment very seriously, and in addition to constructing a beautiful candy salad, they also took the time to create their own version of a Portland Salad Week logo, which we love! What a fun homage to this city and to salad!
Plus, check out their fun Salad Week compilation video below. I think we have a future Portland content creator on our hands!
Please introduce yourself and tell us why you like salad?
Hello, I am Edie and I am Judith’s child. I am 9-years-old and I have made a salad for basically the first time. I like this salad because it barely counts as a salad and it’s all CANDY! It is sugary and sweet and totally unhealthy. I LOVE IT!
How did you make this salad?
I made this salad by getting lots of different colored candies. I arranged them to make a rainbow flower sort of thing.
What are the main ingredients in your salad?
The main ingredients in this salad were candies, of course! There were these cool ones called Peelerz. They are banana-shaped candy with a peelable outside.
Another candy I used were sour grumpy bears. They are actually blue sour Care Bears. They were my favorite candies in the whole salad. Other candies included in this salad are:
- RED: Red Vines and Swedish Fish.
- ORANGE: Razzles (candy that turns into gum).
- YELLOW: Banana Peelerz.
- GREEN: Mike and Ike.
- BLUE: Razzles.
- INDIGO: Sour Care Bears, which are Warheads.
- VIOLET: Razzles.
Method
Organize all the candies according to color and line them up in the order of the rainbow. After that, it’s your choice how you’d like to arrange them in your bowl or plate but I chose a flower design. You can also make an actual rainbow!
How would you describe this salad?
This salad was like I mentioned before, a colorful flower of candies. The bright and vibrant colors really make it pop!
What was your favorite ingredient and why?
My favorite ingredient was the sour grumpy bears!
What is your favorite restaurant in Portland?
My favorite restaurant in Portland is probably Baes Chicken. It was a chicken place on Alberta Street that closed up a few months ago. There is still a location downtown though that you can try.
Next up is seven-year-old Layla Rich (she/her). Layla’s true food passion is fruit—and as my husband and I often say, there isn’t a single fruit she doesn’t love! From stone fruit and tropical varieties to melons and berries, she loves them all. So it’s no surprise that the salad she’s excited to share with you is built around one of her favorite ingredients: watermelon.
Layla’s Watermelon Fruit Salad
Who you are why do you like salad?
I am Layla and I am seven-years-old. I like fruit salads mostly and candy salads, too. But I don’t like any leafy green salad. I just don’t really like the taste.
How did you make this salad?
It’s made out of cut-up watermelon, strawberries, and blueberries. We made a sauce that’s mixed with honey, and 1 cut-in-half lemon and we juiced the whole thing. And then we poured it on top of the salad and tossed it.
What are the main ingredients in your salad?
- 1 watermelon (small).
- Handful of strawberries (1 cup).
- Handful of blueberries (1 cup).
- Honey (1/4 cup).
- Lemon juice (1 lemon).
Method
Chop the watermelon into bite-sized pieces. Halve or quarter the strawberries, and leave the blueberries whole. Mix everything in a large salad bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix the honey and the lemon juice. Pour over the fruit and enjoy immediately!
How would you describe this salad?
Kind of sweet because we put the honey lemon juice thing on it. And it definitely tastes like blueberries, strawberries, and watermelon. I would say to eat this salad around lunchtime, because I wouldn’t want to really eat it in the morning. It also makes a good snack. You can take it on the road pretty easily in a container.
What was your favorite ingredient and why?
Watermelon was my favorite because it was so juicy and good. Plus, the watermelon wouldn’t get super smooshed if you accidentally stepped on it.
What is your favorite restaurant in Portland?
Kona Grill. I like the shrimp tempura.
And there you have it, a very kid-friendly perspective on Salad Week. Let us know about some of your favorite kid-friendly salads–we’ll be sure to share it with our young foodies in training.
Judith Rich
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razzles! are what my salads have been missing. fixed it—thanks, edie!