~Sunday, August 31, 2014
Summer is the
perfect time to bring fresh salad medleys to the table for weeknight
meals. A quick bowl of soup used to be my go-to grub after a late
night at work, but after reading a cookbook on the importance of eating a high
nutrient-per-calorie dense diet, I’ve added some choice leafy greens, and other
super foods to my weekly grocery list:
Romaine lettuce, fresh spinach, red and green onions, cucumbers, beets,
broccoli slaw, green cabbage; and healthy sources of protein and fat, such as,
pinto and kidney beans, pecan pieces and toasted sesame seeds, and ripe
avocadoes (ready-made guacamole works in a pinch, as well). Thankfully, I already have an abundant
selection of fresh tomatoes from my parents’ garden—as well as my own potted
garden this year!—to add to my salads.
(Perhaps you followed last season’s Growing
Tomatoes blog, and are also having a successful harvest.)
To further keep
my meal on a healthy note, I’ve become creative in blending natural flavors and
spices to whisk up my own salad dressings: A clove of garlic is a must!—and fresh oregano,
basil, or mint, also produce great taste and aroma. Using flavored EVOOs, and balsamic vinegar is
another way to add pizzazz to salads.
(The best source for flavored EVOOs and balsamic vinegar is Beyond the
Olive specialty store in Pasadena which was featured in my previous EVOO and More blog.)
The Romaine salad
recipe to follow is one of my husband’s favorites—easy, filling, and nutritious—it
will undoubtedly surpass our summer-salad trend, and become a year round
favorite.
Ingredients
(Serves 4)
2 tablespoons
smoked flavored EVOO (you can substitute with a smoke seasoning blend)
1 tablespoon
sweet and hot mustard
1 small garlic
clove, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon
freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons
vanilla soy milk
2 Romaine hearts,
washed and chopped
1 small red
onion, finely chopped
1 cup assortment
cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small cucumber,
cut into bite-size pieces
2 cooked and
seasoned chicken breasts, sliced into ½-inch strips
1 avocado (or
6-ounces ready-made guacamole)
Freshly grated Parmesan
cheese
In a small mixing
bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients, mixing in the vanilla soy milk
last. Set dressing aside.
Place the Romaine,
onion, tomatoes, and cucumber in a large salad bowl; add the salad dressing and
toss gently. Distribute salad on
individual serving plates, dividing an even portion of chicken strips to place
atop each salad. Either slice the
avocado onto each salad, or top with two generous tablespoons of
guacamole. Sprinkle with freshly grated
Parmesan cheese and serve.
Sometimes
I line the border of the salad with sweet potato tortilla chips for an extra
crisp of flavor.
