Simple Slaw

Need a quick, lightly dressed slaw for a side dish? This one is simple, but delicious. The dressing isn't overpowering, the cabbage stays crisp for at least a day after it's made, and there are no complicated ingredients. 

There's a mystery behind this recipe from my grandmother's recipe box, though. It was placed in the "vegetables" category instead of the "salads" category, but the really interesting thing is this: no one seems to know who wrote the original recipe (the women of my family don't recognize the handwriting--and we're all old enough to have seen and used actual handwriting enough to know whose is whose. My grandmother's usual slaw recipe was a creamy style.)

Even stranger is the recipe on the back of this little slip of paper: it's for fried catfish, but the directions are downright intimidating. Since I live in the Northwest, I'm not likely to wrangle any fresh catfish anytime soon, so that means I'm a'gonna pass on this here gem. See the card pictured below if you're curious--would YOU try this recipe? ;-)

Simple Slaw

2 bags slaw mix

1 bell pepper, chopped (any color; original calls for green)

1 onion, chopped

Dressing

1/2 c. neutral oil (canola, vegetable, etc.)

1/2 c. white vinegar

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. water

Combine dressing ingredients in jar with a lid; shake to combine. Mix slaw ingredients together. Make a "well" or hole in the middle and pour the dressing in. When ready to serve, toss together. Add salt and pepper at the table as needed.

Makes about 8-10 cups slaw

Recipe from the Recipe Box pictured below. Handwriting/origin is a mystery!

Fresh Spinach Salad

A fairly standard fresh spinach salad recipe, this came from my grandmother's recipe box! I used green onions instead of red, and they worked fine. The dressing makes quite a bit (2 cups!), so be prepared for leftovers!

Fresh Spinach Salad

~from my grandmother's recipe box

1 pound fresh spinach

1 small red onion, sliced

3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

6 slices bacon, cooked, chopped

1 small onion, minced

1 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. vinegar

1/3 c. sugar (or less)

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 t. celery seed

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

Directions:

1. Wash and tear spinach. 
2. Combine dressing ingredients in a lidded jar: minced onion, oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Shake and chill. 
3. Arrange spinach, eggs, bacon, and eggs on plates and drizzle with dressing.

Recipe card in my grandmother's handwriting

Fresh Fruit Salad

This simple, delicious fruit salad can be made ahead of time and uses fruit that is readily available year round. Fruit amounts are flexible; I added a few more grapes. Note: this is very similar to Aunt Elsie's Fruit Salad, but it uses more natural ingredients and isn't quite as sweet.

Fresh Fruit Salad
~from my grandmother's recipe box

2 small bananas, sliced
2 small apples, diced
1 8-oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 c. seedless red grapes
1/2 c. seedless green grapes
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. water
3 T. orange juice
1 1/2 T. lemon juice

Directions:

1. Combine all fruit ingredients in medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine sugar and cornstarch in small saucepan. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup water, orange juice, and lemon juice until blended. Bring sugar mixture to a boil, whisking constantly, over medium heat. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Pour mixture over fruit, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill 4 hours.

~Makes 6-8 servings

Recipe card from my grandmother's recipe box--in her handwriting

Citrus-Asian Slaw

Another slaw recipe from Weight Watchers that is delicious and uses up our CSA veggies nicely. Yes, this is the same picture of produce from my last slaw recipe, but I promise the resulting taste is different. Bonus: this recipe also uses jalapeños AND it specifically calls for radishes (which I added in extra to the last recipe). Add some sliced chicken or cooked shrimp on top for a crunchy salad lunch!

Citrus-Asian Slaw
~Weight Watchers

• 2 c. shredded carrots (white or orange)
• 2 c. shredded cabbage (red or green)
• 1 c. sliced fresh radishes (or less--use what you have!)
• 1 c. jicama, shredded or cut into matchsticks (cucumber makes a fantastic sub)
• 1/3 c. minced scallions or red onion (or even white!)
• 3 T. minced leaves--this is a lot, so leave out if you're not a mint fan
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced (or other hot peppers)
• 2 T. orange marmalade
• 4 t. rice wine vinegar
• 2 t. toasted sesame oil
• 2 T. sesame seeds, toasted

1. Combine carrots through jalapeños. 
2. Combine marmalade through seeds. Pour dressing over slaw mix.
3. Eat right away or store up to a few hours (cabbage will soften slightly as it sits--which might make this more appealing to tentative cabbage eaters).

~Serves 4-6 as a side dish; 2-3 as a main topped with chicken/shrimp

Farmer's Market Slaw

Slaw is basically cabbage salad. And this particular recipe's original title is... "Health Salad." I don't know about you, but that original title is completely uninspiring. Like it's trying to turn away any less-than-sure salad eaters. But this slaw (it's really a slaw) is delicious. The dressing is faintly sweet, and, due to the minimal oil content, this slaw is far lower in calories than many slaws gracing summer picnic tables. Even better, there are no ingredients in this that can't sit out safely on a picnic table for a while (unlike mayo-based dressings). The recipe is flexible; use the veggies you have on hand as long as there's some cabbage (and all of mine came in my CSA basket this week! I could have used white onion from the basket, but I had some red already cut so I went with that. I also subbed in some radishes instead of the bell pepper). Pull out that food processor and let it earn its keep (I had my carrots ready to go before I remembered to take the picture!). Recipe doubles just fine.

One final note: this is definitely better when made ahead and allowed to marinate a bit in the fridge (a few hours). If you're adding in cherry tomatoes, like I did (since I had them in my CSA basket and they were so pretty!), make sure you add them right before serving. Tomatoes get mushy in the fridge.

Farmer's Market Slaw
~"Health Salad" from Weight Watchers

• 4 c. shredded cabbage
• 1/2 medium cucumber, seeded if desired, and thinly sliced*
• 1 medium carrot, shredded*
• 1/4 thinly sliced red onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced 
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. pepper
• 2 1/2 T. sugar
• 2 1/2 T. apple cider vinegar
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 T. water
• 1 T. fresh dill or 1 t. dried

1. Combine cabbage through bell pepper in a large bowl.
2. Combine salt through dill and pour over slaw mix. Toss well. Chill for a couple of hours before serving.

~Serves 12-16

Southwestern Succotash Salad

Our CSA pick-ups begin this week from the Colvins!! My fridge is nice and empty after being at the beach last week, and I'm avoiding buying much until we get our first veggie box in a few days. This pretty salad was born of the need for a healthy side dish for our cheese and (frozen) bell pepper quesadillas… and my freezer and pantry contributed all the ingredients. It's a little on the mild side--add some jalapeños if you have them. But, as it is, it makes a pretty good quesadilla filling along with some cheese…or a nice side salad for spicy Mexican food…or a good salad with lettuce and some salsa as a dressing .... Our kids actually ate theirs in quesadilla form--even knowing there were bell peppers in the mix.

Southwestern Succotash Salad
~inspired by this salad

• 1 cup frozen baby lima beans, cooked and drained
• 1 can black beans, drained
• ~1-2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 1 small red onion, finely minced
• 1-1 1/2 cups chopped bell peppers*
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 t. cumin
• 1/2 T. olive oil
• 2 T. white wine vinegar

*my bell peppers were the tri-colored frozen variety

Combine all in a bowl and stir well (I did not make the dressing separately--just dumped it all in a bowl and stirred). Enjoy right away or after a day or two in the fridge!

~Serves 4-6

Bok Choy Salad

Ever since I got into Kale Salad, I've been eying other greens suspiciously: will they be similarly delicious raw? And yes, yes, they are. This is really just an example of me using my own little blog here to create a new feature. But it illustrates a good point: greens in the cabbage family can be treated similarly to one another with similar results. If you have Napa cabbage on hand, see the nearly identical Oriental Slaw recipe. For another similar recipe using broccoli slivers, check out Broccoli Slaw. I'm calling this bok choy recipe a salad even though bok choy is really a cabbage--but its leaves make this look more like a salad than a slaw. Bok choy is a tad bit bitter, so this may not be to some folks' liking. But we thought it tasty.

Bok Choy Salad

• Sweet Asian Dressing + Crunchy Salad Topping  (can make ahead and keep separate)
• bok choy
• green onions or small, young red onions

1. Slice bok choy stems like you would celery.
2. Slice bok choy leaves vertically into a few large sections and then slice horizontally into thin slivers.
3. Thinly slice onions of choice.
4. Toss all together.
5. Add dressing. Can sit for a while in the fridge at this point.
6. Add topping just before serving.

 ~Serves ?? (1 head bok choy will serve maybe 6?)

Massaged (or "Wilted") Kale Salad

It's happened: one of those weeks in which I've failed to use up my CSA produce before getting another box. This is when being part of a CSA is really inspiring. We are eating vegetables a lot, I tell you. When I'm packing a lunch with the kids for a trip to the park, I make sure we're taking veggies as part of that meal (even if it's just for me). Eating out? Nope, we need to eat our veggies! Picking up on Saturday and then going back to our usual Thursday pick-up shortened our week + my hubby was out of town for two nights. ACK.

We still have some bok choy from 2 weeks ago that looks pretty good, so I'll finally be posting a recipe with that in mind tomorrow or the next day. For today, here's a way to plow through some kale. I've discovered that I really enjoy kale raw--much more than I like it cooked. I first had a salad similar to this at the Colvins' Farm Day back in May, and I've since made various iterations of it. It travels okay--you don't want it out of the fridge for too long, but if you're heading to the park with the kids: this is the salad you want to take! Bonus: it tastes even better after it sits for a bit, so make it up right after lunch and part of your dinner is done!

Massaged Kale Salad
~from some helpful website I can no longer remember!

• 1 bunch kale ("regular" curly green kale or purple-stemmed kale work)
• 1 lemon
• olive oil
• honey
• salt and pepper
• toppings: I enjoy feta cheese, Craisins or raisins, chopped apples, sunflower seeds, and/or bean salads (such as my chickpea salad) mixed in

1. De-stem the kale and slice leaves in ribbons (discard stems). Squeeze half the lemon over the kale and drizzle in some olive oil--you know, about "one pour." Massage leaves with your fingers for a couple of minutes until the leaves start to look wilty. Let sit while you prepare the dressing.
2. Squeeze other half of lemon in small bowl. Add some olive oil (another "pour" or two), some honey (a generous squeeze or drizzle), and whisk together. Pour over kale and mix thoroughly. If it looks dry, add some more of whichever you think it needs (lemon juice and/or olive oil and/or honey). Sprinkle with salt and pepper (kale takes well to some salt!).
3. Add toppings of choice and refrigerate until ready to use.

 ~Makes 4 servings or so

Salad Pizza

What's not to like? Salad... good. Pizza...good. Cheese...good. My kids unanimously decided that this is THE best way to eat salad (go figure). One of my children--my little salad-lovin' guy--decided this might be his favorite pizza. Note that this does not have tomato sauce--it's like white pizza with salad toppings. The toppings wilt slightly but are not cooked. The first time we had this, we topped their half with Ranch dressing and ours with vinaigrette. The picture above shows our recent batch of Romaine from the Colvins (plus the green garlic we got!); it's sort of a mock Caesar salad.

Salad Pizza
~based on this recipe

• 1 10-16-oz. pizza crust of your choosing (homemade or storebought)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 t. dried oregano
• 1/4 t. dried basil
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 c. shredded Parmesan
• Salad toppings (5 c. thinly sliced lettuces plus a few others: thinly sliced peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, etc.; something like the Easiest Salad Ever)
• Salad dressing of your choice

1. Preheat oven to 425-450 degrees.
2. Roll out pizza crust, if needed. Press garlic and sprinkle over top of crust. [If you're using green garlic, it's easier to just mince it.] Sprinkle dried herbs over.
3. Bake pizza crust until golden brown (~10-15 minutes).
4. While crust is baking, toss salad ingredients with dressing.
5. As soon as you pull the crust out, sprinkle mozzarella and half the Parmesan on top. Top with salad and sprinkle remaining Parmesan on top. 
6. Eat!

~Serves 4-6

Radish, Orange, and Avocado Chopped Salad

Radishes are so not on my radar--or didn't used to be. The husband likes them, and every now and then I might pick up a bag at the store for his salads. Then, I started getting them from my CSA. And get them some more. And a few more. If you only use one chopped up in one person's salad, then you don't use them up very fast! Enter some delicious radish and orange salad combinations from America's Test Kitchen. I don't know what it is about these two together, but they are delicious in combination! I adapted this particular recipe slightly (didn't have avocado on hand, nor did I have pumpkin seeds; I also had the lettuce from my share last week and it wasn't Romaine--so I'm not sure if my lettuce amount is accurate). Still, it made for a nice lunch and made a dent in the first batch of radishes this year. It would pair excellently with some chicken fajitas for dinner! Recipe can be easily halved.

Radish, Orange, and Avocado Chopped Salad
~America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Favorites

• 1 cucumber (about 8 oz), peeled (optional), halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
• salt and pepper
• 3 T. olive oil
• 3 T. lime juice (from 2 limes)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 10 radishes, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 oranges, peeled with a knife (so you cut off most of the white pith), cut into 1/2-inch pieces, and drained slightly
• 1/2 avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 c. minced red onion
• 1 romaine lettuce heart (about 6 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 c. shredded Manchego cheese (or Parmesan) (about 2 oz)
• 1/2 c. minced cilantro
• 1/4 c. toasted pumpkin seeds

1. Toss cucumbers with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let drain in a colander for 15-30 minutes (basically while you prep/chop everything else).
   
2. Whisk oil, lime juice, and garlic together in large bowl. Add drained cucumbers, radishes, oranges, avocado, and onion, and toss to combine. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to let flavors blend (can also be held at this stage for up to an hour if you need to make it slightly ahead of time).
3. Add lettuce, cheese, and cilantro and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and serve.

~Serves 3-4 for a main dish, 6 as a side salad

Lettuce Prep and Storage

This is the way I prepare and store lettuce--CSA, my own garden, or grocery store. It's reliable and doesn't take up much space in the fridge; even better: the lettuce is ready to go when I need it. This will keep your lettuce in good shape for a week or more.

First, wash that lettuce! If it's a head of lettuce, pull off the leaves (lots of dirt lurks in those little crevices near the stem!). If it's looking a little wilty, let it soak in the water for a bit. I just dump it all in a sink full (or tub full) of cold water.

If the lettuce is very dirty, let the leaves float for a bit. The dirt will sink to the bottom and you can scoop the leaves off the top. Notice all the dirt left after a few heads of farm fresh lettuce! There's also a little friend I found lurking on one of the leaves.... :-)

Shake off a few leaves at a time and add to a salad spinner. Depending on the size of the head of lettuce, you may need to spin in batches.

Spin! (Alternately, you can put the leaves in a clean dishtowel, grab the 4 corners up together, and spin the ball around--outside.)

Place in a gallon-sized ziploc bag, seal, and--very important--slash a few holes in the bag with a sharp knife. I like to reuse my bags, so I label them "lettuce" so I won't reuse a hole-filled bag for something else later on. Store in fridge until ready to use. You should get a week or more out of these bags.

Do YOU have a favorite lettuce prep or storage tip?

Easiest Salad Ever

Easiest salad ever--for real! The method is the key (and my thanks to my neighbor Lisa for first telling me to mix salad this way). If you're fortunate enough to have flavored oils and/or vinegars on hand, by all means give them a try in this. I need hardly say this is best with super fresh lettuce, but even supermarket lettuce will do in a pinch. Now that our CSA pick-ups have started, this will become a regular feature at our house.

• chopped lettuce, any type
• any other bits and pieces (small pieces salad veggies, bacon bits, whatever)
• olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper
• shaved or shredded cheese, if desired (herb-flavored cheeses like pesto or dill are especially nice)

In a bowl, combine lettuce and veggies. Pour in a small amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (I use 1/2 tablespoon each for about 4-5 cups of greens + miscellaneous veggies). Toss all together with your hands. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Aunt Elsie's Fruit Salad

Aunt Elsie is my cousin's other grandmother ("other" meaning not the one we have in common, our moms' mother, but her other grandmother--in this case, her father's mother; confused yet?). Aunt Elsie has always been a part of my family's lives, too, and now she and my grandmother are at the same retirement home and still terrific friends. This was her contribution to the holiday meals we shared with her growing up--one of the things I loved most as a kid. Keep this easy salad in mind next time you have a crew of young folks coming to a dinner party.

Aunt Elsie's Fruit Salad

• 1 medium can pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved
• 2 cans chunky fruit salad, drained and juice reserved
• 1 can mandarin oranges, drained and juice reserved
• 1 can sliced pears, drained and juice reserved
• 1 small box instant vanilla pudding
• grapes
• mini marshmallows
• 2 bananas, sliced

1. Add 1 cup of pineapple juice to pudding and mix well; if you don't have 1 cup of pineapple juice from the pineapple chunks, add remaining "fruit" juice until you have 1 cup. I started with mandarin orange juice after the pineapple and had plenty. Let pudding mixture thicken while you combine remaining ingredients (don't add marshmallows or bananas until just before serving).
2. Stir in pudding mixture and toss well. Refrigerate until ready to serve!

~Serves 8 or so

2 Marinated Cherry Tomato Salads

Since I'm harvesting approximately 100 cherry tomatoes every 3-4 days, I have been on the lookout for recipes which feature these beauties. I made these two salads for a cookout we hosted yesterday, and they were a hit! The one with olives is a bit more savory and probably not for everyone--after all, you have to like olives! The plain one is the easiest, sweetest, and most crowd friendly. But I think both are delicious--and, both can be made ahead of time! These will be recipes to remember come winter when grocery stores still carry decent cherry/grape tomatoes (if using grape tomatoes, you may want to leave off or reduce the sugar since they are sweeter than cherry tomatoes). They're a nice change from lettuce based salads. (The dressings may look skimpy at first, but the tomatoes will generate more liquid as they sit.)

Olive  and Cherry Tomato Salad
~adapted from allrecipes.com

• 40 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 c. pitted green olives, drained and sliced (can use ones stuffed with pimiento)
• 1 (6-oz.) can black olives, drained and sliced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 2 T. red wine vinegar
• 1 T. white sugar
• 1 t. dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste (remember, olives are salty!)
• 3-oz. pine nuts*

*I didn't use; just too expensive for this purpose. But you can probably sub in some other kind of nut or seed....

1. If using nuts, toast lightly.
2. Toss tomatoes, onions, and olives together gently. 
3. Combine vinegar, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk in oil.
4. Pour dressing over tomato mixture.
5. Chill for 1 hour (or more!).
6. Add nuts just before serving.

 ~Makes 6-8 servings (or more if part of a buffet)

Marinated Cherry Tomato Salad
~adapted from allrecipes.com

• 4 c. halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 3 T. balsamic vinegar
• 1 t. dried parsley
• 1 t. dried basil
• 1 t. dried oregano
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. sugar

Combine vinegar and seasonings/sugar. Whisk in olive oil. Pour over cherry tomatoes and chill at least 2 hours before serving. Stir gently before serving.

~Makes 6-8 servings

Green and Gold Salad with Citrus Ranch Dressing

This is a hearty salad my mom makes, and it's a nice change of pace from the usual. It's also pretty and a nutritional powerhouse. I'm posting it now because I need to return the recipe card to my mom, but it's really more of a fall salad or early spring.

Green and Gold Salad with Citrus Ranch Dressing

• 3 c. chopped fresh broccoli
• 1 1/2 c. diced mango
• 1 large navel orange, sectioned (and cut in halves/thirds if you prefer)
• 1/2 c. toasted pecans
• 1 (6-oz) package fresh spinach

Toss together. Toss with dressing to taste.

Citrus Ranch Dressing

• 3/4 c. Ranch dressing
• 2 t. grated orange rind
• 3 T. fresh orange juice

Mix together thoroughly.

~Serves 4-6

Pasta Salad with Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Delicious! A sophisticated pasta salad that even my non-pasta-salad-loving hubby enjoys.

~From America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Favorites

• 1/4 c. oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and minced
• 2 T. minced red onion
• 3 T. red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper
• 8 oz. whole-wheat penne (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 2 oz. arugula (about 2 cups)
• 1/3 c. shredded provolone cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)*
• 1 T. minced fresh parsley
• 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 t. Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced to a paste
• 1/8 t. red pepper flakes

 *I usually use Parmesan in this salad because I have it on hand....

1. Toss the sun-dried tomatoes, onion, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a large serving bowl; set aside.
2. Cook noodles with 1 tablespoon salt until tender. Drain, rinse with cool water, and drain again. Add cooled pasta, arugula, cheese, and parsley to the bowl with the onion and tomatoes. Toss to combine.
3. Whisk remaining ingredients together and pour over salad; toss to coat. 
4. If making ahead, season again with salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste just before serving.

 Serves 6 as a side-dish

Lime-Cottage Cheese Salad

Another recipe for this yummy "salad" which is really a dessert masquerading as a side dish. Can't remember where I got this...

• 1 large Cool-Whip
• 12-oz. cottage cheese
• 1 package lime jello
• 1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 c. chopped pecans, optional
• 1 c. mini marshmallows

Mix first 3 ingredients. Add rest and chill!

Fluffy Lime Jell-O Salad

I love this stuff! It takes me back--it's definitely an old-fashioned "congealed" salad that still makes the rounds on church potluck tables and at holiday dinners. This version is from a collection my college alumni society produced one year. Enjoy!

• 1 small package lime gelatin
• 1/2 c. hot water
• 1 1/2 c. mini marshmallows
• 2 (8-oz) cans crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 c. pineapple juice (from cans)
• 1 c. small curd cottage cheese
• 1/2 c. whipping cream*
• 1 c. pecans, toasted, optional

Dissolve gelatin in hot water. Add marshmallows and pineapple juice. Heat slowly until marshmallows are melted. Let cool until slightly set (about 2 hours). Beat until fluffy. Whip the cream until stiff. Blend pineapple, cottage cheese, whipping cream, and nuts, if using, into the gelatin mixture. Chill until set.

*no guarantees here, but I'm betting you could use Cool-Whip here!

Winter Salad

Another recipe from my Aunt Jeanne! This makes a nice, large salad--take it to a potluck or dinner gathering.

• 1 bag Romaine, torn
• 1 bag Spinach
• 4 oz. grated or torn Swiss cheese
• 8 oz. cashews, toasted
• 1 unpeeled red delicious apple, sliced or chopped
• 1 unpeeled golden delicious apple, sliced or chopped

Mix greens and toss with cheese, apples, cashews. Toss with dressing, below.

Salad dressing

• 3/4 c. sugar (or equivalent sugar substitute)
• 1/2 t. minced onions (fresh or dry)
• 1/3 c. red wine vinegar
• 1 c. vegetable or canola oil
• 1 t. dry mustard
• 1 1/2 t. poppy seeds

Mix dressing ingredients and toss with salad.

Sensation Salad

My friend Sara brought this to a dinner at our house a while back; it's delicious!

~from The Complete Low-Carb Cookbook (but it's not low fat!)

• 3 1/2 ounces grated Romano
• 3 ounces Gorgonzola, grated or crumbled
• 1 (1- to 1 1/2-pound) head iceberg lettuce
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley
• 2 T. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
• 2 T. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced

1. Combine Romano and Gorgonzola in a mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate while you assemble the rest of the salad.
2. Separate lettuce leaves from the head. Rinse, spin dry and tear into 3-inch pieces.
3. Whisk together oil, parsley, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Add lettuce and cheeses, toss to combine and serve.

~Serves 6 as a side dish