Easy Gourmet Salad:
You know how there are some recipes that have been around forever in your family… but you’ve never taken the time to write them down and save them properly? This is one of those recipes. I’m pretty sure I got the idea of this recipe from someone back in my days of teaching elementary school, but I really have no idea who shared it. We’ve been enjoying it for years in my house. It’s a simple salad, really, with simple ingredients. But it’s delicious and satisfying enough to have for lunch, and it’s quick-to-prepare too. And if you happen to be going to a potluck sort-of event, it’s “gourmet” enough to share this Easy Gourmet Salad. What makes it “gourmet?” Well, there are a few add-ins that make it special: sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, golden raisins and toasted pine nuts… oh yeah., and a simple, homemade salad dressing.
Start with mixed greens- any sort. You can use a bag, or you can use 6 handfuls that you picked up at your local Farmer’s Market.
Add a large chopped carrot.
Then add chopped red bell pepper. Or yellow, or orange or green.
Sprinkle in chopped green onions.
Add chopped sundried tomatoes packed in oil (but drained). I suppose you could use regular ol’ cherry tomatoes here, but the sundried ones really give this salad a gourmet- punch.
Mix in some golden raisins too. The raisin-HATER in me says this is all wrong, but since I’ve eaten this salad like 40 dozen times, I know that they totally work in this salad and they’re part of what makes it yummy.
Feta cheese crumbles are added in next.
And finally add in your toasted pine nuts. I know pine nuts are super duper expensive, so I wouldn’t be upset you if you wanted to add in toasted almonds or pecans instead.
How to toast pine nuts:
To toast the pine nuts, heat a skillet to medium. Add the pine nuts to the pan and stir often until they begin to turn golden. Remove the pine nuts to a bowl or a paper towel to cool.
I was quoted in a newspaper article recently that I thought you should never buy salad dressing at the store, and that’s pretty much how I feel. Its SOOO much better when you make it at home, and it’s really easy to make too. The super simple dressing you’ll be whipping up for this salad is a mixture of white wine vinegar + olive oil + Dijon + raspberry jam + Italian seasoning and S&P. Toss it with the salad and you’re good to go with a “Gourmet-Like” salad to share! And if you have the luck that I’ve had over the years, I think you’ll find that this salad recipe is quite a hit with everyone who tries it. Have a great week everyone!
Here are a few more salad recipes you might enjoy:
Chicken, Apple and Smoked Gouda Salad Romaine and Broccoli Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing Southwest Spinach Salad Easy Caesar Salad Mandarin Orange Green Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing Easy Cucumber Salad with Balsamic Dressing Spinach and Quinoa Salad with Apple
