FAVORITE ITALIAN CHOPPED SALAD
This recipe is our family’s favorite. With bite-sized greens, Italian spices, olives, garlic, and tomatoes, you’ll want to eat with a spoon to get all the chopped salad flavors!
I hope you enjoy it too.
**Vinaigrette can be prepared separately in a mason jar and kept refrigerated to dress before serving your salad (or kept for later in the week). Greens will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days without being dressed with oil and vinegar.
Serves 4-6, Prep Time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 c dark, leafy greens (I used about 3/4 of a 5oz container, Organic Girl Supergreens)
- 1/2 English cucumber
- 1/2 c broccoli (stems and florets)
- 1 c coursely chopped onions (green, red, or yellow)
- 1 c halved grape tomatoes
- 1/2 c sliced garlic stuffed olives (I used Santa Barbara Hand Stuffed Garlic Olives)
- 1/4 c salted almonds or pine nuts, packaged or make your own (I prefer to start with sliced or slivered raw almonds, and toast/salt my own ahead of time)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp balsamic
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- pink salt, Italian seasonings, garlic powder, and black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- Chop greens, cucumber, broccoli, and onions into bite-sized pieces.
- Halve the tomatoes and slice olives.
- Toast nuts by warming a small drizzle of olive oil in a pan, over medium low heat. Add almonds and sprinkle with pink salt. Watch carefully and toss gently every few minutes until almonds are golden in color. Allow to cool before using.
- While nuts are toasting, mix greens, veggies, tomato and olives in a medium salad bowl.
- Drizzle salad with olive oil, vinegars and spices. Add cooled almonds, and mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Serve immediately as a main salad or with a small 3 oz portion of your favorite protein (tofu, grilled chicken, shrimp, fish or a light sprinkle of feta or goat cheese)