Well, to put things lightly, we’ve been eating a lot of crap lately. I mean I love cheese and pulled pork and cookies and so on, but sometimes it just gets to be too much. I could even feel the “weight on my shoulders” this morning on my run, and trust me, it was NOT fun. I’m sure most of you have been here before. It’s so easy to get caught up on the deliciousness that are heavy foods. Anyway, it was time for a MAJOR detox and this is basically what today’s menu was devoted to. A chopped salad just sounded absolutely delicious for dinner and that’s just what it was: delicious. Just like most salads, this one highlights all kinds of great veggies. I put all of my favorites in this recipe and it did not disappoint. The vinaigrette really made the ingredients shine. Unfortunately, I think Zach is still hungry, but oh well, I think there is enough ice cream in the freezer to feed an army. Except, there goes our detox day!
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I think it’s very easy to lose sight of how easy (and how affordable) it is to make your own salad dressing. Speaking of which, I was in the grocery store the other day, and I COULD NOT believe how expensive salad dressing has become! I mean, come on now! Have you ever read the back of most salad dressing bottles? My oh my. I almost lost it. I understand the easiness that comes with just pouring the stuff out of a bottle, but it’s almost just as easy to whip it up yourself. Personally, I like to make a big batch and store it for a week or so. It will keep, so why not! This is a great use for all of those mason jars that I’m almost positive all of you have. If you don’t, go out and get yourself a dozen or so. They really do come in handy, especially for storing homemade salad dressings.
So in an effort to detox today, beer shouldn’t have been on the menu. Hey, I’m not perfect. I did try to go with something lighter. Does this count? Anyway, I decided to keep it simple this evening and go with Great Divide’s Belgian-Style White Ale: Heyday. I knew that it had to be on the lighter side. You don’t want to be pairing this salad with a stout or something. Or maybe you do! Hey, whatever floats your boat(<-- Zach hates when I say this (=).This beer really highlights the flavors of the veggies, and because it's been so freaking HOT out, it's quite refreshing as well! Well I hope all of you had a great day! One day until the weekend! Woohoo!
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This chopped salad is a great way to use up all of those late Summer veggies. It is hearty, delicious and filling too!
Ingredients
- 10 ounces romaine hearts, chopped
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 2 large carrots, sliced thin
- 3/4 cup corn kernels, roasted
- 3/4 cup peas, frozen and thawed, heated through slightly
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 cucumber, cut into half moons
- 4 large eggs, hard-boiled and diced
- 3/4 cup kalamata olives
- 2 avocados, pitted and diced
- 1/2 pound turkey breast, deli-style and sliced into 1 inch strips
- 4 ounces gruyere cheese, shaved or diced
- 1 cup croutons, store-bought or homemade
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 head garlic, roasted
- 1 teaspoon herbs de provence
- salt
- cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare your dressing by combining all of the ingredients into the bowl of your food processor or blender. Blend for 2-3 minutes or until the dressing is completely emulsified. Set aside. Serve at room temperature. Will keep in the fridge for 1 week.
- Combine the chopped romaine hearts, baby spinach, carrots, corn kernels, peas, cherry tomatoes and cucumber in a large bowl. Toss the ingredients to combine. Drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the dressing onto the ingredients. Toss again to combine. Add the egg, avocado, turkey breast, gruyere cheese and croutons. Gently fold the ingredients together. Serve immediately with extra salad dressing on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
Hardware: * Cutting Board * Sharp Knife * Measuring Cups * Measuring Spoons * Large bowl * Blender or Food Processor * Tongs *
