Dress to impress with your salads
August 19th, 2009
By the way, today is the last day to register to Weigh Less, Live More at the discounted rate of $10. Why not sign up here and end summer feeling inspired?
As I’m writing this my thighs are sweating to the orange vinyl chair at my desk. But no complaints here – it’s one of the few days this summer that Boston is seeing beach-worthy temperatures. In fact, we never even put our winter clothes in the basement this year! WTF.
Finally experiencing 90 degree heat reminded me of this salad that would be perfect for any end-of-summer BBQs or parties that you are attending. I believe firmly in bringing food to a party that I actually want to eat. So it better be darn good and healthy at the same time, or else I’ll find myself drifting over to the hot dogs and chips.
This salad recipe actually comes from Heidi at 101cookbooks.com. She’s really got this dressing thing down pat. I mean, usually I grab the olive oil and apple cider vinegar for my salads. But she’s always got a more interesting idea and it’s the dressing more than anything that makes this recipe so special.
Right now everyone on Weight Watchers is like, “But wait, I don’t like to use dressing because of all the points and the fat and I’m trying to lose weight!”
I implore you: Eat fats. Dress your salads so they are delicious. Maybe use less cheese. Skip the roll. But allow yourself the healthy fat of olive oil and the deliciousness of a salad that you actually want to eat. This is more healthy and nutritious than hot dogs and hamburgers on supermarket buns, I promise.
So anyway, I made a few changes from her original recipe. Such as…I have no idea where to find giant black beans. I shop at all the natural food stores Boston has to offer but alas, only regular sized beans. And I was rushed, so I used canned. *GASP!*
Baby arugula (which I could only find for $6.00 shipped from California) definitely would taste great here, but instead I used a $2 bunch of local red swiss chard. Depending on the time of year and where you live, I say use whatever leafy greens you like. But try to lean on the hearty side…iceberg lettuce would not cut it with a salad this bold.
Heidi has a way with words so it’s worth checking out her site and original recipe. Want the down-and-dirty version I used? Read on.
Black bean salad with helluva delicious dressing
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbl. white vinegar
1 tablespoon raw, local honey
1/2 small jalapeno, chopped
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 small garlic clove
1/2 tsp. mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 big handfuls arugula (or other salad greens)
1 can black beans, soaked for a few hours, water discarded
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
In blender, combine dressing ingredients. Toss 1/2 the dressing with greens and beans. Top with feta and almonds and the rest of the dressing.
By the way, have I mentioned how much I adore my Magic Bullet blender? We’ve had it for a few years and I use it all the time because it’s incredibly easy to clean – way better than any blender or food processor. I use it for small jobs like dressings or grinding spices and also for individual servings of smoothies or mixed drinks. Basically, it blends up your drink directly into a cup so you only have to wash 1 thing. Perfect for parties actually. Bring it along with your salad and make daquiris!
Ok now I’m in the mood for a party. Who’s throwing one?
This post is part of Kelly’s Real Food Wednesdays.
