My mom used to make a salad that I LOVED. A vegetable salad. This was usually only for potlucks and contained vegetables that were mostly not grown in our Fargo garden. Though I'm sure we could throw in some carrots and green beans and it would still be great. I go the traditional Italian vegetable salad route. But instead of a bottle of Italian dressing, I wanted to lighten it up. Combined with a lighter version of vinaigrette, the salad is a no-guilt side dish that is always in our fridge in the summer.
Skinny Marinated Salad
Ingredients
Lightened Italian Dressing, see recipe below
4-6 cups broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
4-6 cups cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
1-2 pints grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved
2 14 oz can quartered artichokes or whole artichokes quartered, drained
16 oz button mushrooms, quartered or if you can get them at your Sam's Club - 1 - 32 oz jar of Monterray Marinated Mushrooms (I brush off the big chunks of garlic)
1-2 jars pepperoncini, drained
2 cans black olives, drained
1 sliced red onion
Other optional ingredients:
2 cups sliced celery
2 - 3 bell peppers sliced, any color
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 -3 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
Combine vegetables in a large bowl and toss with the marinade.
Dressing
2 plum tomatoes, halved and shredded on a grater.
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning
1/8 heaping teaspoon sugar to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake until combined. (For a more mellowed garlic flavor, mince garlic, add salt, and mash with the side of a knife to a paste.) Set aside while you prepare the vegetables.
By reducing the amount of olive oil and replacing it with the tomatoes, we have saved almost 500 calories!!
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