Simple and Healthy Italian Salad
What could be better for dinner on a hot day than a hearty salad? This Italian salad is full of protein, nourishment and flavor! Perfect for special diets and hungry eaters, you can make this again and again with different ingredients.
Ingredients
- 4-6 C chopped lettuce
- 4-6 C chopped, cooked chicken
- 2-3 C chopped vegetables-- tomatoes, cucumber, onions, etc.
- 1 C cubed mozzarella
- 1/2 C sliced pepperoni or salami
- 1/2 C sliced olives
- 1/4 C sliced, fresh basil
- 1/2 C good olive oil
- 2 T red wine vinegar (apple cider vinegar for GAPS)
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper to taste (about ΒΌ tsp)
- 1/4- 1/2 C sour cream (optional-- for creamy dressing)
Instructions
- Arrange lettuce, chicken, vegetables, cheese, pepproni, olives, and basil in salad bowls or plates. (Alternatively, toss the ingredients together in one large serving bowl.)
- Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning as needed. (Whisk in sour cream if you want a creamy dressing.)
- Drizzle dressing over salads or toss dressing to distribute into salad in serving bowl.
- Top with any garnishes or crunchy additions desired-- croutons, French-fried onions, nuts, extra herbs, etc., and serve.
- For a build-your-own salad, lay everything out and let people construct their own salads! This is great for families with varying preferences, guests whose preferences you don't know about, or groups with varied special diets.