Sometimes I feel like such a hippie. In the I’m-obsessed-with-vegetables sort of way. Almost every mealtime is overflowing with veggies from a salad or soup or stuffed in my sandwich or even dominating the toppings on my pizza.
Really, I don’t know what happened–I was that kid who liked to have her steak, and leaves and other green stuff were always eaten with some mayonnaise-based product. Somewhere along the way, though, red meat completely lost my interest, and ranch dressing pretty much grosses me out now.
Not to say that I would never eat one of those fresh-from-the-grill pulled-pork sandwiches dripping with tangy barbeque sauce…
But here we’ve got the mother of hippie salads, a bowl full of green goodness that will make you feel wonderful as much as it tastes wonderful.
First, you’ll need lots of spinach–the greener the leaf is, the more nutrient-packed it is. A small amount of iceberg lettuce is good for adding some crunchy texture.
The key to making an amazing salad is thinking of the lettuce as being bored and wanting to have a party. But not just any guests can be invited; the party has to have a theme, otherwise weird ingredients that no one wants to party with–like sardines–start showing up, or foods that have issues with each other–like apples and tomatoes–start a nasty fight.
Tonight’s salad party is hosted with a theme that includes the delicious flavors of sweet, rich, tangy, nutty, and earthy.
The guest list includes: half of a diced green bell pepper, half a shredded beet, a good handful of crumbled feta, about a whole avocado cut up into pieces, two or three sliced mushrooms, two medium shredded carrots, a small handful of chopped walnuts…
…and about half a cup of diced cherry tomatoes. Shall we dance?
And just like Family Force 5‘s “Keep the Party Alive” gets the people groovin’, a couple dashes of Trader Joe’s Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette kicks this hippie salad into a full on veggie party!
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