Terri’s Terribly Twee Red, White & Blue Veggie Salad
by
Terri Rowe
Makes a ginormous bowl of salad; good for potlucks & fairly wilt-proof.
Proportions and veggies can be changed to suit whatever you have on hand.
SALAD:
2 ears sweet corn
8 oz. tiny French green beans (haricots verts)
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
12 Brussel sprouts, sliced thinly or shredded and/or ¼ head red cabbage, shredded
1 medium zucchini, cubed
Other chopped moslty crunchy raw veggies of your choice: sweet onions, cucumbers carrots, jicama, radishes, snow peas, kale, etc.
8 oz. small grape tomatoes
½ cup dried sweetened cranberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup (or more) feta cheese, crumbled (or substitute crumbled tofu)
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 avocado (optional but yum, especially if you are feeding one of those vegan people who have so little joy left in eating)
3/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
DRESSING:
3/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup white balsamic vinegar or 1 tablespoon lime juice.
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon Dijon or grainy mustanrd
¼ cup fresh basil, snipped into small bits OR 2 tablespoons basil pesto
Pinch of salt if not using pesto & a few cranks of the pepper grinder
Prepare dressing by adding all ingredients to a jar and shake to mix. Set aside.
Cook sweet corn, cool & cut off kernels.
(I leave the ears un-shucked & nuke them for about 4 minutes per ear.
Cool, then cut off the stem end and the silk & husks will slide right off.
If you cut off the kernels directly into a big salad bowl, you’ll be one step ahead.)
Blanch green beans by submerging briefly in a pot of boiling water until they begin to turn dark green. (about 1 to 2 minutes)
Remove immediately, place into a colander and run ice-cold water over them to cool.
Cut green beans into 1” or so lengths. Add to a large salad bowl along with the corn.
Chop/slice bell pepper, Brussel sprouts, zucchini and other veggies & add to salad bowl.
Add beans & grape tomatoes. Cover & chill if not serving immediately.
Just before serving, cube avocado if using, add to salad & toss gently with dressing. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds* and then arrange blueberries, cranberries & feta on top & serve immediately. *Or save the sunflower seeds to pass.
You can instead pour a little dressing into mason jars, then pack with salad and place berries & feta on top & add lids.
It will keep in the fridge for several days. |
