"Lettuceless" Chopped Summer Salad

Summer – it’s a good thing. Beaches, warm weather, festivities, and farmer’s markets. I always feel a little healthier in the summer time because of the generous doses of sunshine and the abundance of the tastiest fruits and vegatables. I often notice that it’s easier to prepare meals without having to cook. Salads are one of my favorite things to eat. If I don’t eat a fresh salad at least every other day – something’s wrong and I know it. The salad above is a good one, but you may notice that it doesn’t include leafy greens of any sort (well, just parsley). I love to make/prepare lettuceless salads because I happen to love all the other stuff a little more than lettuce. This salad is an example of what I’m talking about. See what you think!

“Lettuceless” Chopped Summer Salad (for two)

Ingredients

• 1/2 c chopped, fresh parley (no stems)
• 1/4 c chopped celery
• 1/4 c chopped red onion
• about a dozen of your favorite chopped cherry tomatoes (I’m loving Baby Roma’s right now). I like the way smaller tomatoes taste when you quarter them, or chop them in half.
• about a handful of pepitas (pumpkin seeds) – roasted and salted
• 1/4 cup shaved parmesan/romano cheese
• a few splashes of olive oil and red wine vinegar
• 1 whole lemon (squeezed)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 clove of garlic smashed and finely chopped

Directions:

• Chop all the veggies
• In a small bowl or jar, mix together the following: olive oil, vinegar, lemon, salt, pepper and garlic
• In bowl, toss the veggies with the dressing
• Put in serving bowl and sprinkle/garnish with pepitas and the shaved cheese.

Serve with some wonderful, warmed whole grain bread and a glass of sparkling mineral water with a squeeze of some of your leftover lemon. Enjoy!