Summer Chopped Salad with Light Champagne Basil Vinaigrette
I can't stop eating this salad. And what is it about everything being chopped small that makes it SO MUCH BETTER.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Course: salads
Cuisine: California Fresh
Keyword: chopped, salad, summer
Servings: 4
Calories: 217kcal
Author: Lillie
Ingredients
For the Salad:
Several handfuls150 g of Arugula (my favorite) or mixed greens -chopped fine. (Or if you're not trying to track this as my recipe, just plenty of greens for your family!)
1cupcooked brown ricefarro, or your favorite grain (136 g of rice, 175 g farro)
1cupchopped cucumber130g
1cupcorn sliced off the cob150 g (grilled if you're ambitious! I wasn't, so I microwave mine in the husk for 3-4 minutes)
1cuphalved cherry tomatoes150 g
1/2cupdiced red onion55 g
1/2cupdiced sweet bell peppers75g
Half of an avocado60 g
1ozshaved parmesan28g
1/4-1/2cupfresh chopped basil12 g
1/4cupfresh chopped mint5g (*optional, I add it if I have it, but basil is KEY!)
Salt and Pepper
Everything Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joesoptional
1/4cup60 g of champagne basil vinaigrette (recipe below)
For the Champagne Basil Vinaigrette:
1/3cupchampagne wine vinegarcan use red wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
1/2clovegarlic
1/4cupfresh parsley
1/4-1/2cupfresh basil
Juice from 1/2-1 whole lemon
1/4tspkoser salt
1/4tspfresh ground pepper
7g1/2 tbs honey
15g1 tbs olive oil
100gnon-fat greek yogurt
Instructions
For the Vinaigrette:
Blend together all ingredients from the vinegar to the honey. You don't have to go crazy here, I like some bits of herbs in mine.
Continue to blend while slowly drizzling in the olive oil.
Add yogurt and give it one last whirl.
Store in fridge until you're ready to use. Keeps for about three days.
For the Salad:
Make sure everything is chopped small. Add greens to a giant bowl and top with everything else!
Drizzle on about 60 g of the Champagne Basil Vinaigrette and toss.
Season with salt and pepper and everything bagel seasoning if you've got it!
If you're adding chicken, this apple cider dijon is our go-to! Always on hand in my fridge to throw in to salads all week.
Notes
*Rice and farro are similar enough in macros to use interchangeably- photographed here is rice, I buy the frozen packs from Trader Joes for ease and I love them. But I really love the big thick chewiness of farro! I get mine in a bag from Trader Joes, (it's on my list of Trader Joe's Favorites.) It's easy to cook-- just like pasta- boil then drain.)
I'm not a huge meal-prepper. But when I get hooked on something (like I am this salad, this week) I definitely try and give myself some short cuts. I love to keep baggies stored within one pyrex in my fridge each with chopped cucumber, peppers, corn, and herbs... whatever leftover grain... for easy tossing the next day.
For macro-tracking in My Fitness Pal, search for "Lillie Eats and Tells Summer chopped salad". You should find an entry w/o dressing, and one WITH dressing. So you can make this exactly and log your portion, or you can log just the salad if you choose to use a different kind or different amount of dressing! To search the dressing alone, look for "Lillie Eats and Tells Light Champagne Basil Vinaigrette".