Description
Transport yourself to Italy in one bite with this delicious Mediterranean salad recipe. A creative use for leftover asparagus, it combines heart-healthy olives, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil in a simple dressing for a quick and easy lunch that will keep you full and satisfied all afternoon.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
3–4 large asparagus spears, or 6–8 skinny ones, steamed
3 large handfuls of organic butter lettuce, rinsed and torn
1–2 tablespoons sliced black olives in water, drained
2–3 stems fresh basil leaves, torn
3–4 sun-dried tomatoes in EVOO, roughly chopped
5–8 pitted green olives (such as Castelvetrano or Frescatrano)
A few spins of fresh cracked pepper
Leftover Rosemary Garlic Chicken breast
Dressing:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon traditional dark balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Pinch of fine sea salt
Optional:
1 teaspoon capers
Traditional Feta cheese crumbles
Instructions
Prep Note: Instructions for steaming the asparagus are included below. If using leftover asparagus, skip ahead to step 2.
Cook the Asparagus: Trim the woody ends off the asparagus and cut the spears to 1″ pieces. Steam for about 5 minutes, or until the asparagus is al dente.
Combine Raw Ingredients: While the asparagus steams, combine the butter lettuce, black olives, torn basil and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in a large mixing bowl.
Make the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, onion powder and sea salt and whisk until emulsified. Drizzle the dressing over the salad greens and gently toss to evenly coat.
Plate and Serve: Plate the greens and finish with the steamed asparagus, green olives, capers and feta cheese crumbles if using. Top with a protein of your choice, such as leftover rosemary garlic chicken. Add a few spins of fresh cracked pepper to taste.
Notes
- Make it vegan: Omit the chicken and feta cheese and add 1 tablespoon of hemp seeds and a handful of chickpeas for protein.
- Instead of onion powder in the dressing, you may use sliced red onions on the salad, however, raw onions can be irritating to the gut, so I don’t recommend them if your gut is actively inflamed.
- Olives, capers and feta cheese are naturally salty, so omit the sea salt from the dressing if you’re watching your sodium levels.
