Do you ever get tired of leafy green salads? With gardens producing just about every vegetable imaginable right now you might want to throw together a colorful vegetable salad that contains no lettuce at all. The ingredients in this crunchy salad can be altered to accommodate whatever vegetables you have on hand; for a surprising burst of flavor throw in your choice of olives (I like kalamata olives), pickles, banana peppers, or sun-dried tomatoes.
It will be more flavorful if you steam the heavier, more dense vegetables for a few minutes — not too long, just until the color brightens but they still retain some crispiness. Any Italian salad dressing will work well, and it always tastes better the next day after flavors have had time to marinate. Makes a great lunch!
Ingredients:
1/2 head cauliflower florets
1 stalk broccoli florets
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 red radishes, thinly sliced
1 pint halved cherry tomatoes
1 ear fresh corn kernels (sliced off the cob)
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Optional: (any or all) olives, dill pickles, banana peppers, sun-dried tomatoes
Lightly steam cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots until just crisp tender (they will be easier to chew and absorb more flavor if steamed). Cool quickly in very cold water and drain. Place in a large bowl, add other ingredients and your favorite Italian dressing. Toss to coat everything with dressing and allow to marinate for best flavor (good to make the day before). Serve cold.
Makes 10 – 12 servings
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