The Spin on Salads

Fortunately, I found out just in the lick...oops...nick of time. Yesterday was National Ice Cream Day. No worries if you missed it...it has to be "yesterday" somewhere, right? You might question that as a nutritionist, why am I touting ice cream? Well, here is my theory...food has gotten much too scientific, too "gram-y", too analzyed. Where is the fun? Ice cream is joyful...comes in dairy and non-dairy versions. A smile in every scoop. I am going for the grin!

Jeni's Ice Cream

Again, I hit the free class yesterday at Williams-Sonoma and met some pals there. I first started going to these classes with my mom and I admit, I am hooked. This one was on salads...starting from selecting the greens to washing and drying them to assembling and dressing them into a magnificant fresh salad. I loved the focus of this class...on the greens. It's all about the greens. Think of the dressing as the "bow" on a beautiful package. That alone moved my salad thoughts ahead light years. I have always thought most about what goes with the greens...the little accessories...the stars of the show.  Or, so I thought. So yesterday. And, the dressing...put lots of thought into that as well. This class encouraged me to rethink the basics...deconstruct and start my salad and dressing thoughts again with a more "today" approach.

One of the other really fun benefits of this class was being able to taste a variety of olive oils from grassy Italian ones to buttery Spanish ones and several balsamic vinegars...the real syrup-y, beautifully aged, Modena balsamics. Oh my, ambrosia. Drank my lunch. Yum.

Here is one of the recipes...plucked right off their handout. Picture is from their website. It is a lovely salad...fresh and soooo falvorful. Almost as smile-y as that scoop of ice cream!

Green Herb Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 large head butter lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chives, cut into 2 inch lengths

In the bottom of a salad bowl, combine olive oil and shallot. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper and mix well with a fork or whisk. Top with lettuce, parsley, cilantro and chives. When ready to serve, toss gently but well. Mound the salad in individual bowls or on plates. Garnish with a chive blossom, if available, and sprinkle salad with a little Maytag, Stilton or Gorgonzola cheese if you want a richer salad. This salad can stand up to 30 minutes before serving.