Greek salads have become a staple in American restaurants, but you can’t beat one prepared at home with the freshest, healthiest ingredients. The simple goodness of olive oil, vinegar, feta cheese and lemon never disappoints. This fruity dressing, loaded with vitamin C, is a delightfully bright twist on the classic. Add the dressing just before serving.
*Choose organic produce whenever possible*
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 2 heaping cups fresh baby spinach
- ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives
- 4 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/4 –inch pieces
- 1 small red onion, sliced and separated into rings
- 1 tomato, cored and diced
- 1 teaspoon light olive oil
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 plum, or 1 cup fresh papaya, peeled, pitted and cut up
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Leaves from 8 sprigs Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup feta cheese, rinsed, then crumbled
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, spinach, olives, Brussels sprouts, carrot, red bell pepper, onion and tomato and toss until well combined. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the plum or papaya, olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, garlic and oregano. Pulse until well blended. Set aside. Heat the light olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and sauté until pink, 2-3 minutes. Add to the salad. Add the dressing and toss until the salad is well coated. Divide among four shallow bowls, sprinkle with the feta cheese and serve. Serves 4.
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© 2010 by Stephen Sinatra, MD, Jim Punkre and Rebecca Bent. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Bottom Line Books.