New Take on a Tired Salad

You know that old gem of field greens, dried cranberries, and blue cheese? Ugh, I think it's awful too. Try this little variation:

Red butter lettuce, torn
Steamed asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pear, cubed
Small handful of goji berries, soaked and squeezed
About an ounce of blue cheese
Parsley, leaves picked and coarsely chopped




Toss the lettuce, asparagus, and pear with olive oil and lemon juice. Garnish with goji berries, parsley and blue cheese. Yummy and surprisingly hearty!

When asparagus isn't in season you could omit it, or substitute steamed broccoli florets if they were small enough.

Goji berries (also known as wolfberries) are incredibly rich in antioxidants and protein. Purportedly used in Chinese medicine for centuries, they have 18 amino acids, essential fatty acids, and a range of carotenoids and phenols (antioxidant compounds). Worth playing around with! Most of them are imported and dried, so soaking in warmish water helps to reconstitute. Then I squeeze the water out with my hands and toss them in salads. You can also make a tea out of them or use them in smoothies or even baked goods.

I love playing around with different salad combinations. Hard to mess up, and you can utilize just about any ingredient you wish - it's all about how all the ingredients balance each other out. And having at least one big green salad every day is a great way to get your greens in. What are your favorite salads?

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