I have SO many more recipes I want to share with you all but this one is being posted by popular demand. I originally obtained this recipe from one of my Columbus besties, Kristi. She made this for us when she and her hubs were living with us a while back. Now that I write that, I'm getting deja vu as if I've already blogged this. Oh well, I'm doing it again if I already have simply for the sake of blogging SOMETHING on this poor, neglected blog. I have made this salad SEVERAL times for SEVERAL different people and it always gets RAVE reviews. The dressing is the secret, I think. So here's the recipe:
Feta Dressing
2 T white wine vinegar (can use regular
white vinegar)
1 tsp honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tsp minced fresh thyme
Other Ingredients:
Mixed greens
Avocado
Scallions/basil (scallions are cheaper)
Your choice of vegetables (I typically use a purple onion, a zucchini or squash, a bell pepper [anything but green], and asparagus [which roasts for a lesser time than the other vegetables])
Whisk first 6 ingredients. Slowly
whisk in olive oil. Stir in feta and thyme (often times I only stir in the thyme and put the feta directly on the salad and drizzle the dressing over when time to serve).
Grab your favorite vegetables. Pre-heat oven to 425. Cut the veg into thick pieces (everything minus the asparagus because they don't need any extra slimming) and lay them all out flat on a cutting board. Sprinkle them with salt and let them sit for
about 10 minutes (this is really only necessary with squash and zucchini). Blot the water off of
them (getting rid of some of that water in the veg helps them brown better)
Lay out your veggies on a sheet pan- don’t let any
of them be all over each other otherwise they won’t evenly roast. Drizzle them with olive oil (I’d start with 1
tablespoon then if you miss some veg, add a bit more- but don’t drench them)
and season with about 1 teaspoon of salt.
(I know it sounds like simple seasoning but the roasting develops
flavors for you so you don’t have to worry about other seasonings)
Get a good bed of greens, an avocado, and some scallions (or
strips of basil would be divine). Let
the vegetables roast for about 20 minutes (or more- depending on where they are
at in the browning stage) turning once at the halfway point. They may take around 25 minutes, just keep an
eye on them. They should be soft, but
caramelized looking in some parts (ie; not all completely brown- but you’ll
know it when you see it).
Cut up your avocado, scallions, and put your beautiful
roasted vegetables on top of those greens (I like a spring mix- more nutrients
than romaine) and top with the avocado and scallions. Drizzle over your dressing and you are good
to go! The vegetables can be served warm- if you serve them piping hot, they will wilt the greens. But hey, there's nothing wrong with a wilted salad from time to time. ENJOY!
