I speak Greek ... Salad!

GREEK SALAD...

If you sometimes you like to pucker when you eat salad like I do, the Greek salad is for you!  I absolutely love this salad with its taste of salty and tangy.  In fact, if you've been reading this blog, you know that I actually like/love most Mediterranean foods.  

The Greek salad is fresh, tasty, and colorful. Basic Greek salad is made up of olives, feta, romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onions.  With the array of ingredients, the nutritional benefits of this salad include vitamins, minerals, proteins, antioxidants  and omega-3 fatty acids.  The fatty acids comes from the olives and olive oil, which are usually part of Mediterranean dishes.  

Olives are very nutritious, providing both Vitamin A and Vitamin E to the diet.  Olives also provide monounsaturated fats, which help relieve rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.  Kalamata olives originated in Greece and are usually marinated olive oil, which increases its fat content, or in vinegar.  The intense flavor of kalamata olives means that a little goes a long way.  I usually dice about 8-10 olives in one family-sized salads and that is usually enough.  Now, olive oil (remember cold-pressed extra virgin) is high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats, which are good for you.  Though I usually tell you to google the benefits, I wanted to share one informational site on olive oil with you (see: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/olive-oil-nutrition-facts.htm).  I use olive oil in/on almost everything.

If you're thinking, "Greek salad has feta cheese!"  Well, yesterday, I provided the recipe for a tofu vegan version of feta that you'll also have to make in advanced.  I call it "fake feta!"  Please make this a day or two before you need it so that the flavorings will soak into the tofu.  

To make my Greek salad, I use:

• Romaine lettuce 
• Grape tomatoes (or whole tomatoes chopped)
• English cucumber (or any cucumber)
• Red onion
• Pitted kalamata olives
• Pepperocini peppers (optional)
• Fake feta (recipe posted on May 23, 2013)
• Greek salad dressing

Remember to buy organic whenever possible to avoid endocrine resistors from pesticides.  If you're like me and make about three or four servings of salad at one time, then remember to only put dressing on the salad that you are going to eat.  Otherwise, the oil will cause your salad to wilt.  The following Greek salad dressing recipe serves ten.  

GREEK SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
• 1-1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1-1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1-1/4 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon Monk's pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1/2 cup organic red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions: 

In a container, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, onion powder, and Dijon-style mustard. Mix vinegars and lemon juice separately and then pour in the other ingredients and shake vigorously until well blended. If you are not as picky as me, you can put everything in a jar and shake it once you finish putting in the ingredients. Store tightly covered at room temperature. Note: If you're all about refrigeration, then remember to take the salad dressing out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before using to allow the oil to liquefy. 

The colorful medley of Greek salad ingredients.

###

Enjoy it!  I know I do!!! :)  If you do, let me know or share how you made it better.