Recipe: Everything in the Fridge Salad with Grilled Chicken

This salad was created last summer and the ingredients varied based on what was in the fridge at the time. All ingredients below are suggestions, though we found that the more you added the yummier and more exciting the salad became, use any or all that you wish. You can use your favorite dressing. I recommend using a vinaigrette of some kind as it does not overpower the flavors of the vegetables. I recommend the Dijon Mustard Greek Vinaigrette that I posted previously. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

Lettuce: 1 small head (Spring Lettuce)

Cherry Tomatoes- 1/2 cup

Jerusalem Artichokes- 1 cup chopped and sautéed until slightly crispy (for those of you who don't know Jerusalem Artichokes are a GREAT source of iron, and have a smooth slightly nutty flavor. They can be cooked with or without the skin)

Batata or Sweet Potato- 1 potato thinly sliced and sautéed until slightly crispy

Fresh corn- 2 ears, remove kernels

Carrots- 1-2 shaved

Pine nuts- 1/2 cup toasted

Cashews- 1/2 cup toasted

Sunflower seeds- 1/2 cup toasted

Avocado- 1-2 whole avocados, cubed

Cucumbers- 1-2 medium cucumbers, sliced thin with skin

Grilled Cauliflower- 1/2 cup (can also be used raw if desired)

Grilled Broccoli-1/2 cup (can also be used raw if desired)

Spring Onions- 3-4 chopped finely with tops

Red Onion- 1-2 julienned

Fresh Green Beans- 10-12 snapped into bite sized pieces

Fresh Snow Peas- 1 cup

Hearts of Palm- 3-4 stalks drained and sliced

Artichoke hearts- approx half a can quartered

Bell Peppers- Approx 1/2 cup chopped

Zucchini- 1-2 small zucchini sliced thin with skin

Yellow Squash- 1-2 small Squash sliced thin with skin

Chicken Breast- 1-3 whole breasts

Small amount of Olive oil to Sauté

Salt and Pepper- to taste

Vinaigrette to marinate Chicken and veggies

Ingredients for Greek Vinaigrette:

Olive Oil- 3/4 cup (It is very important to use a good olive oil for optimum taste)

Red Wine Vinegar- 1/2 cup

Lemon Juice- 1 good squeeze

1-2 garlic cloves

Dried Oregano or Italian seasoning- approx 1-1 1/2 tsp

Dijon Mustard- 1 small teaspoon (I use the mustard with the seeds, not the creamy one)

Salt- to taste

Fresh Ground Pepper- to taste

Also Need-

Sauté pan

George Foreman grill for Veggies/ Meat if desired

Large salad Bowl

Salad Tongs

To Prepare Vinaigrette:

Smash Garlic cloves with the side of a large knife to release the flavor. Combine this and the other ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together, adjusting seasoning for taste. It is important to let the dressing sit for at least a half an hour so that the flavors have time to fully disperse throughout the dressing. The longer it sits, the more flavorful it becomes. Dressing lasts several weeks in the fridge and also makes a great healthy marinade for Chicken and fish. Remove whole garlic cloves prior to serving.

To Prepare Salad:

This salad unfortunately has quite a bit of prep before it can be assembled. Some of the vegetables for the salad need to be cooked and cooled before hand. I suggest cooking them before you start chopping the vegetables that are served cold so that the others have time to chill before serving.

To grill the cauliflower and broccoli, first break it down to bite sized florets. I like to drizzle them with a small amount of vinaigrette for flavor though olive oil alone is great too. Toss into a sauté pan over medium heat until veggies are slightly soft but still have a nice crunch. The cauliflower will have a slight brown to it. Remove from heat and place on a paper towel to cool. The paper towel will soak up any excess oil. You can also use an electric grill like a George Foreman to cook the florets. This gives them those pretty grill marks and makes it look oh so fancy!

Next sauté the Jerusalem Artichoke slices in a small amount of olive oil until they are soft in the center, crispy on the edges and semi translucent. They should taste slightly nutty. Do the same with the sliced sweet potatoes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

For the chicken first cut into inch or inch and a half wide strips. Marinate your chicken breast strips in a small amount of Vinaigrette dressing and then either use the George Foreman to cook them, or place on tin foil on a baking sheet in the oven at around 375* F to cook. Chicken is done when it is slightly browned on the outside and no longer pink inside. Chicken can be served hot or cold, in strips on top of the salad or cut into bite sized chunks inside the salad. I prefer bite sized chunks as it is much harder for my husband to hog all the chicken that way:P.

Lastly toast the nuts and seeds that you are going to use in the sauté pan with a tiny amount of olive oil and salt. They are done when they start to turn a bit brown. Set aside on paper towels to cool.

Once you have finished all of the ingredients that need to be cooked, Wash and dry your lettuce and place in the bottom of a large salad bowl. Arrange the vegetables you have decided to use on top of the bed of lettuce. Add the cooled cooked ingredients. Top with Warm or Chilled Chicken breast. Dress the salad right before serving. Toss the salad until the ingredients are evenly coated with Dressing. Season to taste. Serve and enjoy!