Food Lovin' Friday- Chop Salad For The Win

(Yes, I know, it's a couple of days late.  But it's here, and it's better than ever.)

 There's a little restaurant down the street from where I work, and I've recently become slightly obsessed.  How I only visited the place for the first time a couple of weeks ago is beyond me.  I'm so happy that it's now a part of my life.  It's a wonderful little salad haven.  You stand in line and can order LITERALLY any kind of salad imaginable.  There are about 5 kinds of lettuce to choose from and a million different toppings.  And then comes the most beautiful part- they dump all of your fresh healthiness out on to the counter, put the dressing right on top,  and use a giant rounded knife thing with two handles to chop it all up togther.  The result is A-MAZING. 

Go here for lunch.  You won't be sad.

So me, being the cheap financially intelligent person I am, have since become addicted to making my own versions of these delectable delights at home.  Of course, they are never *quite* the same (why is that?), but they are still good, fresh, and healthy.  Here is my version of the chop salad:


Step 1:  Chop up as many vegetables as you'd like, as small as you possibly can.  Make sure you start with lettuce.  I cut it in to thin strips, then cut those in half or thirds.  Basically, I just go crazy with the knife for a while... imagining I'm hosting my own show on the Food Network, obviously. 

Step 2:  Load it all in to a big bowl.  Add some smaller, non-chopable things on top for some added nutrients.  Think: black beans, chick peas, corn, etc. Oh wait, corn has no nutritional value.  That's ok, you can still add it in if you'd like.  It acts as a very nice splash of color.  And you want your salad to double as a fashion statement, right?

Step 3:  Add some of your favorite dressing, and WAKE up those tastebuds!  And there you have it... a gorgeous chop salad.  Bon Appetit! 

Have a healthy day,

J

PS- Hey salad lovers: leave me a comment and tell me what you put in your salads.  Not only am I  always looking for new combo ideas, but it is Farmer's Market season, and I would love some inspiration!