We were invited to some friends’ home for dinner.  I asked what  could bring and here’s what I brought.  Originally, had something else planned, this came to mind two 1 hour and 45 minutes before our departure time, off I went to the store and we left on time with this flavorful salad in hand.  Also, this could be a staple salad to have on hand to nibble on during the week,  have friends over for lunch (served along side a soup or sandwich) or as a side dish for dinner along side grilled chicken, shish kabob or lamb chops …My prediction is that you will really  enjoy this one.  Mediterranean cuisine has been both on the radar and quite popular for the last thirty years or so.  Around that time, you started to see more Mediterranean restaurants on the scene and many doctors and dietitians tout the health benefits of such a diet.  Here’s a dish that would be in the category of Mediterranean fare.  In the recipe below, I’ll give measurements on the vegetables, however, you omit those you aren’t fond of, add more of the vegetable you prefer.  When I make this, I often don’t measure, I just end up with a big bowl, enough for how many we’ll be serving, and add minimal dressing, you can always add more later, but once a salad is over saturated, you can’t go back.  Remember, there will be plenty of liquids from the vegetables already.  The dressing is very simple and a good one to have on hand in the fridge for a variety of uses.  Lastly, when serving a salad to others that has Feta cheese on it, I will leave the cubed Feta off until I know that all those included are good with Feta cheese.  It has a strong flavor to it.  I usually rinse the Feta with water before using.  Enjoy!

Approximately 6 servings

(depending on how Salad is utilized)

Ingredients

3 cups baby spinach

1 bunch curly parsley chopped

1 container grape tomatoes sliced in half

1 cup red onion chopped

1/2 cup of roasted red peppers from a jar chopped

6 ounces Feta cheese rinsed and cubed (1/2 inch cubes)

1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed

Dressing

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4  cup extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 1/2 Tablespoons)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method

🍅Chop all ingredients and layer/place in a large mixing bowl and blend    with a spatula or wooden spoon.

🍅Place all ingredients for dressing in a bowl or dressing bottle whisk.

🍅Dress salad with a little dressing at a time, careful NOT to over dress.