Eat-the-Rainbow Salad

Here's my salad just before I tossed on the mozzarella and dressing. Isn't it colorful?

Chopped salads are a convenient way to add lots of colorful vegetables to your meals. You don't even need to use a knife to eat them. In fact, a spoon might be the best way to down this bowlful of veggies. The recipe, from Eating Well, simulates a caprese salad (the summer concoction of ripe tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil doused with extra-virgin olive oil and served on crunchy bread) minus most of the carbs and calories.

Use your imagination when you gather the ingredients for your salad but don't forget to be as colorful (aka nutrient-packed) as possible. Don't like red cabbage? How about radicchio instead? My supermarket didn't have fresh kale so I used red leaf and romaine lettuce. I've included the recipe for Eating Well's white balsamic dressing because it's delicious-- the white balsamic vinegar gives the salad a slightly sweet, piquant taste. You can use a low-fat (lemon juice and 2 Tbsp. of olive oil) or fat-free dressing if you want to save Points or calories. Walden Farms makes some popular fat-free dressings that are available in most supermarkets. Dress the amount of salad you intend to eat at one meal and store remaining salad in the fridge for several days.

One more suggestion: top your salad with a grilled chicken breast, shrimp or salmon to make this a main dish. Best of all, be proud of yourself for doing what Mom always told you to do: Eat Your Vegetables!

2 large carrots, diced

1/2 seedless cucumber, sliced in quarters

1 large yellow bell pepper, diced

2 cups chopped kale (or your choice of lettuce)

1 1/4 cups chopped red cabbage

1 cup quartered grape tomatoes

2 scallions, sliced

1 cup mozzarella pearls (or low-fat feta cheese, crumbled)

1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Your choice of low-fat dressing

Eating Well’s White Balsamic Dressing:

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Serves 4

WW Points per serving: 2 (without dressing)