There’s an unwritten rule of food blogging that says, “When you don’t have anything else to write about, blog your lunch.” Or at least that’s been my formerly unwritten rule, and it’s served me well because it’s led me to create some of my favorite lunches: Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens, Hot Skillet Salad, and Sea-sational Chickpea Salad, among others. I have a tendency to get more creative with my lunch when I suspect I may be sharing it with the world.
But I didn’t get creative this time. What you see before you is the salad that I have three or four times a week, and the only special thing I did to it was to use some beautiful lettuces I got from the farmers’ market instead of my usual romaine:
Pretty Speckled Lettuce from the High Heeled Hippie at MS Farmers’ Market
But even if it’s not super creative, I’m so addicted to this salad that I just had to share.
I don’t know exactly when it happened, but sometime after reading Eat to Live and deciding to eat Mega-Huge salads almost every day, I grew to like my salads spicy. I started with strictly spicy salads like Taco Salad, and somewhere along the way I fell in love with the combination of sweet and spicy. There’s something about biting into a crisp, sweet chunk of apple while my mouth is pulsating with heat that makes eating a salad more exciting than it has any right to be. My current favorite salad seasoning is Vulcan’s Fire Salt, a fiery, habanero-infused salt from The Spice House that I think tastes great on salads.
Don’t worry–I’m not going to make you buy some special seasoning just to make this salad. I’m sure heat lovers will love it with diced jalapenos or even Creole seasoning. And if you’re not a fan of the burning mouth, you can go mild and just omit the peppers and I won’t think any less of you. Or just try the dressing, which is fat-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free, and preservative-free–so you can use it freely.
Spicy Apple-Walnut Salad with Fat-Free Balsamic-Raisin Dressing
Ingredients
- 5 cups romaine lettuce about 1 romaine heart, chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup clover sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, or broccoli slaw
- 2 tablespoons Fat-Free Balsamic-Raisin Vinaigrette or other dressing, see below
- 1 small apple chopped
- 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas or your choice of beans
- 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- 1/2 jalapeno chile stemmed, seeded and finely diced --add more or less to taste*
- additional dressing to taste
Instructions
- Combine the lettuce, spinach, and sprouts or broccoli slaw in a large salad bowl and toss well with balsamic dressing. Top with the remaining ingredients and drizzle with a little more dressing, if desired.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Fat-Free Balsamic-Raisin Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup golden raisins see note below
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice or 1 tablespoon regular lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon mellow white miso or salt to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and process on high speed until liquified. Pour into a storage container and refrigerate until thickened slightly. Stir or shake well before using.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
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Amanda
Hi, Susan – this combo looks terrific! I saw that you used dates in the salad dressing instead of the raisins – do you think I could use figs as well, soaked? How many would you suggest? Thanks so much for all you do! We love Loki! 🙂
Susan Voisin
Sure! I think it’s safe to use any dried fruit that you like, and figs would have a great flavor. I love that you love Loki! He’s a special kitty!
Anne
Just made this dressing and poured it over chopped salad – tastes wonderful!
gP
Can I maked this with regular (black raisins)? Are the basil and oregano dried or fresh?
Been searching in vain for a homemade palatable oil free salad dressing. thanks!
Chery
I didn’t have raisins so I used three dates instead. Also blended those chickpeas right into the dressing. Yum! White balsamic vinegar is pricey, but it’s way worth it.