Oh My YUM!

I'm not one of those people who hate lettuce.  I thoroughly enjoy it actually.  But the other day I was craving a salad and just happened to be out of lettuce.  I scoped out the rest of the situation in my fridge and my ingredients were calling to me.  I found tomato, red onion, garlic, mushroom, cheese, garbanzo beans, cucumbers and even some fresh seasonings like parsley and basil.  I had a lot of options in there.  Actually, the amount of combinations of what you could put into a salad is overwhelming.  Cheese/ no cheese? Beans/ no beans? Red onion or white?  And the most important decision.. the dressing.   I usually like to decide the dressing first because it dictates what ingredients are going into my salad.  I picked balsamic.  (Newman's Own Lite Balsamic is a personal favorite, but plain balsamic works just as well.)

I eyed my mushrooms which were in desperate need of being eaten.  Sometimes I get a little skeptical about mushrooms and their flavor so I grilled them up with some Olive Oil cooking spray and fresh sliced garlic just to be sure I'd enjoy them.  This is how I handle any food I may not like. Put it on the grill for the obvious reason that everything tastes better on the grill (and sauteed in garlic).  The other chosen ingredients were tomato, red onion, and crumbled goat cheese. Extra salt and pepper.  I diced up my medium sized tomato, and about 1/2 of a red onion.  Mixed in my grilled shrooms & garlic. Sprinkled on about a 2 tbsp of goat cheese.  Topped with 1tbsp of balsamic vinegar dressing.  Salt. Salt. Pepper.  Stir.  YUMMMMMM!!  One of the most heavenly things I ever tasted until.....

Yesterday.

So I've been pretty much sharing said recipe with everyone because the combination is unreal.  I have  eaten it 4 times in the past week.  I tried to add in some mixed green lettuce, but it just wasn't the same.   But yesterday, this recipe received the best gift a salad could ask for "The Game Changer" Avocado.

Taryn offered to make the scrumptious salad adding in avocado!  I accepted without hesitation.  As you can see the beautiful masterpiece above is a winner.   Here's the latest version of what I call the Lettuce-less Salad.

The Lettuce-Less Salad (for two)


Ingredients:

• One ripe avocado (without skin or seed, diced chunky)
• 1 1/2 cups of sliced mushrooms (or baby bella mushrooms)
• 6 cloves of garlic (thinly sliced)
• 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Olive Oil Cooking Spray
• 1 medium red onion (diced)
• 2 medium tomatoes (diced, chunky)
• 4 tbsp Crumbled goat cheese
• 4 tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:  

1. Heat a saute pan or grill pan.  Add oil/ spray and garlic.
2. After about 1 minute (when you can smell the garlic), add in the mushrooms.  Let it cook for about 5 minutes on med-high heat.
3. While those are cooking, dice tomato, onion, avocado.  Divide evenly onto two plates.
4. Add the mushrooms, top with cheese and balsamic vinegar.
5. SALT SALT and pepper. 
6. ENJOY!

Its not only tasty and filling, but nutrition too!  Check out the nutritional value in this guy: 


Calories: 307.7; Total Fat: 20.6 g; Cholesterol: 11.2 mg; Sodium: 106.3 mg; Total Carbs: 27.0 g; Dietary Fiber: 9.0 g; Protein: 8.6 g


And if you're really feeling hungry.. you could add in another half of an avocado to each plate for 144 calories.  Or eat the whole salad and don't share =)