Grilled Salad January 19 2016

Nutrition-wise with chocolates and champagne as its mascots, Valentine’s Day is cited as the second least-healthy holiday on the calendar.  Here’s a heart healthy recipe that will have your loved ones swooning – Grilled Hearts of Romaine with a Honey based dressing.

What You’ll Need

For Salad:

  • 4 Romaine Hearts
  • 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
  • 2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2 Tomatoes
  • 1 Avocado
  • 1 Cucumber
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

For Dressing:

  • 1 / 2 cup Olive Oil
  • 1 / 4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Honey
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

 

What You’ll Do

For Salad:

  • Preheat grill – or grill pan – on low heat and lightly oil the grate to prevent sticking.
  • Cut the Romaine Hearts in half length-wise.
  • Slice the Tomatoes in slices that are about 1 / 4 inch thick.
  • Brush both the Romaine Hearts and the Tomatoes with the 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil and 2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar. Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
  • Put the Tomatoes on a piece of aluminum foil and place on the grill. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until they have a slightly char.
  • Once you flip the Tomatoes for the first time, put the Romaine Hearts directly on the lightly oiled grill grates. Cook for about 2 minutes, until tender, and then flip for another 2 minutes.
  • When both are tender and have a slight char on each side, remove from grill.
  • Chop the grilled Romaine Hearts and Tomatoes into bite-sized pieces and put into a large bowl or several smaller serving plates.

 

For Dressing:

  • Combine the Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Honey and Dijon Mustard into a small container with a secure lid
  • Put the lid on the jar and shake until all ingredients are combined.
  • Spoon over salad and store extra in lidded container
  • Enjoy!