Country Tuscan Salad

Once of my most vivid food memories is when I was in the Tuscany region of Italy. I had an inspiring Tuscan white bean soup--inspiring because it warmed my stomach.. and my soul. I was visiting my friend Grace, and she took me to a hole in the wall sandwich and soup cafe. The cafe was small and somewhat ordinary looking, but at lunchtime, the cafe bustled with Italians loudly ordering their soup to go in a language that was foreign to my ears.  There is nothing more exciting for a traveling foodie, than finding that hole in the wall cafe that serves authentic regional food that the locals frequent.

I have  ordered the "Tuscan bean soup" at several establishments since, but none compares.

Last week, I picked up "Country Tuscan Salad" from Trader Joe's.  I was drawn to it because it didn't have meat, and it was much lower in sugar, fat, and calories than the other salads.  What I hadn't expected was to be brought back to the bustling cafe in Tuscany...

Though the salad did not remotely compare to the soup, the balance of flavors did. I recreated my own last night, since I don't fancy paying $2.99 for a small salad.

Country Tuscan Salad

Diced green and red bell pepper
shredded carrots
lettuce
shaved Parmesan
white beans
Parmesan garlic vinaigrette

Toss the ingredients, and serve immediately.

If you don't want to make your own, just pick one up from the "lunch" section at Trader Joe's for $2.99!

Caprese

A simple, elegant appetizer that is sure to please.

Recipe- Caprese. Adapted from all recipes.

20 grape tomatoes

8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 bunch of fresh basil

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegar

salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk oil and vinegar together.  Drizzle over tomatoes and cheese.  Thread tomatoes, cheese, and basil onto toothpicks (one grape tomato, one basil leaf, one 1inch cube of cheese). Season to taste.

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a great light summer salad.  I used whole wheat "pearl (Israeli) couscous" instead of bulgur, because I love the texture of the tiny sphere-shaped couscous, and the whole wheat really makes the dish heartier.

The photo is before I added the chopped greens (parsley and mint) and couscous.  I absolutely loved that the chopped vegetables (cucumber and tomatoes) filled an entire large mixing bowl.  

Link to Tabbouleh Recipe

Recipe- Tabbouleh

Servings- 8

Prep Time- 45 minutes

1 cup bulgur (or prepared couscous)

3 tomatoes seeded and chopped

2 cucumbers peeled and chopped

3 green onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup lemon juice (about 3 large lemons)

2/3 cup olive oil

1. Place cracked wheat in a bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water.  Soak for 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water.  (Or, prepare couscous according to directions)

2. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients.  Toss and refrigerate for 4 hours. Toss before serving.