Summer Salads

I love trying to figure out how to recreate food I eat elsewhere. These are two salads we had at a work lunch last week and while I'm sure they're not exact duplications, they're close enough and good.

I'm going to lead with the Garbanzo Bean one. I'm currently addicted to garbanzo beans in all forms. Most especially hummus and this salad. Jim can't stand them ... so I get to eat ALL of whatever I make with them. Bonus! (And, to my chagrin, I learned that of the three beans I eat most ... black, pinto and garbanzo ... garbanzos have the most calories, most fat and lowest fiber per serving. Figures.)

Greeky Garbanzos
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 to 1 cucumber, cubed
1/2 to 1 container grape tomatoes
1/2 red onion, sliced/diced into pieces about the same size as the beans

1T vinegar (I used balsamic, but you can use whatever you have ... unless you have a more refined palette than I do. In that case, use the balsamic.)
3T olive oil
1/2 to 1t chopped garlic
1/2 to 1t Mediterranean "no salt" seasoning
Squirt of honey
Few sprigs worth of fresh thyme, leaves only
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the dressing first. Just keep tasting it and adding whatever you like until it balances out. If you have the 3:1 oil to vinegar ratio right, the rest is really a personal preference. Balance the sweet/salt/spice. If you don't want to go through all this, buy a jar of reduced fat Greek or Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. Italian would work, too, if you like that better.

If you like more veg than garbanzos, use one can of beans only. Make it the night ahead and let flavors mix/settle. I'm seriously eating this for breakfast right now.


Tomato/Asparagus/Mushroom Salad
1 lb. bunch of asparagus, roasted (oven or grill with olive oil, salt, pepper) and cut into 1" pieces
1 8 oz. container sliced Baby Bella mushrooms (saute them in a little olive oil to take off the "raw")
1 red pepper, chopped
1 container grape tomatoes, halving the big ones
1/2 red onion, diced

3T extra virgin olive oil
1T vinegar (I used rice wine, but balsamic would be good, too)
Squirt Dijon mustard
1/2 t dry oregano (fresh would be better, but I didn't have it)
1/2 t dry basil (fresh would be better, but I didn't have it)
Couple of sprigs worth of fresh tarragon, finely chopped
1/2 t chopped garlic
Salt and pepper
Pinch of Splenda

Mix the dressing, pour over the chopped veg and let it sit overnight. But again, if you have a vinaigrette type dressing you LOVE, just pour it over the veg and call it a day.