Caprese Salad with Roasted Asparagus

Caprese salad is one of my (and my family's) favorite side dishes. I'm pretty sure I could serve it every day, and no one in my house would be disappointed. But I like variety way too much to do that, so I cut it back to just 3 times a week.

Just kidding.

But I do make it often enough to need more than one version, so here is one of my favorite variations. I love this version for lots of reasons, but mainly because it increases the nutritional value quite a bit and also because it is a great way to serve (expensive) indulgent asparagus without needing much of it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

8 oz. fresh mozzarella

1 pint grape tomatoes

1/2 pound fresh asparagus

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

healthy handful fresh basil

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

balsamic glaze to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut asparagus into 1-1/2 inch segments. Place on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until nicely browned. 

3. While asparagus is cooking, cut tomatoes in half and toss into serving bowl. Cube mozzarella and add to bowl.

4. Brown garlic in 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. (Watch carefully as it tends to burn quickly once browning has begun.) Set aside to cool.

5. Remove asparagus from oven and allow to cool slightly. 

6. Tear basil into bite-size pieces and add to salad. Add cooled asparagus. Drizzle garlic-infused oil (including garlic) over top. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with balsamic glaze to serve.

Simple, delicious, and so pretty! :-)

Raw Summer Salad with Mozzarella and Bacon

Simplicity is a beautiful thing. And this is about as simple as it gets. You can throw it together in minutes, and it works as a side dish for almost anything or even as a complete light lunch. Also, it is one of the most versatile dishes ever. I am listing below the ingredients I used, but honestly you could use any combination of your favorite veggies and cheese and even throw in some nuts and seeds if you like. The key to this salad (in my opinion) is to have plenty of crunch in the veggies you choose, and don't skip the dressing. It's just the right amount of sweet, tart and creamy for all those veggies. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 broccoli crown, cut into bite-size pieces

1 small head of cauliflower, separated into bite-size florets

1/2 lb. coarsely chopped portabella mushrooms

1 large orange (or red or yellow) bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and coarsely chopped

6 oz. mozzarella, freshly grated

1/2 lb. bacon, diced and fried very crispy (Dicing the bacon before cooking helps it to cook more evenly and become more crispy, but you could certainly just crumble leftover strips if that's what you have.)

3/4 cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons powdered stevia

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Combine all veggies in large bowl and toss together.

2. Sprinkle cheese and bacon bits over top.

3. Combine mayonnaise, stevia and vinegar and whisk to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle a bit over top of salad, reserving some to the side for those who would like to add a bit more.

4. Toss and serve while everything is nice and crisp.

***Suggestions for other great veggie additions include fresh carrots, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, edamame, and grape tomatoes. (I would avoid chopped tomatoes or canned vegetables since they tend to add too much moisture.)