Asparagus, Beans & Arugula Salad With Mustard Vinaigrette

"Light and healthy. This can be a great starter, nice side salad, toss on some chicken or grilled salmon or scallops and make this a main dish. Perfect for a Holiday meal and is so easy. Store bought bagged greens, a can of cannelloni beans, a simple vinaigrette which is made ahead and uses fresh lightly blanched asparagus. Easy and quick and so healthy. You will spend a little extra for the micro greens, but it is well worth it. I took this on a big platter for a pot luck and topped it with my smoked salmon and the dressing. It was gone in 10 minutes. It really is a nice salad."
 
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photo by FrenchBunny photo by FrenchBunny
photo by FrenchBunny
photo by FrenchBunny photo by FrenchBunny
photo by FrenchBunny photo by FrenchBunny
Ready In:
25mins
Ingredients:
16
Yields:
6 Individual Salads
Serves:
4-6
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ingredients

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directions

  • Asparagus -- In a small sauce pan, fill with about 1" or a bit less of water and salt and bring to a low boil. Add the asparagus and cook, just 2-3 minutes depending on it's thickness. Then immediately remove and add to a ice bath. Just a bowl of water with ice. This will stop the cooking and keep the asparagus a bright green color (call blanching). Just let them cool off in the ice bath for a minute then remove and let drain and dry.
  • Vinaigrette -- Just mix the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, garlic, lemon, sugar, salt, and pepper. I like to use a small tupperware and then I just shake it up. You can also mix it in a small measuring cup or bowl. Whatever is easier for you.
  • Salad -- In a small bowl, I like to add the beans (drained and rinsed), asparagus, dill, and just a couple of teaspoons of the vinaigrette (not too much) and toss well.
  • Greens -- On your serving platter, I add the arugula, micro greens, onion and a squeeze of one of the lemon wedges and another couple of spoons of the vinaigrette and toss lightly. Then top with the asparagus and bean mixture. Just lightly toss.
  • Top the whole thing with the pecorino romano, a sprig of dill and the lemon slices around the side.
  • Serve -- Grill some salmon or possibly chicken - slice and top the salad. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the top. This makes an amazing dinner.

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Reviews

  1. This was such a yummy lunch!! The only thing I changed was to cut it in half. I had BBQ'd a chicken breast and sliced up and shared one on top of the salad and poured a bit of the dressing on it. The dressing was so flavorful. I love champagne vinigar and agree with you that it makes a big difference. It has such a great flavor versus just the regular vinigar. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe SarasotaCook. I will be making this again.
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. <br /> <br />So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. <br /> <br />I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. <br /> <br />So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). <br /> <br />I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.</p>
 
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