Sweetheart Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

If you’re hosting a Valentine’s Day dinner for a sizable group, or just for two, you are going to want to make it romantic from beginning to end. An excellent way to begin your dinner is with my pretty and delicious Sweetheart Salad. It’s a great starter, can be served in large portions as a meal, or accompanying a sandwich or bowl of soup for a romantic lunch.

Not only is it attractive and can’t-stop-eating-it delicious, but it packs quite a nutritious punch. From the leafy green lettuce, to the nutrient-rich walnuts, to the beets loaded with antioxidants, this salad has at all. Cutting the beets into little heart shapes with this darling set makes this salad extra special, and will bring an appreciative smile to the face of your diners.

Sweetheart Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

1 head of Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and rough chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup hearts of palm “coins”
1 8-oz. pkg. Melissa’s organic beets, cut into heart shapes 

Raspberry vinaigrette (see below)

Two types of hearts are used in the salad -- hearts of palm, and beets cut into heart shapes. Mix all the ingredients together and toss with your favorite vinaigrette or do as I did and serve it alongside in one of these darling heart-shaped sauce bowls. I held out my beet hearts and sprinkled them on top so that they didn’t get mixed in with the other ingredients. You might consider doing the same. Makes four servings.

Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup raspberry balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons grated shallot

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

Pinch of salt

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients EXCEPT the oil in a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until blended. Continue to whisk as you slowly pour in the oil. Whisk until emulsified.  Drizzle over salad.

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"Champagne" Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

 Easy and delicious, this salad is going to be one of the most tasty that you will ever serve.  It was one of my contributions to last week’s luncheon at my dad’s house and received thumbs up all around.  The secret ingredient is the Champagne Grapes. These little gems, now in season, lurk beneath the greens just waiting to explode in your mouth with sweet, juicy deliciousness.  Everyone at the table, upon first bite, remarked about what a delicious salad it was, and then tried to figure out what made it so good and unique.  While the toothsome not-too-sweet raspberry vinaigrette certainly helps, the grapes are the real star.

Easy to assemble and customize to your own taste, here is my favorite combination of ingredients.  I don’t measure, just toss everything into a bowl until, as my grandmother used to say, “It looks right.”

Spring Greens

Thinly sliced red onion

Toasted walnuts, broken into pieces

Grated jack cheese

Champagne Grapes

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1/3 cup raspberry vinegar

¼ - ½ cup sugar (to taste)

½ teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon seasoned salt

¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

3 drops hot sauce

½ cup canola oil

Whisk together the first seven ingredients until combined.  Slowly pour oil into the mixture, whisking constantly to emulsify.

  

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