For all you hard working moms who work tirelessly giving to others here is a salad that will give back to you! This salad is so healthy it screams, “I love you!”Most salads are heavy on the lettuce with few other ingredients. This one is just the opposite with a variety of healthy vegetables. Eat all you want and then have a piece of chocolate!

Antipasto Salad with Rustic Croutons

1 head Romaine Lettuce, washed and torn into bite size pieces
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 cucumber, sliced
1 red pepper cut into strips
1/2 cup Kalamata olives
4 Peperoncini pickled peppers
4 ounces Ciliegine fresh mozzarella, tomato cherry size
6 ounces genoa salami slices, rolled up
Italian Dressing, your favorite brand
Rustic Croutons (see recipe below)

Arrange salad ingredients in a large bowl and serve with Italian dressing on the side. Makes 4 servings.

Rustic Croutons

4 breadsticks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Move top rack of oven 4-inches from broiling element. Turn oven on broil to preheat. Leave oven door ajar. Cut breadsticks in half lengthwise. Measure olive oil and place in a small bowl. Add basil, oregano, and garlic salt. Stir. Brush olive oil mixture on cut side of bread. Break bread into 1 inch pieces. Broil bread until toasted on one side then turn bread over and toast on the other side. Remove from oven and cool.

Published in The News and Neighbor on May 24, 2023