Chopped Salad with Creamy Vinaigrette Dressing

I absolutely love my food processor and my magic bullet but the kitchen tool I use most often is my hand chopper. Which is saying a lot since I use my magic bullet every single morning to make my daughter a smoothie for breakfast. Honestly though I use my hand chopped for just about every meal I make. Anytime a recipe calls for chopped or diced veggies I whip it out. Chopped nuts and chocolate chips for cookies and baked goods – hand chopper. And the most important use – THE CHOPPED SALAD. I’ve been making this salad for years after being inspired by the chopped salad served at Portillo’s Restaurant. As delicious as this salad is the dressing is what puts it over the top with awesomeness. What? Salads can have awesomeness. Don’t believe me? Make this salad. Oh, and you might want to make a double batch of dressing. If you’re anything like me the first batch somehow disappears from the bowl before it can get on your salad. True story folks. True story.

Sarah

Ingredients for Chopped Salad:

lettuce, finely chopped (you can use romaine, kale, spinach or any of your favorite greens)
carrots, finely chopped
red cabbage, finely chopped
radish, finely chopped
red onion, finely chopped
cooked pasta of your choice (choose a smaller shaped pasta such as ditalini, orzo, elbow, etc.)
any other of your favorite veggies, finely chopped of course (I like to add in some cooked quinoa as well)

Ingredients for Creamy Vinaigrette Dressing:

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp balsamic vinger
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or Garlic Gold Oil

Preparation:

In a food processor (or powerful blender) add the chickpeas, garlic, mustard and vinegar. Turn on food processor and after 5-10 seconds slowly add in the oil while the food processor is still on. This helps to create a creamier dressing. The consistency is thinner than a hummus but more solid than your typical dressing. If you want a thinner dressing add a bit more oil or water to thin it out.

This is the picture my husband snapped after laughing at me for eating the entire first batch of dressing
Next prepare your salad in a large bowl. Add in the your veggies and pasta in whatever quantities you’d like. There is no wrong way to make this salad.
Top with dressing and stir well to combine. Enjoy!