Antipasto Chopped Salad

I am a huge fan of chopped salads. When veggies are chopped finely, you get a flavor explosion in your mouth as the ingredients mingle, thus requiring significantly less dressing. There are two key things to remember when attempting to master the perfect, restaurant-quality salad—always dry the lettuce well and remove the seeds from tomatoes and cucumbers. If you omit either of these steps, you’re pretty much guaranteeing a soggy salad.

Ingredients

3 cups finely shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups finely shredded arugula leaves
1/4 cup finely slivered fresh basil leaves
1-1/4 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella divided
1 ounce 1/4 -inch cubes 97% lean deli ham
1 ounce slivers or 1/4 -inch cubes reduced-fat salami
1 medium Roma tomato seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup finely slivered roasted red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced jarred hot chiles
2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinaigrette

Red Wine Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1-1/2 tablespoons honey mustard
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Pinch of salt Black pepper

Instructions

Combine the lettuce, arugula, basil, mozzarella, ham, salami, tomato, bell pepper, and chiles in a large bowl and toss until well combined. Add the Red Wine Vinaigrette and toss until the dressing is evenly distributed. Serve immediately.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

Whisk the vinegar, mustard, honey, and garlic in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The dressing can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator

SALAD RECIPE MAKES 5 CUPS; 1 (ENTRÉE) SERVING OR 3 (APPETIZER) PORTIONS

Each 1-Decadent-Disk portion (about 12/3 cups) has: 101 calories, 8 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 13 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 306 mg sodium

Each 3-Decadent-Disk serving (5 cups) has: 304 calories, 23 g protein, 22 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 38 mg cholesterol, 8 g fiber, 919 mg sodium