I was fortunate enough to grow up in Sonoma County, California, where some of the world’s best food and wine can be enjoyed. I’m not kidding – any good foodie has heard of it or been there, and tourists flock to the region just to wine and dine. I would say growing up there is a large part of the reason I have loved cooking pretty much my whole life. One of my favorite Sonoma County restaurants is a pizzeria called The Red Grape. They are known for their New Haven-style pizza with paper-thin crust, but my favorite menu item is one of their salads. My mom and I simply call it “The Red Grape Salad”.
To finish off my review of organicgirl good clean greens, I am using their SUPERGREENS! in this recipe. It’s a nutritious and tasty mix of baby red chard, baby tat soi, baby spinach, baby green chard, and baby arugula. The Red Grape uses a similar mixture.
The Red Grape Salad
Makes one side or small entrée serving
- 2 cups spring mix greens, such as SUPERGREENS! (link above)
- 1 lemon, halved
- Small handful of grapes, halved
- Handful of store-bought glazed nuts (I used pecans)
- 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
- Granny Smith apple slices (feel free to use my easy method for slicing an apple)
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Lay the greens out onto a plate. Slice up the apple and drizzle the slices with lemon juice to prevent them from browning. Place the apple slices atop the greens, then sprinkle the grapes, glazed nuts, and blue cheese crumbles over the salad. Drizzle with the oil and vinegar, and add salt and pepper.
Based on personal experience, this salad is always a hit at dinner parties or pot luck gatherings. Serve it as an appetizer salad before the entrée to make your guests feel fancy and wonder how the main dish will top it. And to be honest – it might not!
