Looking for something quick, healthy and very filling for dinner tonight? This simple chopped salad, filled with a wide array of veggies will satisfy and fill you up, a true win-win, healthy and fresh, celebrating the philosophy that you should try to eat the rainbow every day. You can really use any veggies you have in your fridge, and you certainly can just use a few instead of all of these, just look for a variety of colors and textures.  And, allowing you the pairing pleasure of sipping an ice cold Rose without guilt. Go for a very crisp and light one, like one of my favorites – Hogwash Grenache based from the Central Coast of California.

Recipe:

Chop-Chop Salad
Ingredients
1 Broccoli crown, chopped into bite size flourets
1/4 head of Cauliflower, chopped into bite size flourets
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 yellow squash, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 red pepper
1/2 purple onion
4 sun-dried tomatoes, re-hydrated in hot water, drained and chopped
8 asparagus spears, chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 carrots, cleaned and chopped
1/2 cup shelled, cooked edamame
4 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons drained and rinsed capers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill and basil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup white wine or a splash of water
pinch red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
4 ounces Low-Fat Feta cheese
Cooking spray
Options – add chick peas or white beans for texture and protein

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Prepare your veggies.  Lay the zucchini, squash, purple onion and red pepper on a baking dish and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Place in the oven to roast for about 15 minutes, turning a few times to ensure even cooking.  When the water is boiling blanch the broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and carrots, working in batches, cooking until just crisp tender then scooping out of the boiling water and dropping them into a large bowl of ice-water to shock them and stop the cooking.  When they have cooled, remove each veggie, patting them down to dry them and toss them into a large salad bowl with the chopped mushrooms, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and capers.  When the veggies have roasted remove from the oven and place the whole red pepper in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap to help steam the skin off.  Let the other veggies cool, then chop the onion and cut the squash and zucchini in half and add to the rest of the veggies.  When the pepper has cooled and the skin will easily peel away scrape the skin away (it should easily peel off) then remove the stem and core and chop into similar sized pieces as the rest of the veggies so everything is relatively bite size.  Meanwhile make the dressing by adding the mustard, oil, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, wine, red pepper flakes, shallot and healthy dash of salt and pepper to a small jar with a lid and shake until well combined.  When all the veggies are in the bowl add the herbs, feta and the dressing and toss to combine.  Refrigerate until ready to serve, stirring every so often, preferably at least an hour so the flavors have time to combine, and serve with an extra sprinkle of herbs and feta. Add the chick peas in when you add the dressing if you are using.