Summer Bounty Greek Salad

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. green beans, trimmed
• 1 (12-oz.) head romaine lettuce, chopped (6 cups)
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 medium cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced
• 4 oz. reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled (2/3 cup)
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Makes 4 (2 1/2-cup) Servings

1. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add beans and cook just until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under very cold water for 1 minute to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat dry. Cut beans into 1-inch pieces.
2. In a large bowl, combine beans, lettuce tomatoes cucumber, feta, and olives. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; pour over salad and toss to coat. Divide salad among 4 plates and sprinkle with parsley just before serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. You can enjoy this salad year round because it's quick, easy and packed with the bold flavors of the Mediterranean. I have really come to love Greek cuisine because it's so fresh and flavorful. This salad is way better than the salads you would get at the grocery store or fast food restaurant. The dressing and the feta cheese are the keys to making this salad burst with flavor. I used to put so much store-bought salad dressing on my salads back in the day but now I just use a combination of olive oil, vinegar, and lemon or lime juice with a pinch of salt and pepper and drizzle it over my salad and I'm happy. This quick and easy salad can be made during the week and is perfect as a first course when your're having company for dinner.