Babe's "Naked" Fruit & Veggie Salad ♥

Today's salad inspiration: A "naked" salad: No dressing. Not a drizzle of vinaigrette, not even a splash of lemon juice. What do we think, what makes a salad a salad? Is it the dressing? or what's dressed?

Back in June, a reader forwarded a recipe. (Thanks for the recipe, Mary!) She listed a few of my favorite ingredients for salads, romaine and chopped vegetables plus fresh fruit and dried fruit, coconut and a few nuts. The instructions were simple, "Cut all ingredients in medium pieces and mix together. Very delicious!" The recipe struck me as a fall salad so onto the stack it went until last week when it hit me, Hey wait, this salad has no salad dressing! Sure enough, said Mary when asked. "Actually, I like it without dressing."

My brain got to working. Is it the "dressing" that makes a collection of chopped veggies a salad? Do I ever make a salad without stirring in some sort of something to bind it all together? Admittedly, I was a little dubious – but fully prepared for a new food discovery too!

Chop, chop, chop, the salad was done. I made a few substitutions from Mary's ingredient list, just cleaning out the fridge with what was on hand. But I did stay true to her combination.

And here's the thing. We loved this salad! What I was so pleased with – and surprised by – is that without dressing, even a light one, the textures and flavors of the individual bites, and their combinations, really came through. It wasn't the "perfectly balanced vinaigrette" or the "creaminess of a pungent blue" that was the focus, it was the individual ingredients.

Now truth be told, Mary also said, "Of course, you can use dressing or make any adjustment that is suitable." And if I were going to make a salad dressing for this salad – because you know the challenge, right? the Never Buy Salad Dressing Again challenge? – I would stick to something simple, may a little honey and lemon juice like in Zucchini with Lemon & Honey or the lovely oil-free German Salad Dressing.

So would you try a salad without dressing? Or am I the last person on earth to figure this out, thanks to Mary's recipe?

EAT VEGETABLES IN SEASON: THIS WEEK, YEARS PAST
Broccoli Soufflé Roasted Butternut Squash Potato Soup Satisfying Lunch in One Point Vegetarian Tsimmes Roasted Beets with Balsamic Vinegar Broccoli Potato Cheddar Soup (< this week's favorite!) Herbed Potatoes Sautéed Sunchokes with Apple & Pancetta Finnish Carrot Casserole How to Roast a Whole Pumpkin Roasted Fennel Autumn Slaw with Apples & Bacon Slow-Cooker Peanut Soup (Un) Fried Green Tomatoes (Baked Green Tomatoes) Frozen Sweet Potato Fries: Are They Worth the Price? the Calories?

KITCHEN PARADE, LAST WEEK Apple Pudding Cake

ST LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, LAST WEEK Sauté:ed Tilapia with Sauté:ed Vegetables from Down Under

RECIPE for BABE's NAKED FRUIT & VEGGIE SALAD

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Time to table: 20 minutes but keeps fine in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours
Serves 4

VEGGIES
3 carrots, trimmed, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, trimmed and chopped
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1 cup cauliflower, cut in tiny florets
1-1/2 cups chopped romaine

FRUITS & NUTS
1/3 cup green or red grapes, halved
1/3 cup dried cranberries or sour cherries
1/3 cup dried currants
1/3 cup toasted pecans, walnuts or almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

Combine. Serve and enjoy!

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
The calories add up when using calorie-dense dried fruit and nuts. Next time I'll see how it tastes with half what's shown.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
As written Per Serving: 211 Calories; 11g Tot Fat; 4g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 59mg Sodium; 29g Carb; 6g Fiber; 21g Sugar; 3g Protein; Weight Watchers Old Points 4, PointsPlus 6

With Half the Fruit & Nuts Per Serving: 121 Calories; 5g Tot Fat; 2g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 57mg Sodium; 18g Carb; 4g Fiber; 12g Sugar; 2g Protein; Weight Watchers Old Points 2, PointsPlus 3

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MORE FAVORITE VEGGIE & FRUIT SALAD RECIPES
~ Mixed Fruit & Vegetable Salad ~
~ Celery & Apple Salad ~
~ Last-Minute Festive Celery, Cauliflower & Apple Salad ~
~ more green salad recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Roasted Pear Salad ~
~ That Pink Salad ~
~ Power Food Broccoli Salad ~
~ more salad recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column

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A Veggie Venture is home of salad fiend and 'veggie evangelist' Alanna Kellogg and the
famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
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