Caprese Salad

A caprese salad is healthy and quick to make.

by Joanne Henning Tedesco — 

Your schedule has been unbelievably busy, and you are running late. Meanwhile, your family is hungry, and you do not have time to prepare a regular meal or even a salad. A caprese salad is a good substitute, as it is healthy and quick to make. The following recipe came from my Italian mother-in-law and is an Italian favorite. Enjoy.

Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 pound assorted tomatoes (vine-ripened, cherry, yellow and plum)
• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced, and whole leaves
• Ground sea salt, to taste
• Fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Slice the tomatoes and cheese. Arrange on a platter. In a medium bowl, add the lemon juice and salt and pepper, to taste. Whisk the olive oil into the juice to blend. Pour the dressing over the tomatoes and cheese. Sprinkle with basil and serve. If you want to reduce the calories, instead of the lemon-oil dressing, just add aged Balsamic vinegar. Yield: Four servings.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 31, Number 3, June/July 2012.