A Chopped Greek Salad
So finely chopped you could eat it with a Spoon
What a week! I’ve been doing some serious mom sh*t, which has also resulted in very little work on recipes. Yesterday, I chaperoned for my youngest daughter’s field trip 1 and 1/2 hours away, then drove straight to my oldest daughter’s soccer game.
I don’t consider myself a soccer mom, but sometimes I pack baskets of snacks in the car and I wonder, “who am I becoming?”
After a long day of sunshine and busy schedules, the night ended with what appears to be a stomach bug from my youngest. Poor thing. Lysol is my best friend currently. Parenting is such an adventure.
I tested a Croissant French Toast Bake that I can’t seem to get to taste much different than my Brioche French Toast Casserole. The brioche is honestly much tastier & absorbs the custard mixture better than the croissants, so I’m scratching the croissants off the list for a while (or maybe for good).
This Brioche French Toast Casserole is a great recipe to save for Mother’s Day and only takes 5 minutes to prep.
Chopped Salads are In!
Chopped Salads have some serious hype on social media lately, and I’m here for it. It’s kind of like finely shredded cheese, it’s the same ingredient, but it tastes different. When the ingredients are finely chopped, you get a little bit of everything in one bite, which is delish!
has been sharing big ass salads for busy ass people a few weeks ago on Instagram and really simplifies the process, which I’m all for. I eat a lot of salads, just like her, & it doesn’t have to be complicated.It got me inspired to make a Chopped Salad with one of my favorite salads, the Greek Salad.
Chopped Salads can be anything with a bunch of ingredients that are chopped fine. The whole idea is that you could eat it with a spoon, without having to use a fork and knife to cut it bite sized for your mouth (extra effort = lame). I think it’s a millennial thing, but it’s a keeper.
This Chopped Greek Salad is a classic recipe, with a homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette, and we are going all into the salad bowl (even the dressing). It doesn’t even need to be refrigerated before eating. Whisk, chop, into the bowl, and EAT!
The Video
If you want to add protein, check out this Sautéed Chicken Recipe, that’s super easy to make. I like to cool the chicken down and serve it cold on top of the salad, but it’s your preference.
For another Chopped Salad recipe, check out this Italian Grinder Salad. It’s a salad version of the Italian Grinder Sub sandwich, and really tasty too.
That’s it for this week! I hope everyone has the best weekend and I’ll see you in your inbox next week.
xoxo~Tara with Simply Made Eats
A Quick Note (I shared this last week, but in case you missed it):
I’ve been on Substack writing these recipe newsletters for an entire year now, which is crazy! Most food writers on here have a paid option that includes their recipes. I’m going to be experimenting with that over the next few weeks.
As a recipe developer, food writer, and content creator, we spend a ton of time in the kitchen creating recipes with very little funding in the beginning. I’m still in these early stages.
When you see a paid option on my account, please don’t feel pressured or turned off by this option. It’s only for people who are ABLE to support me in the way of buying groceries for recipes and helping to fund this business. All of my recipes are still available on my blog at SimplyMadeEats.com.
If you sign up for the paid option, it will be $5 a month, or $60/year. Eventually, I will offer extra recipes to paying subscribers, but right now, it will be an option to view the recipes right here on Substack without having to deal with ads on my website. An ad free experience, which a lot of people love.
I promise to love my subscribers equally, paid or unpaid. You all mean the world to me & the reason I started this business was to motivate people to cook and simplify the process, which remains the same now.
xoxo~Tara
First, thank you so much for being a part of this community. I couldn’t do it without you! Enjoy this Chopped Greek Salad with an ad free experience!
Ingredients:
Red Wine Vinaigrette:
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Salad:
2 heads Romaine hearts, rinsed, dried and chopped into fine pieces (or 7 ounce clamshell package)
½ of an English cucumber, quartered and sliced fine
½ pint grape tomatoes (whole or halved)
1 cup kalamata olives, finely chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, diced fine
1 cup red onion, diced fine
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese, original
Instructions:
In a large salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.
Right over the top of the dressing, add in the lettuce, olives, onion, cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, and half the feta cheese. Toss to combine all the ingredients, making sure to really get the dressing mixed in entirely.
Add the remaining half of feta cheese over the top.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations:
Want more spice? Chop up pickled Pepperoncini peppers or spicy banana peppers and add them to the mix, or sprinkle in a few dashes of crushed red pepper flakes into the dressing.
Looking for more protein? Dice up this Sautéed Chicken over the top. I prefer it cold, and usually I'll cook it a few hours or a full day ahead, then refrigerate before chopping into cubes.
If you're vegetarian or want meatless protein, a can a chickpeas will work too. Make sure to rinse, drain and dry them well before adding to the salad.
If you want to try a different dressing, this Creamy Balsamic dressing would be a good fit. This Caesar Dressing without Anchovies is yummy too.
Expert Tips:
This salad is all about chopping the ingredients finely. Make sure to spend the time to make everything bite sized.
Dry the lettuce well, or place in the salad spinner, after washing to avoid excess water in the salad.
Thank you so much for supporting my small business.