Friday, June 19, 2009

Scrunch & Munch

I'm not referring to the Crunch 'n Munch I used to eat from a box (I'm sure some of you tried the stuff as a child), although this could also be described with those words. I'm talking about the simple salad I love to make, while actually having fun in the process.

This is something I was inspired to do after eating countless salads out and about. I've always enjoyed going to places that allow you to personalize your bowl of goodness with a wealth of fresh ingredients from which to choose.

I love watching the person at the counter toss each tasty decision into a bowl, drizzle it with my choice of dressing (I tend to opt for oil and vinegar) and then scrunch it into a perfectly coated masterpiece. As a result, each bite is packed with flavor.

The best part is recreating the experience at home, since you get to do both the scrunching and the munching (hence the name). Essentially, you get to play with your food using your best culinary tools: your hands, of course.

You can use any ingredients you like, but my favorite combination (one I used to get at a particular salad location) includes mixed greens, carrots, cucumber, radishes, celery, tomato, avocado, peas and walnuts. For a quick dressing, I also add apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, EVOO, dijon mustard, agave, sea salt and pepper. Don't worry about combining them first, since it will all get mixed in during the scrunching.

Okay, now it's your turn. Go scrunch and munch :-)

*On a side note, I just wanted to wish my hubby a happy birthday.
I love you, Matthew!