Welcome to Travis’s very own Italian restaurant! Thanks to his kit on this theme from Raddish Kids, he has a few yummy Italian recipes to make. First up was this appetizer salad and Travis was a big help with all the vegetable prep. And everything needed a taste-test along the way of course!
Ingredients:
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1/2 English cucumber, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 4 basil leaves, chopped
- 1 (8-ounce) package vegan mozzarella (such as Violife), cubed
- 1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
- 1 (6-ounce) jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- To prepare the salad, combine the lettuce, cucumber, tomato, basil, mozzarella, black olives, artichokes, and chickpeas in a large bowl; set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and agave nectar, then add the oregano and salt. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
Thanks to the chickpeas and cheese, this salad is almost hearty enough to be a main meal. That said, the recipe card listed 8 courses in a traditional Italian meal, a reminder that a salad like this would only be your second dish in that line-up, with lots more to come! Travis also took the recipe card’s quiz on restaurant roles like head chef and busser as we dined. And for a little added ambiance, we even played a Spotify list of Italian tunes!