Italian Summer Salad

Another school year, another kitchen.

Virginia is hot and muggy in the summer and a hot kitchen is never ideal. Good thing this salad requires no cooking!

Italian Summer Salad
Serves 3-4
Ingredients

• head of romaine lettuce
• 2 tomatoes or handful of cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup of red wine vinaigrette or Italian dressing
• 1 can of cannellini beans
• 1 can of sliced water chestnuts (optional)
• 3 oz of pepperoni or other deli meat

1. Chop the romaine into 1/2 inch wide slices along the core and rinse, discarding the root.
2. Wash the tomatoes and chop them into small pieces, if not using cherry tomatoes.
3. Mix the lettuce with the tomatoes in a large bowl.
4. Drain the beans and water chestnuts and add to the bowl.
5. Toss in the pepperoni and mix with the dressing.

I believe this recipe was modified from one in a Betty Crocker book.

I prefer my salads crunchy which is why I included the water chestnuts, but this recipe lends itself well to modification. Cucumbers, squash, onions - whatever you have on hand would probably taste just as good.

The pepperoni can be substituted for any other deli meat or omitted - as I like to eat just this for dinner, it's good to get a little protein in.

Head of Romaine Lettuce: $1.79 at Food Lion

2 Tomatoes: $1.09 at Food Lion

Can of Cannellini Beans: $0.89 at Food Lion

Can of Water Chestnuts: $0.99 at Food Lion

Pepperoni, 1/2 of a bag at $3.49 /bag = $1.75 at Food Lion

Italian Dressing, 1/3 of a bottle at $1.79/bottle = $0.60 at Food Lion

Total Cost: $7.11 for 4 servings or $1.78 per serving