Greek Chopped Salad

This lovely Greek Chopped Salad is perfect for those who wish to incorporate more healthy options into their diet without sacrificing flavor or quantity. Grill some chicken breast and serve it together with the salad and you have a fantastic filling dinner bursting with intense favor. Or skip the chicken and serve a smaller portion of Greek Chopped Salad as an appetizer or side to a great entree.

Have you ever tried Kalamata olives? They are a purple olive with a stronger, richer flavor than black olives. They grown primarily around the city of Kalamata in Greece. (Hence the name.) I do love olives, and will eat black olives whole, right out of a can. These Greek olives however, are usually kept in a brine or a wine vinegar making their flavor very, very strong. When eating them in this salad I usually will slice them up a bit to spread the flavor around.

The dressing used for this salad is equal parts extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice whisked together with some oregano. I am always a fan of fresh herbs, so I recommend using them whenever you can. The oregano really sets this salad apart and brings all the amazing flavors together. There are options at most grocery stores to purchase little containers of fresh herbs, which I think is great! At one point in Idaho I had planted and maintained an herb garden. 'Sigh'. Oh how I miss my herb garden... but I digress. Becoming familiar with fresh herbs has been one of the highlights for me in my culinary endeavors. I love them! Use them if you can!

As I continue blogging about my favorite recipes I am going to try to incorporate more of my favorite 'healthy' recipes for y'all to enjoy; sprinkled in with all the really good stuff :0)  I hope you enjoy this salad, as always please let me know what you think in the comments!

Greek Chopped Salad

by The Goldilocks Kitchen

Prep Time: 10 mins

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Ingredients (Serves 4 as a side)

• 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 1 cup sliced cucumber
• 1 cup sliced red onion
• 4 tablespoons reduced fat feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 teaspoons fresh minced oregano (or 2 teaspoons of dried)
• 8 Kalamata olives

Instructions

Combine olive oil, lemon juice and oregano in a large mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously to combine.

Place all other ingredients into the mixing bowl and toss to coat. Serves 4 as a side salad or appetizer. Serves two as a main course salad topped with a boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast.

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Italian roast chicken

This recipe is a perfect example of how beautiful and simple Italian cooking can be. You will be able to work with fresh rosemary, personally my favorite herb. I love the beautiful, clean, vibrant fragrance. If you've never cooked with fresh herbs, this is a great beginner's recipe. If you don't have a rosemary bush growing in your yard, no worries! Most supermarkets now sell prepackaged fresh herbs in the produce section. Cooking with fresh herbs really takes your food to the next level. I now always try to use fresh herbs instead of dried, unless dried is specified in the recipe. One teaspoon of dried herbs = one tablespoon of fresh. Simple and easy enough to remember, right?!

I love black olives, don't you? If you're my dad, don't answer that question :0) My dad hates olives. Only person I know. However, my mom loves them and she would bring home the occasional can. I was the kid who put the pitted olives over the end of all five fingers, happily waving them around and eating them off one at a time. Is it just me or did everyone do this as a kid? Whenever I see veggie trays with olives, I load up. If there is a bowl of olives passed around the Thanksgiving table, I load up. When I serve myself a helping of this recipe I pick out a few extra olives for my plate. Terrible, I know. Well, it's out there now so don't judge me :0)
A few words about the recipe:
Did you know that fruit sometimes is given a thin wax coating? I always wash my lemons in hot water to melt away any wax, and to make sure the zest is clean for eating.
I don't know how I managed to get through life without an instant-read food thermometer! I feel it's an essential piece of equipment for any home chef. While practiced chefs can often judge the doneness of meats by sight and touch, I think it's so much safer (and easier!) to use a thermometer. No guesswork!
Also don't skimp on the extra-virgin olive oil and buy cheap stuff. Some generic brands can taste downright awful. I use Colavita brand. It's a great taste and doesn't break the pocket book. Plus it's been a proven favorite of taste testers :0)

Italian Roast Chicken

by The Goldilocks Kitchen

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

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Ingredients (10 servings)

• 10 to 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 large lemon
• 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves peeled and sliced
• 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 bunch of fresh rosemary
• 2 and 1/2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and cut into about 1 inch pieces
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 can large pitted black olives

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Trim the fat off the chicken thighs and place them in a shallow dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Zest the lemon and sprinkle half the zest over the chicken. Save the rest. Cut the lemon and squeeze the juice over the chicken, toss to coat well and let it marinate for 10 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a large roasting pan. Add the rest of the lemon zest, the sliced onion and garlic, and half the rosemary sprigs. Drizzle the olive oil over and toss gently. Now let it marinate for about 20 minutes.

In the mean time, place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with water; 1 inch above the top of the potatoes. Lightly sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, then drain well and add to the chicken. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Roast the chicken in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, turning frequently or basting, or until the chicken is cooked. (175 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.) Just before the end of cooking time, discard the cooked rosemary, and replace with fresh sprigs. Add the olives and stir. Serve immediately with steamed vegetables. (I recommend carrots and zucchini.)

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