It is a New Year – Cobb Salad



Cobb Salad

 New Year's Day is about looking forward. Between December 31^st and January 1^st my attitude changes. There is a new agenda on my desk, a new calender on my wall and many new ideas in my head. Anything is possible this time of year.

Good health, both mental and physical, is also on my mind.

I have been fortunate with both in the last year but this was no accident. It took hard work. For my mind, I took care of myself. The expression I always heard was, "You need to take care of you" and I did. For the body it was simple, diet and exercise. I burned more than I ate.

It was difficult for me to find the motivation to go to a gym last year. I preferred training outside or swimming indoors. Physical activity helped but the key was my change in diet. This had an immediate impact and I lost 30 lbs.

It was simple. I made a pledge not to buy prepared food from the grocery store. Nothing prepared, prepackaged or prefabricated.

That was last year now this year I want to make salads and green vegetables a regular part of my diet. It will require more technique and recipes to make this happen. Also no prepared salad dressings from the store. Those are prefabricated aren't they?

A popular salad is the Cobb Salad. Here is the recipe:

Cobb Salad

(On Cooking Techniques from Experts Chefs Sarah R. Labensky & Alan M. Hause)

Yield: 8 Entree Servings or 4 meals

Ingredients:

• Romaine lettuce 8 oz.
• Green leaf lettuce 4 oz.
• Watercress 4 oz.
• Avocados 4
• Bacon slices 16
• Roquefort cheese, crumbled 1lbs.
• Turkey breast, roasted, julienne 1lbs.
• Tomato, concasse 1 lbs.
• Eggs, hard-cooked, chopped 4
• Dijon mustard vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Tear, wash and dry the lettuces. Pick over and wash the watercress.
2. Pit, peel and cut the avocados into wedges.
3. Dice the bacon and cook in a sauté pan until crisp. Remove and drain well.
4. Toss the salad greens together and arrange each of the garnishes on top in an artistic fashion.
5. Prepare a simple vinaigrette dressing using Dijon mustard; serve on the side.

Note this salad is really easy to adjust for different servings. I also tend to use a local blue cheese instead of Roquefort. Enjoy.