Yda's Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan

Sweet red onion rings, slivers of colorful apple, peppery arugula, and shavings of Italian Parmesan cheese, burst with flavor when tossed in my homemade creamy lemon olive oil dressing.  This beautiful salad will delight your family and friends whether it's for a weeknight family dinner or upcoming holiday dinner.

I'm a lover of salads. In fact, we eat a salad everyday. However,  I do try to vary my greens and other ingredients to avoid boredom.

When I want to add some zing to my salads, I add a little arugula. This feathery simple green not only has a zesty taste, but it also provides powerful nutrients.

Yda's Arugula Salad
My friend Yda, who is an exceptional cook, made this great arugula salad with shaved Parmesan and slivers of apple and slivers of red onion. It is simple to make, tastes amazing, and is very appealing. She dresses the salad with a fresh lemon juice and olive oil creamy mixture. The entire prep takes less than 10 minutes, yet the final result looks good enough to serve for company.

Arugula is a peppery, light and airy, green that makes a great base for her festive salad.
Arugula's origin is from the Mediterranean area where it has been especially enjoyed in France and Italy for a multitude of generations.

Some say that arugula is actually mentioned as far back as the Old Testament. You may have heard it called by different names such as Italian cress, rucola, or even salad rocket.

I love arugula salad because it's so versatile!
You can easily make substitutions to this arugula salad. Instead of slivers of apple, you could add slivers of pear or whole cherry tomatoes, dried cranberries, or even avocado! You could add pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, candied walnuts, or even add fresh basil.

Arugula contains health protecting antioxidants 
Arugula is part of the Brassica (Cruciferous) family and boasts many of the same health protecting benefits as other Cruciferous vegetables such as kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. So if you don't enjoy the thick skinned kale, try the thinner skinned arugula.

Arugula is available year round

You will be glad to know that arugula can be found year round in the produce section of most markets in plastic container or bags, making arugula a green that you can enjoy during during any season.

As much as I enjoy the cultivated baby arugula that I buy in the supermarket, I once received arugula from my CSA farm during the summer. The flavor of the locally grown arugula was so pungent and so extremely peppery, I actually couldn't eat it and thankfully passed it on to a willing neighbor.

Once you mix the olive oil, fresh lemon, salt and cracked pepper,
 use a whisk and beat it until creamy

Do I have to whisk the salad dressing? 

Yes-  it makes a difference in the texture of the salad dressing after it is mixed with a whisk.
It becomes thicker and creamier than the original mixture. So it's important to take the extra step to whisk it.

If arugula is not to your liking, try my special Thanksgiving salad from 2018 that is made with blanched kale and roasted acorn squash. Or perhaps try my Cranberry Broccoli Slaw that is made from the bags of broccoli slaw they sell in most supermarkets.

Ingredients: 
6 ounce container of arugula
2 small organic apples, washed and sliced thin with the peel
1/4 cup of shaved (large shavings) Parmesan cheese
Red onion rings, sliced thin and cut in half (about 1/2 cup)

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Dress with the creamy  lemon and oil dressing.


Lemon and Oil Dressing
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pink salt and cracked pepper to taste (Yda's peppercorns were mulit-colored)

Mix all four ingredients together in a small bowl. Using a whisk, whisk until creamy (about 1 minute).

Shared on WEEKEND COOKING  at Beth Fish Reads where anyone can join in and share a food related post!

Also shared on Souper Sunday at Kahakai Kitchen where anyone can join in and share a soup, salad, or sammie recipe.

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