Chopped Salad

I almost didn't post this one because it doesn't feel like a real recipe, but I loved it and thought it was delicious and satisfying and very summer heat-friendly. It's simple, especially if you like chopping. If you don't like chopping, I wouldn't recommend it. The key to the chopped salad is that every ingredient is diced. It elevates something pretty banal into something where you get a lot of different flavors and textures in every bite. It's pretty versatile, too, so if I listed something you hate, you are probably fine to swap it for something else!

Cook 2 cups of edamame and toss with a little garlic, salt, and hot mustard. Put in the fridge to cool.

Dice the following:

4 cups romaine
4 cups cabbage (I'd use purple to make it prettier)
1 red bell pepper
1 green onion
1 cup bean sprouts
1 wax pepper (or another moderately hot pepper)
1 cup pea pods
1 large cucumber
1 cup water chestnuts

Important: Make sure to get ingredients as dry as possible, or you'll wind up with a nasty salad soup.

Once your salad ingredients are nice and free of excess liquid, add to a huge bowl and toss in:

Lime zest (from one lime)
2 tsp sesame seeds (I used black sesame seeds because it looks interesting)
1/4 cup toasted almond slices or slivers
2/3 cup won ton strips
The cooled edamame from step 1

At the end, add in 1/4 cup of sesame ginger dressing and toss well. I use Newman's Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger because it's really low in calories and packs a flavorful punch. You can use something else, but you'll need to adjust the nutritional information below!

You could add in mandarins, if you want, but remember to dry them as much as possible and to add them with the dressing. I did not use them because Aaron isn't a fan.

This makes a TON of salad. You should get about 13 cups. I'm the kind of person who likes to be able to eat a great quantity of food, and this allows you a massive 4-cup serving packed with nutrients and flavor.

In a 4-cup serving:

411 calories
14.5 g fat
49.3 g carbs (16%)
28 g protein (68%)
14 g fiber (56%)
204% Vitamin A
257% Vitamin C
29% Calcium
36% Iron