Tossed Caprese Salad ♥

Today's easy summer salad recipe: A 'tossed' version of the tomato and fresh mozzarella salad that we call 'caprese' that's usually served as a 'composed' salad, all perfect and arranged but here is carefree. Vegetarian and low carb. Weight Watchers 2 (Old Points) and 3 (PointsPlus).

Check the price of fresh mozzarella these days and yikes, odds are, our eyes will get as big as the mozzarella balls themselves, at least if they are the real thing, not the mass-produced, made-some-time-this-year 'fresh' mozzarella balls from Trader Joe's, say. (Don't get me wrong, however, Trader Joe-style quality fresh mozzarella has its place, given the price. But to my taste, this just isn't it.)

Surprise surprise, Whole Foods often has fresh mozzarella on sale during the summer-tomato months, some times half the price of my local groceries.

First up when fresh mozzarella is affordable: the Fresh Tomato with Fresh Mozzarella and its Italian variant, Insalata Caprese. They're spectacular salads both for taste and appearance. But they're not so easy to make ahead or to carry, nor for feeding a crowd. So when I spied Smitten Kitchen's toss-caprese-all-in-a-bowl version last summer, it stuck with me.

This is my variation! I hope you'll enjoy yours, too!

TOSSED CAPRESE SALAD RECIPE

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 15 minutes
Makes 4 cups

BASIL VINAIGRETTE
1 small handful of fresh basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt

SALAD
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed into small bites
1 pound ripe summer tomatoes, sliced or chopped
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, optional
Kosher salt

BASIL VINAIGRETTE In a small food processor, mix the vinaigrette ingredients. If you're using the beans, you'll likely use all the dressing, if not, will use much less. Season to taste. Serve and savor!

SALAD Stir together the cheese, tomatoes and beans, then add dressing to taste.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Half Cup: 115 Calories; 5g Tot Fat; 2g Sat Fat; 11mg Cholesterol; 249mg Sodium; 11g Carb; 4g Fiber; 3g Sugar; 6g Protein; Weight Watchers Old Points 2 & PointsPlus 3

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen who also shares a half dozen ideas on how to further bulk up the salad or to serve it in different ways

This recipe is so quick and easy that I'm adding it to a growing collection of easy summer recipes published all summer long in 2009 at Kitchen Parade, my food column, and now again in 2010. With a free Kitchen Parade e-mail subscription, you'll never miss a one!

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MORE FAVORITE RECIPES for SUMMER'S GLORIOUS TOMATOES
~ Never Take a Good Tomato for Granted: Twelve Favorite Tomato Recipes ~

~ Tomato Platter with Olives & Feta ~
~ Fire-Charred Tomatoes ~
~ Tomato & Onion Salad ~

~ more recipes for summer tomatoes ~
~ more recipes for vegetables with beans ~
~ more Weight Watchers recipes ~
~ more low-carb recipes ~

MORE RECIPES for TOMATO & BEAN SALADS
~ Marinated Tomato Salad ~
from David Lebovitz
~ Cucumber & Tomato Salad ~
from Kalyn's Kitchen
~ Marinated Cucumber, Tomato Salad, Kidney Bean Salad ~
from Half Baked
~ more recipes for tomato salads with beans ~
via Food Blog Search, a hand-selected list of the best food blogs
from all across the world

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