simply the best

the best salad i have ever made.

possibly even the best i have ever eaten ever anywhere ever always.

seriously.

it makes no sense how these regular old, unsexy ingredients, almost all of which sit in my fridge year round, can becoming so exciting and delicious when they start partying together. those little bastards were holding out on me!

i never knew you could eat zucchini uncooked! i love it grilled, but though it would be like a raw potato if you didnt grill it first. WRONG. it's just as delicious, nay--moreso!--as a cool, thin, raw, crispy layer.

i never knew i could be fully satisfied by a bowl of green stuff with nary a dollop of ranch or blue cheese in sight!

i never knew walnuts could make this blood-thirsty carnivore just as satisfied as roasted haunch of aurochs!

doy of doys, got this salad from pinterest, but it didnt link to a recipe so much as a sentence about what went into the salad (and a far prettier picture than mine).

so for all of the automatons out there (re: me) who like to be told exactly what to mix together to take out the guesswork, i have elaborated on the howto:

zucchini carpaccio salad

adapted from prouditaliancook.blogspot.com

feeds 2 for an entree sized salad and 4-6 as a side

-1 zucchini

-one container of baby arugula

-one whole lemon

-a block of real parmesan cheese

-bottled minced garlic (you can use fresh if you so choose)

-1/2 cup walnut pieces

-salt and pep to taste

1. put your walnuts in a shallow pan and toast over medium heat, shaking around occasionally while you do the rest of the steps

2. shred your cheese. you want about 1/4 cup of fluffy white cheesy tendril goodness. fresh and wonderful. if you try to sneak in that nasty white powdered stuff, i will know and my heart will break. dont do it.

3. slice your zucchini into paper-thin sheets. this step scared me because i have no knife skills. but AHA! use a potato-peeler and you will feel fancy and talented and your zucchini will spout forth translucent-thin layers before your eyes. watch your self-esteem blossom under the glow of this new skill! i cut my sheets in half so that they arent so long and will be more amenable to fitting in my gaping pie-hole.

4. in a small bowl mix 2 Tbs of olive oil, the zest and juice of the entire lemon, and 2 teaspoons of the minced garlic.

5. in a large bowl mix together your zucchini and arugula. pour the dressing over it and toss. 

6. pull your deliciously warm and fragrant walnuts off the stove and dump them in (if youre lucky you will hear them sizzle as they hit your cool ingredients).

7. Add the Parmesan on top and toss to mix.  sprinkle salt and pepper to your liking.

dig in.

send me money because this salad is so healthy, light, hearty, easy, and cheap and it has made you happier than you ever knew a salad could.