Mushroom and Asparagus Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

There’s nothing like dinner at Mom’s, is there? Mom was kind enough to let us hang out with her last Sunday. We had been evicted from our house while our realtor held an open.

The hubby watched the game, I studied for school, and mom made us a delicious dinner. Talk about being spoiled! Mom made her famous ooey gooey spare ribs, and this wonderful, crunchy salad.

I’m going to ask our realtor for another open so we can get kicked out again!

Thanks mom!

Serves 4

1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup Kalamata olives, sliced
¼ cup fat free feta cheese, crumbled
¼ cup red onion, diced
¼ cup almonds, sliced
4 tablespoons light balsamic vinaigrette (we used Newman’s Own Light Balsamic)

1. Steam asparagus until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop cooking and retain color. Drain. Cut into bite sized pieces.
2. Combine onion, asparagus, mushrooms and olives with vinaigrette. Chill for 20 minutes to combine flavors.
3. Toss with remaining ingredients.

What’s good for me in this dish?

Asparagus tops the charts in vitamin K and folate. It’s also a good source of vitamins C and A. Folate is essential for a healthy cardiovascular system. Asparagus also contains potassium, making it a natural diuretic.

Mushrooms are super high in selenium, vitamin B2, copper, Vitamin B3, tryptophan, potassium, phosphorus and zinc. Mushrooms contain powerful phytonutrients that contribute to overall health, as well as protecting against certain cancers such as breast cancer. Selenium contributes to the proper function of our antioxidant system. Zinc promotes immune function. There is a list a mile long of the benefits of mushrooms. They should be an addition to any healthy eating plan.

Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 137
Total Fat: 9.09g
Cholesterol: 8mg
Sodium: 312mg
Total Carbs: 9.50g
Dietary Fiber: 3.84g
Sugars: 4.02g
Protein: 6.50g

Weight Watchers Points 3

Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.

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