Meatless Cobb Salad

It’s steamy hot at our Pennsylvania house today, and it’s Meatless Monday. What to serve? I’ve got some greens and avocados, eggs and smoked cheese, so I’m thinking about the Meatless Cobb Salad from my latest book, Cook Without a Book: Meatless Meals. As I discovered with my Meatless BLT, the combination of smoked mozzarella and crumbled pita chips makes a great stand-in for bacon. With the egg, avocado, and a satisfying homemade blue cheese dressing, you’ve got a great summer meatless lunch or dinner.

In addition to giving you my Meatless Cobb Salad recipe, I’m giving away three signed copies of Cook Without a Book: Meatless Meals. Just tell me what you’re eating on these hot summer days (and it doesn’t have to be meatless!)

Giveaway ends on Wednesday, July 18th at 9 PM Eastern Time.

Meatless Cobb Salad
Serves 4

You will probably only use about half the dressing for this hearty main-course salad. Save the rest for another day.

Light Blue Cheese Dressing

1/3 cup each: buttermilk, light sour cream or Greek yogurt, and low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Salt and ground black pepper

8 packed cups (about 8 ounces) pre-washed mixed baby greens
4 boiled eggs, peeled and cut into small dice
1/2 small red onion, cut into small dice
1 whole avocado, cut into small dice
4 ounces smoked mozzarella, cut into small dice
2 small tomatoes, cut into small dice and lightly salted
1 cup coarsely crumbled pita chips

Mix all dressing ingredients, including salt and pepper to taste, mashing some of the blue cheese into the dressing with the back of fork. (Can be covered and refrigerated for several days.)

Place salad greens in a large bowl. Arrange each salad ingredient—eggs, onions, avocado, mozzarella, and tomatoes—in strips over salad greens (Can be covered and refrigerated several hours ahead.
When ready to serve, drizzle salad with dressing to taste, and the pita chips. Toss to coat and serve immediately.