Now that springtime is FINALLY here (for a while there I thought winter would never end), its time for fun light salads that are easy to make and fill you up after a run, or in my case, a challenging yoga class. Endive is a great lettuce, totally under-utilized if you ask me, so I was thrilled when I saw a recipe for an endive salad on Food Network, so I just tweaked it a little and made it a simpler lighter salad.

Ingredients
1/2 lb deli roast beef, thickly sliced [$5]
3 heads endive [$7]
Dijon mustard [$2]
1 shallot [$1]
Parsley [$2]
Smoked Gouda cheese [$6]
Red wine vinegar and olive oil, which are in most pantries

Directions
Thinly slice the shallot and place in a bowl of cold water and let sit while you prepare the other ingredients. Slice the endive and cheese and rough chop the roast beef. Place in a large bowl then prepare the dressing.
Whisk the shallot, some chopped parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Dressing will be a bit chunky with the parsley and shallot, but I think it’s richer this way. Toss dressing with the salad and serve.

A simple springtime salad that can be enjoyed in a rolling field or a park bench in between work or classes. Happy spring everyone!

-L