Cranberry Lettuce Salad~Recipe

Looking for a way to use all those spring greens and add some great color and zip to your salad?  Here is a recipe that was born from a visit with my cousin in North Carolina.

This recipe is easy enough for all your children to help.  My three and four year olds loved tearing the lettuce, dumping in the cranberries, and running the salad spinner.  My five and six year olds learned to peal carrots, and my olders helped with the rest of it.

The picture below is of one we just made, but didn’t have all the extras such as the oranges and cucumbers.  It gives you an idea that this is a super adaptable recipe to meet your family’s needs.

Cranberry Lettuce Salad

2-3 heads of Romaine Lettuce-torn for salad

Other greens you can get or have on hand (spinach, other lettuce etc.)

Diced bell peppers red, yellow, green

Slivered carrots

Diced onions

Cucumber

Your Other Favorite Salad goods

Now for the kick or zip or zap…

Add a bag of dried cranberries

a small can of mandarin oranges

Dressing

In a jar mix all of the following:

1-2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1/2 cup of Red Wine Vinegar

1/4 to 1/2 cup Cranberry Juice (not cocktail)

1/2 tsp. basil

1/4 tsp. garlic powder or fresh if available

Sugar to taste—start with a tablespoon or so.

Salt and pepper to taste start with 1/4 tsp. or less.

Shake together and pour over salad just before serving

Other yummiest to add to your salad?  Crumbled bacon, croutons, sunflower seeds and such.

I served this salad with Lasagna and Garlic Bread.