On the MyBrownBaby Table: Green Bean Arugula Salad

By SHELLEY CHAPMAN

Picture this: Thirty minutes to make dinner, starving and demanding mouths to feed, a need to integrate greens in a delicious way, and a Naturi Beauty recipe to save the day!

Sensational salads for a spectacular spring that's what the weather calls for and it's what's for dinner. This entrée salad features crisp green beans, peppery arugula, smoked salmon and tangy lemon pesto with a creamy goat cheese. I promise, the hubs will dig it, the children will love it and you’ll be ecstatic that you actually got them to enjoy salad greens.

Creamy Green Bean & Arugula Salad with Salmon and Pesto Goat Cheese

What you need:

2 cups green beans, fresh
1 crown broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1 bag arugula
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon, zested
4 oz. goat cheese
2 oz. pesto sauce
1/3 c. mayo
2 garlic cloves, minced
smoked salmon
salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:

1. Steam green beans and broccoli until tender with a slight crunch, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove from steamer and toss with minced garlic; set aside.
3. Mix lemon zest, pesto, mayo and goat cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Combine red onion and arugula and mix well with dressing; it helps to use hands to make sure greens are well dressed get the kids to help!
5. Add green beans and broccoli to the mix and combine so that dressing coats all vegetables.
6. Plate and top with smoked salmon.

Serves 4

Want more delicious recipes like this? I’ll be cooking up more mom-friendly dishes tomorrow at the inaugural With Mom in Mindâ„¢ conference, an Execumama/Naturi Beauty event designed to help moms relax, release and relate. The event will be held April 24, 2010 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Studioplex on historic Auburn Avenue, here in Atlanta, GA. TIckets are $40; for more information, click HERE.

About our MyBrownBaby contributor:
Shelley Chapman is a culinary artisan whose passion for “natural, from scratch, quality ingredient meals” led her to consult on meal preparation, planning and holistic consumption as a personal chef for her company, Naturi Beauty Concepts. She offers private culinary services in the Atlanta area, specializing in Vegan and Vegetarian cuisine with a global influence. For more tasty vegetarian/vegan recipes, please visit Shelley’s blog at Naturi Beauty.