Today I’m starting this blog post with a confession … I’ve never really been a “salad person.”

Sure, I’ve always enjoyed the “soggy salad” one often gets at local Italian restaurants, but I grew up on them (and really, what’s not to love?). And now that I think about it, I do tend to eat a salad when dining out, though I’m much more apt to order an heirloom tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad than your typical “garden salad.” But, I’ve never been one to order an entree salad and until recently, I rarely made salads at home.

I think that’s all about to change.

Why, you ask? First, Chuck and I are still committed to our healthy eating lifestyle, and when done right, salads can of course be healthy. Second, we got a giant bag of mixed lettuce in our first Fair Shares share so we had to make salads!

Below is the recipe for the first salad we made using our mixed lettuce and some of the asparagus we also got in our first Fair Shares share. Combined with the bright, tangy dressing we made—and the creamy, runny yolk from a poached local egg—it really was a winner … and something I will definitely be making again.

“Celebrating Spring” Salad

Ingredients:

10 asparagus spears, tough ends removed
2 small waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold
2 large eggs
2 quarts water
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 to 3 large handfuls mixed salad greens, washed and dried
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil mister

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and quarter potatoes (eight wedges total); lightly mist with olive oil. Place in a shallow baking pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.

2. While potatoes roast, trim, wash, and dry the asparagus. When potatoes are halfway done, add the asparagus to the baking pan, mist with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roll to coat. Roast about 10 minutes, or until barely tender when pierced with a knife. When potatoes and asparagus are done, remove from oven and cool. Cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces.

3. While vegetable are roasting, place champagne vinegar, mustard, and olive oil in a small jar with a tight lid and shake to combine.

4. Divide mixed salad greens between two plates, top each with half of the asparagus and four potato wedges. Sprinkle each equally with salad dressing.

5. Bring 2 quarts of water with a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon white vinegar to a simmer. Poach the eggs for 2 to 3 minutes; remove eggs with slotted spoon and place one on each salad plate; serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings, Weight Watchers points per serving = 7.

Located in Southern Europe, nestled between Albania and Turkey and bordering the Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean Seas, sits Greece, a beautiful peninsular country with an archipelago of about 2,000 islands.

Greece is home to an array of inspiring cultural experiences, and while I haven’t yet traveled there myself, I’m fairly certain my favorite cultural experience would be the food. I’ve always been a fan of Greek food because it typically combines many of my favorite flavors and ingredients: lemon, oregano, spinach, feta cheese, olive oil … oh my.

Last night, Chuck and I rounded up some Greek ingredients, mixed them together, and stuffed them into one of our favorite meats: center-cut pork loin chops. The result? Divine.

The stuffing of garlic, spinach, prosciutto, feta cheese, cream cheese, and lemon zest was bright, with a slightly creamy texture that held up well to the meatiness of the pork. And while the stuffed pork would have been amazing without it, the lemon, oregano, and Dijon mustard sauce added a tangy creaminess that complimented the salty flavors of the prosciutto and feta perfectly.

Pork Chops Stuffed with Feta and Spinach

[Adapted from Cooking Light]

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 ounce prosciutto, finely chopped
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese
• 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 2 garlic cloves; sauté 1 minute. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, prosciutto, and spinach; sauté until moisture evaporates. Remove from heat; stir in cheeses and lemon rind.

3. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each pork chop to form a pocket. Stuff about 1/4 cup spinach mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper over pork. Arrange pork on the rack of a broiler pan or roasting pan coated with cooking spray; place rack in pan.

4. Combine remaining 2 garlic cloves, juice, mustard, and oregano in a bowl; stir well. Brush half of mustard mixture over pork. Broil 6 minutes; turn pork. Brush remaining mixture over pork; broil 2 minutes or until done.

Makes 4 servings; serving size = 1 pork chop: calories, 232; fat, 8.6g; protein, 32.1g; carbohydrates, 7.2g; fiber, 2.8g; Weight Watchers points = 7.

Opa!

[This recipe is linked to Full Plate Thursday.]