Vegetarian Cobb Salad with smoked nuts and blue cheese dressing

So many times I browse a magazine, love a recipe and pass it by.  I was all prepared to do so with this Cobb Salad.  Then the carrot salad I was going to make was not needed as my brother in law has a famous carrot salad.  So I turned to this Cobb Salad for my parents' wedding anniversary lunch down at the beach this week.

Lately I have fallen in love with arranging vegies and fruit on a platter.  So I don't know why I don't make lots of cobb salads.  Perhaps this will now change.  This one was wonderful.  In fact any selection of vegies would work with chopped nuts and this rich creamy dressing.  I substitute chickpeas for the boiled eggs but loved the summeriness of the vegies.

Thanks to my sister who selected a ripe avocado for me.  It is not my forte.  And blue cheese is also usually out of my comfort zone.  But I was encouraged by so many blue cheese lovers among my nieces and nephews.  If blue cheese is not your thing, another creamy (and/or vegan) dressing would work too (I would suggest something mustardy)

Here is my plate of salads from the buffet.  I am making the most of the rare moment of wifi while we are at the beach to share this salad.  I will be back after my trip to share more of the beach holiday and more of what we ate including some of these salads.  Suffice to say, we are eating well on holiday!

More spectacular salads from Green Gourmet Giraffe:
Asparagus, strawberry and greens salad with poppyseed dressing (gf, v)  
Beetroot, raspberry and feta salad (gf)
Leon superfood salad (gf)
Quinoa, cashew and honeyed carrot salad (gf)
Strawberry avocado and walnut salad with a chocolate vinaigrette (gf, v)
Watermelon, mint and feta salad (gf) 

Cobb Salad
Adapted from Super Food Ideas Jan/Feb 2018
Serves 4-8

400g tin of chickpeas, drained
2 bunches of asparagus, chopped
125g raspberries
125g blueberries
1 ripe avocado, diced
250g strawberries, halved
few handfuls baby French kale leaves
1/2 cup smoked or roasted almonds, finely chopped

Blue cheese dressing:
60g castello blue cheese
2 tbsp light sour cream
3 tbsp milk
squeeze of lemon juice, to taste
1-2 tbsp chives, finely chopped

Firstly make blue cheese dressing by mixing all ingredients until creamy.  If too thick, add a little more milk.

Cook asparagus until just on the crunchy side of cooked (2-5 minutes depending on thickness - watch it as it cooks quickly and you want to retain green colour). Plunge into ice cold water to cool.

Arrange fruit and vegies in rows on a platter.  Scatter with chopped nuts.  Serve with blue cheese dressing either on the side or drizzled over salad.

On the Stereo:
Franz Ferdinand