chopped greek salad with feta vinaigrette

Do you have stress dreams? I have the classic actor-variety that reoccurs. I'm in the wings, about to go on stage and I have NO CLUE what I'm supposed to be doing. All I know is: I'm on! Wasn't there preparation? Proper rehearsals? Couldn't someone have told me about this yesterday? Nope. I'm shoved out there in a panicky fit and an ill-fitting costume not knowing an iota of what is expected of me. Usually it's Les Miserables (perhaps because this was my Most Favorite Show of All Time when I was a musical theatre performer) and I'm on that infernal turntable not knowing when or how to step off. Figures that it's the show of my dreams, I always think to myself, and I'm gonna royally blow it.

It's torture.

And then (Mercy!) I awaken, sweaty but relieved to no end.  

I had a dream the other night that I made a feta vinaigrette for the blog. Seriously. Now I'm dreaming in recipes. In my dream I put the cheese inside the vinaigrette and it was nothing short of brilliant!  Revolutionary, even! As I remembered it in my half-awake state I felt an urgent sense of duty to bring it to the people (that's you). And then I woke up for real and realized combining feta with some oil and vinegar was not that big of a whoop.

It was the exact opposite of a stress dream. In the Feta dream, I was a GENIUS! A dressing superstar!  And then I awoke to realizing I wasn't all that.

Sad.

I wonder what it all means?

Anyway.  

This dressing isn't gonna win any fancy genius awards but it is seriously delicious. Tangy and salty and herby and creamy.

And isn't there something fun to a chopped salad?  It's so confetti-esque.....

I do have to hand it to myself though: I think it was a definite stroke of genius to add garbanzo beans to the mix. Who knew they'd be amazing with all of those Greek-y flavors?

Chopped Greek Salad with Feta Vinaigrette
serves 4 as a generous side salad

Dressing:
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1t dried oregano
1T lemon juice
2T red wine vinegar
3T canola oil
3T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste.

Throw all ingredients in a blender, mix til creamy and set aside.

Salad:
1 cup (2 small) chopped Persian cucumbers
1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes (squeezing gently after chopping will remove most of the seeds easily)
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
2T finely chopped Italian parsley
3/4 cup garbanzo beans (I used canned, drained)
Heaping 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2-3 cups arugula

Chop all your goods (except the arugula) and mix in a bowl.  Divide the arugula into 4 plates, top with the chopped mixture and drizzle with dressing to taste.  Serve as is or add grilled chicken (ooh! Or grilled lamb chops!) for more of a meal.

I hope you'll find it super dreamy.

xoxo

jolie