Welcome Back Salad

This salad, as simple as it is, has become a huge hit in my house. It's now been nicknamed the 'welcome back salad' because it's something that I always make when my parents come back from a trip abroad ... and it's usually the first thing I make upon returning from a trip. I think it's the cool crispness of the ingredients and the different textures within the salad that make it delicious. It's so simple, you wouldn't think it was that big a deal -- but it always gets rave reviews, and at dinner parties, this is one salad that guests always go back for seconds (thirds, fourths ...)!

Ingredients:

3 tomatoes diced

1 cup corn kernels (thawed, canned, or fresh but blanched)

8 large Romaine lettuce leaves shredded (quantity is really up to you - I'm not fond of lettuce and sometimes just use half the amount of lettuce (or none at all) and add 2-3 diced cucumbers)

3/4 cup low-fat feta cheese

3/4 cup fat-free Italian dressing (I'm working on a homemade version of this dressing to avoid the store bought preservatives, but for now, as a time-saver, the fat-free dressing works perfectly)

1/4 cup walnuts

Mix all ingredients together - add the walnuts at the end. If you're preparing ahead to serve later, I'd mix the tomatoes, corn, feta, and dressing together first and let the flavors gel together (keep it in the fridge). Then add the lettuce and walnuts just before serving.

Nutritional info: [serves 4-calories per serving]

212 calories

17.5 g. carbohydrates (5 g. fiber)

13.5 g. protein

11 g. fat (5 g. saturated fat)

That's it - a simple, fresh salad! Enjoy!