We love salads, but we do have some challenges. Dairy made from cow’s millk can be a problem. There’s also my husband’s stomach, which just won’t take onions anymore. Then there’s my new low carb eating plan. Of course, we need to stay gluten-free too. Oxalates are a new problem that has changed our eating. This makes for a long list of things to avoid.

What to do when the whole family loves salad and we have all these competing dietary requirements? Obviously, we aren’t going to be having a Cobb salad with croutons.

When allergies – or any other dietary restrictions – come along, you improvise and experiment!

Here’s the salad that has become a family favorite.

===================================

Monique’s Greek-Inspired Salad

Ingredients:
1 English cucumber
1/2 fennel bulb
1/2 – 3/4 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1 red pepper
200 gm (7 ounces) sheep or goat feta

3/4 – 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons sweetener of choice
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar

Instructions:
Take the first 5 ingredients and chop into your preferred bite size. I cut the cucumbers into four long strips and then chop into slices. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Chop the fennel fairly chunky – but not too big! Same with the red pepper. Either chop or crumble feta, as you prefer. Put all these ingredients in a large salad bowl so that you can toss the salad with the dressing.

To make the dressing, take the oil, sweetener, oregano and vinegar and mix well together. (We use erythritol for our low carb sweetener). Pour the dressing over the vegetables.

Ideally, you should let the salad stand in the fridge for an hour or two before serving. Toss frequently with the dressing while the salad is standing, to ensure a nice blend of flavors.

Enjoy!