Antipasto Salad... two ways

Ever wonder why would anyone want to call this colorful, healthy, and so delicious fresh salad mixed with black and green olives...and don't forget the pepperoncini, the artichoke hearts, and if you like, add some little cubed feta cheese, some vinaigrette dressing, some nice crusty bread, and you got yourself a meal that you will truly enjoy! It really is more of a vegetarian antipasto because there is no prosciutto, or salami in this...and that's fine with me!

The best part is that you can be so creative with this amazing salad, that you can first start off with the fresh salad part of it, fresh chopped Romaine lettuce, the best of the best red ripe tomatoes diced, I love fresh crunchy red radishes sliced, cucumbers if you like...which I did not use this time; I adore sweet onions like Vidalia or another brand if Vidalia is not avaiable, also sliced.

Not to be confusing the first version...with this version, which is the second, that in this salad, there is no 'lettuce'...just a simple Vegan Antipasto! This one has the artichoke hearts, which are already marinated, and comes in a cute little jar...made in Italy, some cherry or grape tomatoes, onions, garlic, and chopped Italian parsley. Both are mixed with the simple and the best extra virgin olive oil, and red, or white wine vinegar...no Balsamic at all for me, it changes the color, and for me it's too sweet!

I got the inspiration from Rachel Ray, whom I adore, ever since her old cooking show was featured on the Food Network, and I subscribe these days to her magazine as well!

Antipasto Salad
adapted from Rachel Ray

Ingredients

• 2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes diced
• 1 bunch red radish cleaned and sliced thin
• 1 sweet onion, peeled, halved, and sliced 
• 1 small block of Feta Cheese diced small
• Few pieces of marinated red chili peppers
• 1/2 pound Genoa salami, ask for it in 1 chunk at deli counter, diced
• 2 cups pickled hot vegetable salad, Giardiniera, coarsely chopped*
• 12 pitted black olives, coarsely chopped, such as Kalamata
• 12 jumbo green olives, pitted, coarsely chopped
• 1 small jar, 8 ounces, roasted red peppers, drained and diced
• 1 small jar, 6 ounces, marinated artichoke hearts, drained
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, eyeball it...(I used red wine vinegar)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it...add salt and pepper

Directions

Combine lettuce, salami, chopped hot pickled vegetables, olives, red peppers and artichoke hearts. Drizzle vinegar and oil over the salad. Toss salad and season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Linking to: Full Plate Thursday, #378