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So, there are certain people in my life that make amazing salads. My sister-in-law, Sarah, is one of these people. It doesn’t matter what is in the salad, this lady has a way with her fresh produce.
Another one of these people is my friend Monica, who, bless her heart, brought me this salad and a lasagna right after I had my baby. The lasagna was very good, but you guys….this salad was AMAZING. It was unique because the combination of ingredients within the salad was something I’ve never had before. So many different textures and flavors going on but it was the parsley dressing that made this salad so incredibly good.
Who knew, right?! Parsley? In salad dressing?
Yes, it’s a thing and yes, it’s good.
Now, this isn’t the *exact* recipe, but more of a copycat version made from my hazy, post-baby, exhausted, doped up memory of what Monica brought me that Sunday night. I did ask her for the recipe, but got a wicked craving for it impatient and less than 24 hours after asking, made my own version.
YOU GUYS. It’s good. The candied walnuts, blue cheese and dressing are what take this salad over the top.
Even my husband was like “this cheese in this salad is amazing!” –>coming from a man who hates smelly cheese! #miracle
Here’s how to make it:
So, the first thing you’re going to want to do is grab a high powered blender to make the salad dressing. I used this Mini WildSide Jar with my Blendtec Blender…the perfect size for smaller quantities!
Into your blender, add in some parsley. 3 cups loosely packed. This is a parsley dressing after all.
Add in some garlic,
lime juice,
olive oil,
sugar, salt and pepper.
Oh, and I added vinegar too. Lets pretend I didn’t forget to take a picture of that step.
So, now comes the fun part…add the lid and blend!
You can’t tell but this blender is on, working it’s magic 🙂
30 seconds later and we have some awfully green, awfully amazing dressing.
So, grab your dressing and assemble your salad.
Into a large bowl {or two}, add in some lettuce, mushrooms, gorgonzola cheese, candied walnuts, red onion, avocado and celery. Weird combo, I know, but trust me! It’s good.
Drizzle with the dressing and get ready to LIVE. Forreals.
Store any extra dressing in an air tight container in the fridge.
Printable recipe below, friends! Have a great weekend 🙂
The Monica Salad
Ingredients
For the parsley vinaigrette:
For the salad:
- 5 oz pre washed lettuce I used a super greens blend
- 1 ripe avocado diced
- 4 large baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped candied walnuts plain walnuts are ok too!
- 1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola
- 1 stalk celery finely diced
Instructions
- Place all ingredients for dressing into a high powered blender. Blitz until completely smooth. You may need to shake the blender a time or two to get things moving and drizzle in an extra tablespoon of olive oil. Once completely smooth, set aside.
- For the salad, add pre washed lettuce to a large bowl. Top with remaining ingredients and then drizzle generously with dressing. Serve immediately.
Oh My, I would make this parsley dressing for sure. My husband and I take salads to work 5 days a week. I am always looking for ways to change them up! This Mini Wildside Jar and blender would make packing salads fun again! The blender I have now is at least 20yeas old. I am afraid that because of its age and size, it doesn’t get much use. There are only 2 of us in the house and getting the monster out is just not going to happen!
It would be perfect for salad dressings!
Oh my….I would absolutely make that dressing first! I might even have some salad with it…LOL
I was just diagnosed as pre-diabetic so I really do need to get serious about the food I eat!
Just saved your recipe. The 1st thing I would make is that yummy salad dressing with the Blendtec blender & mini wide side jar. Looks amazing!!
I will make this Parsley dressing….sounds awesome!!
My husband, who is a FINE chef when he applies himself, absolutely LOVES the creamy caesar salad dressing from our local ‘pizza’ restaurant. He has purchased it from them many times, since it is not available in our local grocery store. (mind you we live in a very small town.) But after reading the details of this recipe, mostly the dressing, a thought came to mind! What if I could experiment with this blender and make him his favorite salad dressing?! Wouldn’t that make me the bomb????? I’m thinking so! What fun it would be to try! But first things first. This recipe for the Monica Salad sounds amazing, and will be on this weekends menu. Thanks Lauren!
I would make roasted butternut squash soup and then an orange, banana and pineapple smoothie!
I would make this dressing as it sounds so good.
I think I might just make that wonderful parsley dressing you just showed us how to make. Sounds wonderful!
Definitely the Parsley Vinaigrette for that awesome-looking Monica Salad!
For sure, I’d try this Monica salad dressing right way Sounds amazing, with all ingredients I love!
I love the taste of parsley in anything so this dressing must be amazing! The first thing I would make in my Blendtec blender would be the copycat recipe for Cafe Rio’s Tomatillo Cilantro Lime Ranch dressing…yum!
I’d love to use it to make smoothies–my current blender can’t seem to do enough to blend frozen bananas…
Ahh… If it were in season, the first thing I would make with this blender is luscious, luscious gauzpacho, with fresh ripe tomatoes, red pepper, sherry vinegar, garlic and some stale bread. Because my blender isn’t strong enough for that silky texture. But it were right now, I would make this parsley vinaigrette, the thought of which is driving me crazy.
I would make this salad and dressing! But I gotta say a mango and strawberry smoothie would tie for the first thing made.
**love your blog!
I would make a smoothie! Or a margarita after I pop this baby out in June 🙂
I love trying all kinds of homemade salad dressings. That will be what I would do first in the blender.
Would love to make your salad dressing in the blender!
Salsa, salsa, then more salsa!
Peanut butter, banana and honey smoothie – yum!
The first thing I would make is this salad dressing! It sounds delicious.
The first thing I’d make is the parsley dressing for the Monica salad!!!! It looks fantastic and I’m always trying new combinations in my salads. This is one I haven’t tried before.
Thanks!
This salad and dressing looks SO good..it would have to be the first thing I would try in my new blender????!
I would make this dressing!! Looks delicious!!!
never have owned his type of blender, and the dressing looks to be a wonderful choice for a new salad dressing, I would surely make this the very first thing in the blender offered.
All salad dressing should be made in that mini Blendtec blender! Goodby chopping garlic and herbs into minuscule pieces, and farewell wisk! The flavors must meld together so mush better and faster! Parsley dressing today–well I guess I will still be chopping and wisking!
A smoothie!
Hummus and baby food purees!!
I’d make the Monica salad dressing!
That salad does look amazing! Never wold have considered using parsley as a base for a dressing, but that’s probably why I’m not a chef… 🙂
The first thing I would make in this lovely little blender if i won would be probably a smoothie or twelve!
First thing I would make with the Blendtec Blender using the Mini WildSide Jar would be The Monica Salad. This recipe looks easy and like something that my boyfriend and daughter would love.
I would most likely make smoothies for my boys!
This dressing sounds amazing – it would be really easy to make with the Blendtec and the Wildside Jar, hoping to win…
Homemade almond butter, for sure! My food processor does an amazing job, but I’m sure a Blendtec would make it even smoother:)
The first thing I would make is this dressing and salad. It sounds wonderful!!
This dressing!
The first thing I would make in my Blendtec Blender would be this amazing salad dressing you just posted about! Yum!! (Along with the salad of course).
I will make a bunch of green smoothies… especially now that it is getting warmer out! 🙂
Umm totally making this salad dressing!! And smoothies for my kids!!
I would make the parsley dressing and some smoothies.
My daughter loves smoothies so I would make her a fruit smoothie, sneaking in a few veges of course!
Hi Lauren, This looks totally delicious!
How long do you think the dressing would stay fresh in the fridge? Thanks for your awesome blog!
I would make this dressing, of course!! Then I would probably make salsa.
This salad sounds amazing. If I had the Blendtex Blender with the mini wild side jar, the first thing I would make is a Blended Coffee Smoothie using Bolthouse Farms Blended Coffee Prtein drink, Silk Almond Milk and some crushed ice. Yum!
This amazing parsley dressing!
I would definitely make the Monica salad! Thank you!
I would make the dressing to this awesome looking salad….and use it for any other things from your fabulous recipes….Lauren, your posts and email is the highlight of my day..
I would make the banana ice cream I’ve seen posted everywhere!!!!
Smoothie for sure! Green yummy smoothies to start the day right!
I would make smoothies for my granddaughter who loves them.