Antipasto Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 heads iceberg lettuce

• 2 large fennel bulbs, about 2 pounds*

• 1 pound Italian sausage, sautéed and sliced

• 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

• 1 cup pitted olives

• 1 cup sweet roasted red peppers, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• Tuscan Salad Dressing (recipe follows) 

Directions:

Core, rinse and drain lettuce; chill in plastic bag. Remove stalks from fennel; trim bottom of bulbs. Halve or quarter bulbs and drop into boiling water. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until fork-tender; drain. Cut 1 head of lettuce into narrow wedges, the other head into bite-sized chunks. Place lettuce on large platter with wedges at ends and chunks in center. Arrange fennel, sausage, onion, olives, red peppers and kidney beans on bed of lettuce. Trim with fennel leaves. Pass dressing to serve. Makes 6 servings.

Tuscan Salad Dressing: Combine 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup white vinegar or balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in jar; shake well to blend.

*If preferred, substitute 1 can (8-1/2 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and halved.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving: About 389 cal, 21 g pro, 24 g carb, 24 g fat, 55% cal from fat, 59 mg chol, 1367 mg sod, 5 g fiber.

Tuscan Salad Dressing: Per serving: About 241 cal, 0 g pro, 1 g carb, 27 g fat, 98% cal from fat, 0 mg chol, 0 mg sod, 0 g fiber.