Photo by Francoise Villeneuve
Recipe by Sara Dunberg

Garbage Salads are a great way to make use of the last bits of produce in your fridge.  Plus they are a fun way to get your kids excited about eating a big bowl of veggies.  While you can use just about anything on hand, our colorful and nutrition-packed version is a far cry from the average house salad, combining tangy pomegranate seeds, creamy avocado chunks, crunchy pepitas and buttery garlic. 

Note:  Although we give recipes for making your own roasted garlic, spiced pepitas and balsamic vinaigrette, you can certainly opt for the store-bought versions instead.

Yield: Serves 2

For the Roasted Garlic:
1 garlic bulb
¼ cup olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the outermost papery layer of the bulb. Slice the top off the bulb to expose the cloves. Set the bulb in a small oven-proof container. Drizzle the olive oil over the bulb. Cover the bulb loosely with foil and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cloves appear golden on the edges and soft in the middle. Remove the garlic from the oven and allow to cool. Once cool, use a fork to remove the warm, roasted cloves and set aside.  Discard the membranes.

For the Spiced Pepitas:
¼ cup pepitas
1 to 2 teaspoons tamari sauce

Add the pepitas to a sauté pan on the stovetop over a medium to high heat, stirring constantly. When the pepitas begin to pop rapidly, remove from the heat, add the tamari and stir until cooled. Set aside.

For the Balsamic Vinaigrette:
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 pinch dried oregano
1 pinch dried garlic
½ cup olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the vinegar, honey, mustard, oregano and dried garlic together in a medium bowl. Drizzle the olive oil into the bowl in a slow and steady stream, whisking constantly. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the Salad
3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
¼ cup crumbled cojita cheese
3 tbsp shredded carrot
1/3 cup diced bell peppers in assorted colors
2 tbsp diced red onion
1 cup mesclun lettuce
1 cup romaine lettuce, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup butter lettuce, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ avocado, cubed

In a large bowl, combine the pomegranate seeds, cheese, carrot, bell pepper, onion, mesclun, romaine, spinach, butter lettuce and avocado. Dress the mixed salad with the Balsamic Vinaigrette to taste and top with the warm, roasted garlic cloves and pepitas.