Asparagus-Apple Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Featuring the contrasting elements of apples (a Kentucky crop), asparagus, and blue cheese, this salad rounds out a Derby Day menu.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley
• 2  tablespoons  white vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  water
• 1  teaspoon  sugar
• 2  teaspoons  Dijon mustard
• 1  teaspoon  extravirgin olive oil
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  cups  (2-inch) diagonally cut asparagus
• 4  cups  torn butter lettuce
• 2  cups  thinly sliced Gala apple

Preparation

Combine first 9 ingredients, stirring with a whisk.

Cook asparagus in boiling water 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water; drain. Combine the asparagus, lettuce, and apple in a large bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette; toss gently to coat.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

58 (29% from fat)

Fat:

1.9g (sat 0.8g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.2g)

Protein:

2.1g

Carbohydrate:

9.6g

Fiber:

1g

Cholesterol:

3mg

Iron:

1.2mg

Sodium:

159mg

Calcium:

43mg