New Year Salad

Alright, folks, gather around because I'm about to blow your minds with something that isn't a carb-load fest. I know, I know, it's hard to believe coming from someone whose basic food groups are pasta, pizza, and... well, more pasta. But even a cheese-loving, garlic-obsessed carnivore like me needs to mix it up sometimes. Enter the New Year Salad, the one dish that proves I can eat something green and not immediately wilt like the delicate flower I am.

This salad is basically the kitchen sink of salads, but in a good way, you know? You throw everything but the actual sink into a bowl and call it a masterpiece. It's like playing culinary roulette - except, instead of risking it all on red or black, you're just tossing in spring mix, tomatoes, pepperoni (because meat is a must), black olives, clementines for that fancy touch, chickpeas, red onion, hard-boiled eggs, and, of course, a generous crumble of feta cheese. Because what is a salad without cheese? Just a sad, sad collection of leaves.

Now, let's talk dressing. I'm a simple creature with simple needs. Give me olive oil, balsamic glaze, a hit of garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and I'm happier than a kid in a candy store. None of that thick, gloopy stuff that hides the taste of everything else. I want to taste my hodgepodge creation in all its glory. So, if you're feeling adventurous or just want to prove that you, too, can consume something that photosynthesizes, give this salad a whirl. Trust me, it's the only New Year's resolution you'll actually enjoy sticking to.

If you want to recreate this, here’s what I used:

- spring mix
- tomatoes
- pepperoni
- black olives
- clementines
- chickpeas
- red onion
- hard boiled eggs
- feta cheese

Dressing: I drizzled a little extra virgin olive oil, balsamic glaze, garlic powder, salt and pepper all over.