Super Hero Summer Salad

by Casie Hall
(Miami Beach, FL, USA)

We like to have a fun name and story for all of our dinners because it helps our daughter to be more interested in the meal.

For this meal, there are lots of colors which reminds me of all the Super Heroes. So, from Superman we have yellow cheese and red pasta. Spiderman brings in the red tomatoes and black olives. The Hulk represents the green pasta and avocado. Wonder Woman brings the yellow pasta and red ham. You get the idea... So if you add other veggies, just find another Super Hero they like to represent that particular vegetable.

And let them know if they eat all of the salad on their plate, they will grow strong like the Super Heroes. For parents, this is a simple salad for the kids to help prepare if you do the prep work before they get involved. An easy and refreshing salad on a hot summer day!

Ingredients:
1 block yellow cheese- we usually use mild cheddar, but any yellow that you like works
1 block white cheese- we usually use mozzarella, but any white that you like works
1 small cured ham
1 can black olives- or green if you prefer
3 large tomatoes- or a small box of cherry tomatoes if you prefer
1 avocado
1 bag tri-colored spiral pasta
1 package Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup olive oil- I prefer extra virgin
1/4 cup vinegar- I prefer red (but you can also use white)
Good Seasons salad dressing glass container (found in most grocery stores around the package of seasons Italian dressing)
*other optional veggies: carrots, bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, and green), pickled artichokes, etc.

Directions:
1. Boil pasta, then drain and set aside. Cook to your liking, but not overdone.

2. Cut up the cheeses into cubes and set aside. (The cubes should be a good sized chunk to make it easy for the child to get onto a fork and eat themselves.)

3. Cut up the ham into cubes and set aside, same as the cheese.

4. Cut up the tomatoes into chunks and set aside. (If using cherry tomatoes, then cut in half).

5. Open the can of black olives and drain and set aside.

6. Cut up the avocado into cubes and set aside.

7. Cup up all other veggies and set aside.

8. Now either set aside all of the ingredients in the fridge and wait until the child is ready to assemble, or start right now.

9. Get a large salad bowl and invite the child to come make a Super Hero Salad.

10. Let the child take each ingredient one by one and explain what each item represents and let them add the ingredients to the salad bowl.

11. Open the salad dressing package and follow directions. Depending on the age of the child, you may let them add the olive oil and vinegar to the glass container. But even the smaller children can do the shaking once all the ingredients are inside the container.

12. Let the child pour the dressing onto the salad and gently toss with a large wooden spoon.

13. Enjoy!