Parmesan Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

I have a thrilling new way to even make a salad exciting. Well, Giada de Laurentiis does! Last night I made this salad as a side and I was inspired to do so because, while we didn't wish to eat something heavy like a potato dish, we wanted more than plain iceburg. So, Giada hooked us up and I will be happy to eat the rest of this in a few short hours with my dinner tonight.

This salad was definitely a little bit more time consuming than I had planned but well worth the process being that it was so well received by my family and my self. Of course, as far as the 'svelte' issue goes, frying up Parmesan coated veggies isn't perhaps the most healthful way of donning fresh spinach with other veggies, but at least they aren't beer-battered and deep-fried right? RIGHT! And, the light dressing certainly adds to the healthful factor being that it isn't a cream-saturated mess.....

So, here is the recipe for this fantastic salad....

Parmesan Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad:

2 1/2 cups bite-sized broccoli florets

2 1/2 cups bite-sized cauliflower florets

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 to 1 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 cups lightly packed fresh spinach leaves

1/2 lemon, zested

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method: Place the broccoli and cauliflower in a large bowl. Toss with the beaten eggs to coat evenly. Place the Parmesan in a large tray or baking dish and dredge the vegetables in the cheese, pressing to coat evenly.
Pour olive oil in a large heavy skillet until the olive oil is 1/4-inch deep, about 1/2 cup depending on the size of your skillet. Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add the Parmesan-coated vegetables. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches, if necessary. Let the vegetables cook until a crust forms, about 3 minutes per side. Turn the vegetables only when they easily release from the bottom of the pan. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
Place the spinach in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the spinach with the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan coated vegetables. Toss and serve.

And there you have this awesome new way to enjoy spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower.

**Side note: Unfortunately my technologically reliable digital camera just randomly decided to not work anymore, so I accredit this photo from the Food Network's site! However, my salad did in fact resemble this photo near exactly! :P

Enjoy!