We love salads and we love croutons on our salads. Here’s a variation we tried recently with artichoke bottoms and a garlicky red wine vinaigrette, then served wilted on top of fried or grilled bread.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 3 cups baby lettuces, arugula, or any soft greens
• 1 cup diced Roma tomatoes
• ¼ medium onion, thinly sliced
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 can artichoke bottoms, drained and rinsed well
• 4 pieces French bread or baguette, cut thick
• Olive oil
• Red Wine Vinaigrette

Preparation:

Make Red Wine Vinaigrette by combining ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 Tbs lemon juice, ½ cup olive oil, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 clove minced garlic, and ½ packet Splenda (or your favorite sweetener) in a jar. Cover and shake well. Let sit for several hours until flavors mingle. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pat artichoke bottoms dry and slice into thin strips. Combine with the greens, tomatoes, onion, and Parmesan. Drizzle with 2-3 Tbs vinaigrette, mix well, and set in the fridge for an hour or two for the salad to wilt. Heat a couple Tbs of olive oil in a skillet and toast the bread on both sides. (Alternatively, you can grill the bread if you prefer.) When bread is brown and toasty, place on a plate and top with the wilted salad. Yum!