Canadian Summer Salad With Sunflower Seed Dressing

Sunflower seeds salted in the shell are a most favoured snack on the Prairies, their popularity bolstered by the rumour that it takes more calories to get at the seed and eat it, than there are in the seeds. At summer resorts like Gimli and Winnipeg Beach, the summer residents spit seed shells and tell salty stories until their tongues are numb.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  boston lettuce
• 1  cup green beans, blanched
• 12  cherry tomatoes
• 1  cup snow peas, stems removed
• 1  cup bean sprouts
• 4  green onions, chopped
• 1⁄2 head cauliflower, broken into florets
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds, shelled
• 1⁄2 cup  grated  old cheddar cheese

• DRESSING

• 1⁄3 cup  sunflower oil
• 1⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Break Head leaf or Boston lettuce into bite sized pieces. Cut the green beans and tomatoes in half. Combine all the prepared vegetables in a large bowl.
2. To make the dressing, combine the sunflower seed oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Whisk briskly with a fork. Pour over the salad and toss.
3. Toss the dressed salad with the sunflower seeds and grated cheese. Serves 8.
4. Across The Table - An Indulgent Look at Food in Canada.