Grapefruit, Walnut and Artichoke Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

More About This Recipe

• I really want to be one of those people who can eat salad all day and enjoy it.
  
  The thing is, I really like the taste of greens and dressing, but when it comes to tossing up a beautiful, bountiful salad in my own kitchen, my creativity meter runs embarrassingly low. You’d more often find me eating greens by the fistful out of a bag than building a salad and eating it with a fork, like a civilized human being. I must be part rabbit.
  
  But one day – one glorious day – my salad muse hit me upside the head and BAM! out came this delicious Grapefruit, Walnut & Artichoke Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette. OK, that’s a lie. My muse lightly tapped me on the shoulder while I was wolfing down a similar salad on vacation this past winter and politely suggested I make my own version of it at home (where no one can see me “wolf” down a salad like an herbivorous barbarian).
  
  Unfortunately, my muse wasn’t polite enough to write down the original recipe word for word, so I had to do some creative imagining on my own – for a salad. My palms began to sweat. I started seeing visions of myself, bag in hand, eating nothing but greens again. My rabbit nose began to twitch.
  
  But something about this salad in particular broke my salad maker’s block, if you will. Perhaps it’s the perfectly tangy-sweet combination of the orange, lime and honey vinaigrette. Or, perhaps, it’s the contrast of tart grapefruit with earthy walnuts and savory artichoke hearts. Or, it’s the creamy, rich taste of white cheddar shavings that tops the whole thing off.
  
  Whatever it is, thanks to this lovely creation, I am officially out of my uninspired salad rut. I’ll be making this salad on a regular basis now – that is, until my salad muse strikes again.
  
  Stephanie (aka Girl Versus Dough) joined Tablespoon to share her adventures in the kitchen. Check out Stephanie’s Tablespoon member profile and keep checking back for her own personal recipes on Tablespoon!