Jean Leon opened La Scala in Beverly Hills in 1956.  The restaurant is revered for its Original Chopped Salad. Considered by many to be L.A’s definitive chopped. Their salad is wonderful in its simplicity-iceberg and romaine, mozzarella, Genoa salami, garbanzos, all finely chopped, tossed in vinaigrette and topped with 1 Kalamata olive.  It’s available with many different customizations such as adding turkey, tuna or chicken. I’m adding turkey to my recipe and making it skinnier by using only romaine lettuce, including chopped tomatoes, reduced-fat salami, light cheese and dressing.  The skinny for 1 main course salad, 298 calories, 11 grams of fat and 7 Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS. When made with full fat ingredients it has 562 calories and 40 grams of fat. This salad is sensational! After a few forkfuls, I’m sure you’ll agree, this is a salad you could eat almost every day!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

10 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

1½ cups tomatoes, chopped

1½ cups (6 oz) turkey breast, diced

¾ cup (2 oz) reduced-fat Italian dry salami, cut into thin strips, see shopping tip

1¼ cups canned garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed and chopped

½ cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

8 Kalamata olives or black olives, pitted and chopped

½ cup Cardini’s Light Caesar Vinaigrette or Girard’s Light Champagne Dressing, see shopping tip

1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, to taste

Instructions

1. Chop the romaine lettuce and add to a large salad bowl. Add remaining ingredients except the dressing and balsamic vinegar.  Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

2. Just before serving, toss in the dressing and balsamic vinegar. Add a little more dressing, if desired.

Makes 4 main-courses salads or 8 first-course salads

Food Fact
La Scala has been popular for years with the locals and entertainment industry.  It has comfortable red booths and drawings of Hollywood figures lining the walls.  Traditional Italian fare is offered, as well as an exceptional wine list supplied by Owner Jean Leon’s personal vineyard, Chateau Leon, in Spain.  La Scala has two locations, Beverly Hills and Brentwood.

Shopping Tips
My two favorite store bought dressings for this salad are Cardini’s Light Caesar Vinaigrette or Girard’s Light Champagne Dressing.  They are both delicious reduced-fat dressings.  Either are sold in most large supermarket chains in the salad dressing aisle.  I found them at Von’s/Safeway.

I used Columbus Lite Italian Dry Salami.  I also found it at Von’s/Safeway in the deli section of the supermarket. There are other brands available in the luncheon meat section of the market.

Prep Tip
To cut the sodium way down when using canned beans, rinse and drain first before adding to a recipe.

Weight Watchers (old points) 6
Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS 7