Kefir Dresses Up Nicely

Kefir, a rich-tasting, low-fat cousin of yogurt, is the base for the mixed herb dressing in this garden vegetable salad.

Though kefir comes in assorted fruit flavors that are great for drinking, the plain unflavored kefir is used in this recipe. It can be found in the dairy section of many grocery stores and ethnic markets.

To make the dressing, first blend the kefir with green onions and herbs for flavor, then with a can of white kidney beans for texture. The kidney beans thicken the dressing and give it a creamy consistency.

In this recipe, shredded zucchini and yellow squash, carrots and corn are tossed with fresh spinach, then served over additional sliced squash, but any fresh veggies can be substituted, depending on what you have in the fridge.

FRESH GARDEN VEGETABLE SALAD WITH MIXED HERB DRESSING

MIXED HERB DRESSING

1 cup kefir

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon minced dill

1 tablespoon chopped mint

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 (15 ounce) can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Puree kefir, green onion, parsley, garlic, dill, mint, lemon juice and salt in food processor or blender until smooth. Blend in beans until smooth. Chill until serving time.

SALAD

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Sea salt

1 ear corn

2 zucchini

2 yellow squash

1 large carrot, shredded

8 cups sliced spinach leaves

1 tablespoon thinly sliced basil leaves

Toast sunflower seeds in small skillet until lightly browned; sprinkle with little sea salt. Cool on paper towel.

Blanch corn in boiling water 2 minutes. Plunge into cold water to stop cooking.

Drain and cut kernels from cob. Shred 1 zucchini and 1 yellow squash. Toss together with corn, shredded carrot and spinach leaves.

Slice remaining zucchini and yellow squash and arrange in alternating pattern on platter. Top with salad mixture. Sprinkle with toasted sunflower seeds. Sprinkle fresh basil over chilled dressing and serve with salad.

Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

175 calories; 587 mg sodium; 2 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 2.61 grams fiber.