Grilled Tuscan Bread Salad

Have I mentioned that carbs and I are good friends before? To me, they are totally a part of a well-balanced meal and since everything should be in moderation I find this spectacular salad, that can also be made into a one dish wonder, to be a great way to use up extra veggies from your garden, farmers market or CSA basket. The first time I had this salad was in Tuscany after a morning of biking through the hills with the Mr. We stopped at a vineyard for lunch and had one of the most simple but delicious meals of my life. I probably felt this way because I was so exhausted from the ride but since then I have always had this salad close to my heart.

½ loaf of good crusty bread (day old is best)

½ pint of grape tomatoes

1 cucumber, chunked into bite size pieces

1 zucchini, chunked

1 yellow squash, chunked

½ onion, chunked for kabobs

1 sweet pepper, chunked

EVOO

S&P

1 lemon, zested and juiced

¼ C parsley, chopped

¼ C basil, chopped

1 Garlic Clove, cut in half

Fresh Parmesan cheese

*You will need skewers for this recipe

Cut bread loaf in half lengthwise. Brush with EVOO and sprinkle with S&P. Chop zucchini, squash, onion and pepper into large bite size pieces to be skewered and place in a large mixing bowl. Toss in EVOO and salt and pepper until evenly coated. Skewer the veggies and grill both veggies and bread until the edges become crispy and blackened. Rub fresh garlic on the grilled bread to flavor it and then discard the clove. Chop the bread into bite sized pieces and place in the mixing bowl. Add tomatoes, cucumber, grilled vegetables and fresh herbs. Pour lemon juice and zest over the mixture and toss until evenly coated. Before serving sprinkle fresh cheese over the entire bowl.