Romaine and Turkey Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Recipe Courtesy of Nancy Hughes

Chop oven-roasted turkey breast from the deli counter into chunks for a quick start on this salad. With crisp parmesan toasts, it's a complete meal.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups salad and 2 cheese toasts)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 ripe peeled avocado, seeded and coarsely mashed
• 8 (1/2-ounce) slices diagonally cut French bread (about 1/2 inch thick)
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) preshredded Parmesan cheese
• 4 cups bagged chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 cups diced roasted turkey breast (about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Combine first 7 ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth, scraping sides. Set aside.

Preheat broiler.

Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese on each bread slice. Broil bread slices 2 minutes or until lightly browned.

Combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle buttermilk mixture over lettuce mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve with cheese toasts.