Eat Smart Santa Maria Style Broccoli Salad

June 9, 2008 | Reviewer: Abi

Photo of Eat Smart Santa Maria Style Broccoli Salad Price: $2.50 on sale (usually $4.00)
Serving: 1 package, 4.25oz.
Servings per package 1
Calories: 180
Fat: 10%, 7g
Cholesterol: 15%, 5mg
Sodium: 17%, 400mg
Protein: 7g
Carbohydrates: 8%, 23g
Fiber: 20%, 5g
Sugar: 15g
Weight Watchers Points: 3 Points

Eat Smart says: A local favorite here in the Santa Maria Valley, this salad combines our California Slaw with soy nuts, sunflower kernels, dried cranberries and a tangy low fat dressing.

Abi says: This salad consists of about a cup of vegetables, plus a small handful of fruits and nuts, plus an enormous package of dressing.

While that small a quantity of green items would never do in an at-home dining situation, it seemed a nice thing to keep in the fridge in anticipation of craving some green during the work day. And with the warmer weather (nearly 80 degrees in San Francisco!) I’m no longer ardent about the Green Giant Green Beans with almonds.

It is with great regret that I’m also not ardent about this salad. Instead of bringing fresh coolness to my afternoon, the broccoli acted as a delivery system for the mouth burningest salad dressing ever. I like vinegar. It makes egg salad zippy and brings pep to the easiest salad in the universe (also, the most universally loved salad I’ve ever made). It does not belong in this quantity in a salad dressing unless you are playing a cruel joke on a loved one. And that loved one better really, really love you if they’re going to get over this one.

At first I didn’t even think it was the fault of the dressing. It didn’t smell spicy, so perhaps the broccoli was extra astringent or the fruit and nut combo (soynuts, sunflower seeds and cranberries, yum) contained an unknown spicy element. Neither happened to be the case, but a girl can wish. I love spice and heat, but after a few minutes I was glad that I’d only used 1/3 of the dressing packet.

If you feel brave and not-too-hungry and this is on a tremendous sale, go for it. Otherwise, you’d be better off buying a head of broccoli (or purchasing a bag of pre-chopped, pre-washed broccoli) and keeping a bottle of your favorite salad dressing in the office fridge.

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4 Responses to “Eat Smart Santa Maria Style Broccoli Salad”

Julie A. on June 9th, 2008

I’ve never seen this thing but it looks like the skimpiest salad ever. And when not on sale it’s FOUR BUCKS? Sheesh.

(Abi - that salad recipe sounds like it rocks. I’m a huge fan of vinegar as well. I’ll have to try & make that soon.)
rob on June 10th, 2008

Great meal for people with money to throw away.
Jill on June 10th, 2008

Never, ever add an entire packet of dressing - it tends to turn into salad dressing soup.
Ali Marie on June 24th, 2008

… just a side note, but I grew up in the Santa Maria valley (lived there almost 20 years) and I’ve *never* seen that kind of salad. :\ I mean.. they grow broccoli there, sure.. and some people do put sunflower seeds and/or dried cranberries in their salad.. but that combination is hardly anything the area is “famous” for. And I have no clue about the mouth-burning dressing, either. Weird. Maybe my memory is just fuzzy. But a Santa Maria-style salad would actually be more like what is served with Santa Maria barbecue (consisting of tri-tip, spicy beans and a wedge of garlic bread)… extremely soggy and pale lettuce leaves, with a little bit of ranch dressing.