Honey Mustard Broccoli Salad with Thai Basil

This is an interesting refreshing salad that can be easily changed depending on the ingredients you have available.  Thai basil has a much more distinctive taste than regular basil, but any herb that tastes good to you without needing to cook it will do.

Ingredients: (one option, anyway)

For the salad:

1 pound of broccoli
2 red bell peppers
1 sweet apple - e.g. Gala or Honeycrisp
20 leaves Thai basil coarsely chopped
1/2 cup of toasted seeds or nuts - sunflower, pumpkin or peanuts can work
  (to toast, spread on toaster over shelf or cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 3-5 minutes;
   watch carefully, to avoid burning.)


For the dressing:

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp EVOO
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp Kosher salt, more to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Use a vegetable peeler to trim the broccoli stalks.  Cut the stalks into sliver and the rest into
small florets.  Cut the bell peppers into bite-size pieces.  Coarsely dice the apples, without peeling.
Steam the vegetables for about 1-2 minutes, so they soften slightly, but are still crisp.

2) Whisk the dressing ingredients together.  Toss with the salad. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes
before serving.