Crunchy Pea & Cheese Salad* (Low-Glycemic)

Considering the ingredients, this could be used as a main dish, too.

Even if you think you don't like peas, you just might like this creamy/crunchy salad.  See my note at the bottom about 'alternate' dressing (although the 'change', with the 1/2 cup of sugar, might cancel the Low-Glycemic features).

INGREDIENTS: 

• 10 ounces frozen peas (do not thaw)
• 1 cup celery -- sliced thin (into about 1/4-inch pieces)
• 8 oz water chestnut slices, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup sweet onions, finely chopped (I used almost 2 green onions, top and bottom, chopped.)
• 1/2 cup green pepper, diced to 1/4 inch (I used a sweet red pepper)
• 1 cup Monterey jack cheese -- cubed to 1/4 inch  (I used Colby-jack) 
• 3/4 cup ranch salad dressing
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup sunflower seeds (I used roasted, unsalted variety)
• 2 tablespoons bacon bits, optional (I used 1/4 cup freshly fried crispy bacon pieces.)

The ingredient tray looks like this:

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl toss together the peas (still frozen), celery, water chestnuts, onion, green pepper and cheese. (Save just a few pieces of your choice for garnishment.)
2. In a small bowl, stir together the ranch dressing, sour cream and Dijon.
3. Pour dressing over vegetables and stir to combine.
4. Add bacon and sunflower seeds and stir well.
5. If you have the time, chill for several hours to allow flavors to blend.
6. Yield: 4 main dish or 6 of salad-size servings.

*I first found this recipe back in 2007-- I liked it then, I like it now.  It comes from a list of what are said to be Low-Glycemic recipes on the website of Natural Health Doc, Dr. Linda Hadley, N.D., D.Sc., Ph.D. 

Note about 'alternate dressing':  If you have everything else on hand, but not the sour cream or Ranch dressing, it might work to use the same kind of dressing that's on the broccoli-cheese salad listed in this blog, but I'm sure it would 'change the taste of this salad' a bit.  Also, this is a bit 'runnier' (thin) kind of dressing...

1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

 In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar.  (I stir this mixture with a spatula until I can't feel the little grains of sugar rubbing on the sides of the glass bowl.)   Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated.  To get the extra dressing from the bottom of the bowl, stir again just before serving.   By using THIS dressing with the 1/2 cup sugar, the salad might not be considered Low-Glycemic.  (?)