Summer Salad with Honey-Orange Vinaigrette

Oh, sweet summer! How I love you so.

This fresh salad with berries, tender butter lettuce, and toasted sunflower seeds reminded me of the season as soon as I took my first bite. It's super simple, but super yum.

I added some organic chicken that was lightly seared, but you could choose to add fish for another lighter protein option or opt out of meat completely.

Lovely. A delicious salad that's easy to make and gives you options. Just, lovely.

Summer Salad
serves 3-4


1-2 heads of butter lettuce, washed and chopped
3/4 cup radicchio, washed and chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 cup carrots, thinly sliced or shredded
2 cups strawberries, trimmed and sliced
1 medium Fuji apple, cored and thinly sliced (I cut the slices in half, too)
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds, shelled


1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and toss well to distribute everything evenly. Dress with honey-orange vinaigrette (recipe as follows). 


Honey-Orange Vinaigrette
makes about 1/2 cup


1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup orange vinegar (or any fruity vinegar)
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper


1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined. Use some or all on the salad. This dressing can be stored in an air-tight container for about a week in the refrigerator. 

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Arugula-Macadamia Nut Pesto

 

The slightly bitter and peppery taste of arugula is one that not all people enjoy. I, however, love the flavor and it is often my green of choice in salads and sandwhiches. Arugula pesto isn't a breakthrough in the pesto family, but it also isn't a common one I see a lot.

This arugula pesto has a moderately sharp bite with buttery notes and a fruity finish. The macadamia nuts play add a subtle richness alongside the freshness of extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese, and light zings of lemon.

Enjoy this as a spread on bruschetta or as a pasta sauce-- just as I did for lunch today on top of whole-wheat rotini noodles. I also had a dollop on top of my soft scrambled eggs this morning for breakfast. Two servings of arugula pesto in one day? A great way of getting in the greens.

Arugula-Macadamia Pesto


*makes about 1 1/2 cups of pesto


3 1/2 cups of packed arugula leaves (washed and dried)
1/4 cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts 
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
juice of half a lemon (about 2 tbsp)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil


1. Place all ingredients, except for the olive oil, into a food processor. Pulse the mixture a few times to break up the arugula and combine the ingredients. With the processor running, drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil until a desired consistency is reached. Season with additional salt and pepper  to taste, if needed.


2. This will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Store in an air-tight container and drizzle more olive oil on top before sealing the container.