Summer Salads

Summer is salad season.  And I firmly believe salad counts as a meal.  I pack it for lunch on the regular.  But, leaf salad gets a little boring and creamy pasta salads are tasty but they aren't exactly on the nutritional up and up.  So, I'm always on the look out for more healthy choices that still taste delish.  Here are three I've been eating this summer.

Kale Blueberry Salad

Kale Salad with Blueberries from Natasha's Kitchen.  I've never been a big lover of kale.  But this recipe makes it so flavorful,and softened it up just enough that it converted me.  The blueberries and dried cranberries give it a hint of sweet, the slivered almonds and carrots- a little crunch, and the apple cider vinaigrette pulls it all together.  Note, her original recipe doesn't call for almonds, but like I said, I think they add a little extra crunch.  Just, add them at the end with the blueberries and onion.  And you have to make sure you let it sit a couple hours so the flavors meld.

Caprese Salad

Caprese Salad is one I've been making for years.  It's easy to make.  Traditionally Caprese is made with Roma tomatoes but I like to cut up a pint of cherry tomatoes, toss in some basil leaves, and take a cup of mozzarella pearls or a mozzarella ball and cut it into chunks, then toss with a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil and add a little fresh sea salt.  You can eat it right then and there, or it'll keep nice in the fridge for a day or two, but to be honest, I don't think I've ever had any last that long.

Artichoke Rice Salad

This Artichoke Rice Salad may not look like much but it's pretty tasty.  I made mine with red rice.  And I use whatever color pepper  I have on hand.  The recipe says let it sit for three hours.  But I think it's better if you let it sit overnight and really give the flavors a chance to develop.  And don't skip on the fresh parsley.  It really does add to the salad. 

 So there you have it, my three salad champions of the summer.  Got a recipe to share?  Put the link in the comments.  

A Few Favorites 9.1

Here are my favorite things from this week.

 

1. "Everybody Has Their Own Struggles (So Be Kind)" print.  I found this on Pinterest, but you can by the print from the Etsy shop "Lizzypickney" for $10.  It's a good thing to remember, and it's a really pretty print.
2. This Chard, Feta, and Roasted Beet Salad was on Delightfully Tacky's blog a few days ago.  I love beets, so I had to try it.   I used spinach instead of chard, and sunflower seeds instead of sliced almonds, but I think the beet is the star of this salad.  It's super tasty! 
3. Don't Blink wrap ring from "SilverStatements" Etsy shop.  If any of you are Doctor Who fans, you know what this is referring to and you get why it's awesome.  If this is lost on you, start watching Doctor Who and when you get to the "Blink" episode in Season 3, it will all make sense.  Seriously, I thought Doctor Who sounded pretty lame, but Netflix kept telling me I would like it.  You know what, they were totally, absolutely, unequivocally right.
4. Speaking of Netflix, they kept recommending Drop Dead Diva for me too.  I read what it was about and saw it was a television show that aired on Lifetime and I didn't have much faith.  But, I gave it a shot and it's my favorite show to watch while I'm sewing.  It has engaging characters and storylines, but does not require 100% of your attention to follow.  Perfect to have up on the laptop while working on sewing projects.  The fourth season released on Netflix a few weeks ago and I've almost watched all of them.

Have a good holiday weekend if you're in the States.  Enjoy the last hurrah of summer if you're in the northern hemisphere.  And if you're in the southern hemisphere- well, spring is coming.  :)