It's Summer. It's hot. No one wants to turn on their oven. Plus, you've worked hard (or played hard) all day. You don't want to spend an hour prepping and then cooking a meal. And so, *drum roll, please* I present to you my go-to Summer meal... (frankly, it's my go-to every-season meal)...
The Salad.
And not just any salad. No. It's special. It's "tropical". And that means: your taste buds are about to go on vacation.
Tropical Spinach Salad
Recipe credit: Cathy at Lemon Tree Dwelling
Ingredients
3 c. fresh baby spinach
⅓ c. strawberries, chopped
⅓ c. pineapple, chopped
½ avocado, cubed
1 slice red onion, quartered ⅛ c.
⅛ c. chopped pecans
fresh-shaved parmesan cheese, to taste
(Change it up by adding in almonds, walnuts, or chickpeas)
Instructions
1. Layer ingredients in medium salad bowl.
2. OPTIONAL: Top with Sweet Lime Vinaigrette - (1/8 c. olive oil, 1/8 c. vinegar, Tbsp. lime juice, Tbsp. agave nectar). I find this dressing too sweet, so if I use anything, it's a light drizzle of olive oil.
3. Combine ingredients in a small container with a lid; shake well.
Voila! Your meal is served.
But, wait. Where's dessert?
Don't worry, I didn't forget that!
Here it is, in all its gorgeous, colorful, vitamin-filled goodness :-)
Summer Fruit Salad
Ingredients
Blackberries - 1 cup
Strawberries - 1 cup hulled and quartered
Grapes - 1 cup
Kiwi - 1 cup peeled and quartered
Blueberries - 1 cup
Oranges - 3 oranges, peeled and cut into wedges
Watermelon - 1 cup cubed watermelon
Instructions
1. Mix ingredients into a bowl.
2. Serve.
Beverage perfect for the meal:
You could have a glass of chilled wine, or coconut water, or regular water, or my go-to iced coffee.
There. Dinner (or lunch) done. Light and healthy and delicious. :-)