300+ Recipe Digital Cookbook
"I spent 10 years creating and testing recipes for this cookbook, it's my proudest creation!"
300+ Recipe Digital Cookbook
"I spent 10 years creating and testing 1000's of recipes for this cookbook, it's my proudest creation!"
- Mariel, Author & Founder
When the days get longer and hotter, and one starts sweating seconds after stepping outside, one knows summer is right around the corner. Everyone loves summer. Especially this Ecuadorian girl right here. I am used to lots of direct sunlight and humidity, which means I am totally okay with tan lines and perspiration.
In fact, I crave both bad while living life through fall, winter and spring here in Idaho; this state can be challenging for Latin Americans, as most of us are not used to the snow, to negative temperatures, or to long days without sunlight.
I probably need more Vitamin D than the average American, due to my golden skin color, so during winter, I know to go out and literally do some real life “sun salutations” at the slightest hints of sun ray. Both you and I know that with warmer weather, our lifestyle changes completely. We all spend more time outside, engage in different outdoor actives, go to more weddings, drink more liquids and even eat differently. With higher body temperatures and increased liquid consumption, we crave lighter meals when it’s time to eat.
We don’t really want mashed potatoes and lasagna (eww, that sounds so bad right now), we want something cool and easy to digest…something refreshing and flavorful. And salads are usually our answer. There are a million salad combinations out there; you can add most fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and proteins to create an awesome recipe that suits your current cravings.
I tend to use lots of greens and fruits during summertime; grocery stores are packed with juicy and bright fruits during this time of year, so be sure to visit your closest organic store to get inspired. On my last trip to Whole Foods, cherries really caught my attention. They looked so red and sweet, so I got a bunch to use on Paleo salads, desserts and more. Below is one of the ways I used cherries this week – hope you love this meal it as much as I did.
Cherry Walnut Summer Salad
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
A fresh mix of cherries, blueberries and mixed greens, tossed in a sweet balsamic vinaigrette.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 cups mixed greens
- 1 peach, cubed
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 avocado, cubed
- 1/2 cup pitted cherries
- 1/4 cup roasted walnut halves
- Optional: grilled chicken, sliced (you can use your preferred recipe here, or you can follow this one, this one or this one)
For the Vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- Pinch of sea salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Add vinaigrette ingredients to a bowl and whisk to emulsify. Set aside.
- Place greens to a salad bowl, pour vinaigrette, and gently toss to coat. Top with peaches, blueberries, avocados, cherries, walnuts and chicken (if adding). Serve right away.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Category: Lunch
- Cuisine: American
