C-BLAT Salad

I can’t believe there are only two weeks of camp to go before the school year starts up again! Where has the time gone?

While my mind can’t wrap itself around the fact that the summer is coming to a close, the weather begs to differ. It’s been hot, humid, mosquito-y, and full of outdoor activities. Outdoor activities in this kind of weather makes for cravings for cold food.

There’s nothing quite like coming home and enjoying a huge bowl of cold lettuce with amazing toppings to make the heat of a day disappear into the freon-cooled air of our house. Silly me though, decides to make a salad with warm as well as cool toppings, which involves cooking, but my idea had been lingering all day, so I didn’t mind.

As with most salads, this is more of a “procedure” or “method” over a recipe, but trust me, this one isn’t to be missed!

Chicken, Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado and Tomato Salad

(Get it, C-BLAT??)

Serves 6

Ingredients

* 3 bunches romaine lettuce, cut into bite-sized pieces

* 1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled (I cooked and drained the bacon, then crumbled in a blender)

* 12 oz tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

* 2 avocados, diced

* 1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and cut into small pieces (or shredded rotisserie chicken)

* 1/2 c. low-fat mayonnaise

* 2/3 c. fat free milk

* 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

In a blender, mix together the mayo and milk with the garlic powder and S&P. This will serve as your dressing. Assemble all other ingredients in a large salad bowl.

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Lightly dress the salad topping with more cracked pepper. Toss well, then topped with cooked chicken and serve.

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And then have more, because its salad.

And then have even more because, well, it rocks. I think croutons would be a nice addition to this salad, if you would like, but really, this was perfect just the way it is.

In other news, an old friend and neighbor of mine has started a fantastic new blog featuring bargains, sales, and free stuff…and she’s hosting her first giveaway! Make sure to check out FruGurl.com and enter her Chavrie giveaway! You all know how I love Chavrie…

Have a great Tuesday!

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Strawberry Fields Forever

I don’t think I can express in enough words how happy it makes me to see strawberries in the grocery store again. Not just any strawberries either. These are the big, bright red, juicy (get your minds out of the gutter) berries that are only wonderful this time of year. The ones that are red all the way through instead of only on the surface with lush green leaves on the top that are just waiting for something beautiful to happen.

Over the weekend, I was talking to my friend Laurie over the weekend, and she informed me that she had the most delightful salad. She didn’t say as much, but I was sensing she wanted me to try to remake it… and since it sounded so amazing, remake it I did.

strawberry salad

In the mix:

3 big handfuls of organic baby spinach

1/2 c. sliced strawberries

1/2 diced avocado

1 Tbsp. sliced almonds, toasted

2 slices center cut bacon, cooked very crisp and crumbled

1 chicken breast, diced and roasted in 1 tsp. olive oil, thyme, S&P

Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1 oz. Chavrie goat cheese


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Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
1/3 c. olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/ 4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 c. water
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Place all ingredients except olive oil in the jar of a blender. Blend until smooth. Drizzle in the olive oil, and blend until emulsified. You’ll know its emulsified when it turns a lighter pink. Pour in the water and blend well, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds.

strawberry salad
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You have to try this salad. If you don’t do chicken, just leave it out. Pescetarian? Replace the chicken with some grilled salmon. Vegan? Leave off the bacon and chicken all together and bake some tofu to put on top. The combo of the strawberries, spinach, almonds, avocado, and vinaigrette just SCREAM Summer!
You know what else screams Summer? My dessert:
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Looks good, huh? Nothing like low-fat, no sugar added mint chocolate chip ice cream to finish off a day… and what makes it even better? It’s tiny! You all know how I feel about tiny food!
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Have a wonderful night!

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