Summer Salad With A Winter Whiff

Hello there! I know my blogging has been very sporadic lately, and it can only be blamed on the gorgeous weather and weather alone. Come to think of it, I have been posting at least once a week on average (ah, there I go with my statistics!); but weather this beautiful needs to be relished while it lasts. Now, don't you all agree that summer should be more about appreciating the outdoors than being locked up in the house (read: kitchen)? Isn't that why we save all the serious cooking for the holidays?? This is the time to enjoy cool splashes of water, eat ice-cream to your heart's content, bring out the inner child visiting places like Sea World, have a picnic on the beach or just spend an afternoon lying on the grass reading a book. 

My list of 'things to do' and 'places to visit' this summer has been endless and I have little time to spare in the kitchen. Not to say that I don't cook, but simple and light meals seem to suit my summer apptetite and leave me plenty of time for more interesting things such as swimming (ahem!). Yes, my recent undertaking has been learning to swim <drum roll>! Or... not freak out in the water - depending on how you look at it :p. 

Anyway, we'll save my horror stories of sharing the pool with kids half my age for some other time. Let's talk about something I don't get nightmares over for now - Food! Husband is a big fan of simple salads and keeps asking for them for dinner - so much for a seafood lover. That makes me happy anyway, and I keep looking for new ingredients to use in my recipes. A couple of weeks back, a beautiful red apple sitting in my fridge was beckoning to be used. I usually ignore apples until they are the last thing in my fridge since it's not my favorite fruit to snack on, but it makes for a great salad ingredient! So with a couple of simple ingredients to pair with it, I paid the apple due respect and made a delicious salad out of it. Apple-Walnut salad with Maple vinaigrette - need I say more?? It was like turning a holiday dessert into a salad! Apples provided that perfect crunchy bite with slight sweetness, which paired wonderfully with the maple vinaigrette. Walnut is my favorite kind of nut and it completes any salad in my opinion.

Apple-Walnut Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1 Bag Spring Mix
1 Large apple - pick your favorite kind
2 Palmfuls glazed walnut - adds that extra sumthin'
1/2 Cup maple syrup
1/4 Cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons yogurt
Salt & Pepper for seasoning

• Stir together maple syrup, red wine vinegar, yogurt and salt & pepper for taste. The yogurt enhances sweetness and tanginess of the vinegar and makes the vinaigrette lusciously creamy!
• Cut apple into thin slices, crush the walnut slightly and mix with the spring mix greens. 
• Drizzle the vinaigrette over the greens, toss together and serve. 

Now, use all that time you saved making this simple, delicious salad and do something fun!

Padres Game

Coronado Beach

Mission Bay

Cirque De La Mer @ Sea World

Mission Bay from the tram @ SeaWorld

Shamu Rocks!