The East Coast certainly took a beating over the weekend. Here in New Jersey, our initial snow total predictions were completely surpassed by the amount of snow we actually got – like about 2-3 feet. If you shoveled one pile of snow and went onto the next, by the time you turned around, it looked like none of the snow was ever moved. It fell fast and it fell in large amounts!
I used to be a snow lover, but now it’s just a total inconvenience to everyone (except maybe our dog). The whipping winds make it hard to enjoy the winter weather. The snow that gets tracked in leaves a puddled mess. Shoveling gets old fast (especially when you’re husband’s at work and you don’t know how to use the snow blower) and it’s just so cold!
But there are some good things about snow days. I binge watched TV and movies and spent a lot of time online. I felt too tired to do anything productive, so I threw a pot roast in the slow cooker and called it a day. Of course, before the blizzard hit, I had every intention to cook up a storm in the kitchen!
One of the places I stopped while I was prepping for the storm was the farmer’s market. If I was going to be stuck inside, I might as well eat healthy! Well, that didn’t really happen. But I’m back on track today with a bright and colorful salad that will at least make it feel like summer in your mouth!
As usual, I bought way too much home from the farmer’s market. So I made it a point to use some of the stuff I bought before it went to waste. I grabbed arugula by accident, so I decided that it would become part of a salad. I probably bought more fruit than I needed, but when it’s so colorful and so cheap, it’s bound to get thrown into your basket! So I started thinking about salad combos I could make with everything I bought.
Arugula is a peppery green, but I thought the flavor could be toned down a bit with the addition of fruit. So I cut up my papaya half into cubes, sliced a kiwi, tossed in some blueberries, and added some fresh mozzarella to the mix. I topped it all off with a homemade honey lime vinaigrette. Now if that doesn’t scream the opposite of a snow winter, then I don’t what!
Ingredients
- 1 small bunch arugula, rinsed and dried
- Approximately 1/4 of a papaya, cubed
- 1 kiwi, peeled and cut into halved slices
- Fresh mozzarella, cubed
- Blueberries
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp. honey
- Salt and pepper
- Cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Arrange arugula on a plate.
- Add as much or as little of each ingredient as desired.
- Dress with homemade citrus vinaigrette.
- Squeeze lime juice into a jar or container that can be sealed.
- Add orange juice and olive oil. Mix.
- Stir in honey.
- Season dressing with salt, pepper, and cayenne, if desired.
- Throw a lid on your jar or container and shake dressing.
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