Although I was off salads for most of the summer (ah, food aversions), I credit one special dish to getting me back on the fresh veggie bandwagon in time for fall: the Daily Cafe’s Sauvie Island Farm Salad. It’s a heavenly combination of chopped heirloom tomatoes, avocado, corn, cucumbers, sweet onions and arugula tossed with an apple cider vinaigrette.
I realized my new “habit” had become a full-blown obsession, however, as I was packing up to head home to Michigan a few weeks back and found myself wondering what I’d do without my usual lunchtime rendezvous. So I figured I’d take matters into my own hands with a little recipe redux for my family…plus a few small tweaks, of course (because I’m still off avocados…dammit).
Use it as a side dish to compliment your protein, as we did with some glazed salmon one evening. Or pile on some shredded chicken breast, and call it a meal unto its own. Either way, it’s a fantastic way to enjoy the final fruits of summer!
Farmer’s Market Salad
Ingredients:
- 4 heirloom tomatoes
- 1 ear of fresh corn
- Few handfuls of arugula lettuce
- One ball of fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded chicken, optional
Directions:
- Wash and chop tomatoes into 1/2-inch sized cubes. Place in a large bowl.
- Peel corn, and cut kernels off the cob directly into the bowl with tomatoes. Toss in a few handfuls of arugula (more, if you’d like).
- Cut mozzarella ball into small pieces, and add to bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.
- Add shredded chicken (optional), and toss entire mixture to coat evenly with dressing. Serve and devour immediately.
Two quick tips: First, think out of the box and try using different kinds and colors of tomatoes. Red, green, yellow, brown, large, small — they’re all gorgeous and add more visual appeal to your meal. Remember, feeling satisfied and well-nourished means engaging all of your senses!
Second, if you’re leery of soft cheeses (like me at the moment), I’ve got a super simple fix: Instead of fresh moz, buy some mozzarella string cheese to chop up. Sure, it’s got a slightly tougher texture, but it’s still delicious and a terrific source of calcium.
Kinetic Fix 