Recipe for Summer Super Salad Inspiration

Aloha all,
I'm starting to get caught back up from being away for so long!  Hope your summer is going well and you're enjoying some lovely fresh summer produce.  Last week, I was really in the mood for a salad of some type for dinner.  It was a hot, muggy day and my brain was just feeling lethargic-ever get like that?

Anyway, I knew I wanted a salad but not just any salad.  A tasty, "more than lettuce and tomato" kind of salad.  I was searching for some inspiration...didn't really find it with a quick look on line or a perusal of this month's food/recipe magazines stacked up (actually I have a few month's worth stacked up).  I figured I wasn't the only one who would enjoy a summer salad, so I'm sharing today what I ended up putting together.  It was awesome.  


First, the kitchen didn't get heated up because Mr. ELEB cooked the chicken outside on the grill.  Second, I was able to get some great locally grown produce.  And third, the variety of tasty sweet and salty morsels in the salad satisfied my yearnings for something beyond a basic salad.  Hope you will be inspired to create your own Summer Super Salad.


Serves: 2
Time: 30 minutes


Ingredients:

• 4 cups mixed lettuces
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 1/2 cup finely diced tomato (seeded)
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup pistachios (salted, shelled)
• 2 oz. goat's cheese, crumbled
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled and sliced
• Drizzle of lemon olive oil (or oil and vinegar mixture)
• Salt and pepper

Method:

• Preheat the grill and grill chicken breasts until cooked.
• Compose or toss salad ingredients together.
• Add chicken.
• Dress with olive oil (or oil and vinegar), salt and pepper.

That's it.  Easy, satisfying, tasty.  And lot's of possibilities for variations.  Enjoy!


Printable recipe

Has the Bacon Everything Craze Gone Too Far?

I'm just sayin'....

Chunky Greek Hummus Plate-Secret Recipe Club

My first recipe post in a while (see yesterday's post for why) and it's for Secret Recipe Club reveal day!  This month I was assigned Linday's blog, The Lean Green Bean.  Not only does her website have fun recipes, healthy ones at that (she studying to be a Registered Dietitian) but also inspirational workouts and fitness information.


I chose Lindsay's recipe for Chunky Greek Hummus Plate, a recipe from one of Lindsay and her husband's favorite restaurants.  I love hummus and I love Greek salad so this was an easy recipe to get excited about.  It was also easy to throw together on the road, using prepared ingredients.  I will definitely do it again making my own hummus and Greek salad!  


Time: 5 minutes (using prepared ingredients)
Serves: 4 for an appetizer


Ingredients:

• 1 cup prepared hummus
• 1 cup finely chopped Greek salad ingredients
• Sprinkles of feta cheese, or (as I used) a tzatziki/feta dip)
• Chips or veggies for serving (I used pretzel chips)

Method:

• Spread hummus on plate.
• Top with chopped Greek salad and feta (or sauce).
• Serve with chips of your choice.

Thanks Lindsay for a fun appetizer!

To see all the Secret Recipe Club recipes for July, see below.

Missing In Action

Aloha everyone,
I'm back.  Sort of.  I've been MIA since the end of May.  Normally when we travel, I still post what I'm cooking (if we're staying in someone's house or a rental with a kitchen) or what we're eating when out at restaurants. June and July have been exceptionally hectic and I've been focused on a couple of family issues on the mainland that have left me with little time or energy to devote to the blog.


Fortunately, one of these is just about resolved and I'm hoping the other is headed that way.  My Mom has been very sick-2 major surgeries in the past six weeks.  I'm back home in Georgia and have been helping her to recuperate.  There are some ongoing issues, but I'm hopeful she is beginning to make progress.  I'm scheduled to go back to Maui next week, fingers crossed things continue to go well.


I'll have a lot of catching up to do so my posting will be spotty for now.  I hope to be back to a more regular schedule in the near future.  Thanks for staying tuned!


Tomorrow is Secret Recipe Reveal Day and I will have a post!