Strawberry Arugula Salad

Hey everyone!  Right now, I’m sitting at the Charlotte airport awaiting my flight to Omaha, Nebraska to visit my sister-in-law.  I’m very excited and very calm due to the 2 bloody mary’s I enjoyed at the bar.  My fear of flying overtakes me a little bit but I figured a quick blog post would take my mind off the fact that I’m about to board one of those little planes -- just praying it’s not a prop plane.  

So today I have a quick and easy salad recipe for you!  Hello, SkinnyChow!  This salad is a lovely combination of peppery arugula, juicy strawberries, creamy crumbled blue cheese and a lovely homemade balsamic dressing.  Add some crunchy croutons and you’ve got yourself a wonderful (and beautiful) first course salad.  

Strawberry Arugula Salad (serves 4)

1 package baby arugula

1 pint fresh strawberries, quartered

1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese

1/2 c. store bought croutons, or make your own croutons if you feel so inclined

Toss all ingredients and lightly dress salad with dressing, or as desired.

Balsamic Dressing

I made this dressing significantly lower-fat by reducing the amount of oil without sacrificing flavor.

3/4 c. balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

Blend all ingredients.

This is such a lovely spring and summer salad.  If you’re the kind of person that isn’t a fan of fruit in your salad, go ahead and give this recipe a try.  Strawberries and balsamic are a classic paring and you will love it.  

Plane just pulled up -- not a prop plane!  YAY!  Hopefully I’ll have some amazing restaurants and food to show you from Omaha so check out the blog in the next few days for some treats!