Happy July 4th weekend! As we get together with family and friends to celebrate summer and our independence, most of us will be attending or hosting a backyard bbq this weekend. With summer in full swing, most of us are looking to eat healthy and keep it light, while enjoying fresh, local, seasonal fruits, vegetables, and produce. The past few weeks, I have been enjoying sweet, delicious watermelon, as well as local blueberries, a known antioxidant and full of vitamins. Here is an easy, delicious summer salad recipe that says summer that I brought to a bbq this week. As with all salads, the key is fresh ingredients and being creative–add or delete anything you feel like (hearts of palm, avocado, mango, raspberries and strawberries are some “go-to” ingredients I like to include in my summer salads). Also, I like to mix flavors and textures to complement each other (Sweet and salty, some crunch, etc), and always go for color!
Shrimp, Watermelon, Blueberry, Arugula, & Feta Salad
Per Person:
4 large shrimp (cooked, peeled, and deveined)
1 cup arugula
1/2 cup fresh watermelon (seeds removed, diced into bite-sized chunks)
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons low fat Greek Feta cheese
pinch of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
drizzle extra-virgin olive oil
drizzle aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic syrup (can substitute with white balsamic for a lighter alternative).
You can plate the ingredients as shown, or you may wish to toss in a bowl (for this I would remove the tails from the shrimp and cut into bite-sized pieces, keep chilled, and dress when ready to serve.
Buon’ Appetito and have a safe and happy 4th weekend!
