Welcome to the Heat Wave of 2011. Are you melting too?
Today it’s supposed to reach 38C (100F)…and 47C with humidity! Humidity is such a party pooper. Anyone who lives in a humid climate knows what I’m talking about.
And the hair.
Oh my hair.
Just picture a tumbleweed in the Sahara that got struck by lightening and then jumped in a puddle.
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That’s my hair right now.
Sketchie did this when he saw me this morning. ahhh!
Thankfully, summer salads always look composed and pulled together no matter how hot it is. I love to grab some seasonal fresh fruit (or vegetables), greens, protein & grains, and mix it up with a homemade dressing. Presto magico.
Serving it with a huge margarita is highly encouraged.
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Heat Wave Summer Salad
Yield: 4 servings
Salad:
- 1 cup uncooked Speltberries (or wheatberries or other grain- makes 2 cups cooked)
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas (or 1.5-2 cups cooked chickpeas or other bean)
- 2 cups chopped peaches
- 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 cup blueberries
- 4-5 cups raw kale (or other green)
- 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
- Salt, pepper, and cinnamon, to taste
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1.5-2 tbsp pure maple syrup, to taste
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon, to taste
- 1/4-1/2 tsp kosher salt, to taste
1. Cook one cup of dry speltberries (or wheatberries) in a pot with 3 cups water until tender (about 25-30 mins). Drain and place in large bowl with drained and rinsed chickpeas.
2. Meanwhile, sauté the kale leaves until tender. Chop the almonds, berries, and peaches. Place in bowl with chickpeas and speltberries.
3. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and adjust to taste. You may need more maple syrup or oil to suit your own taste buds. I like my dressing tangy! Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Serves 4.
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After mixing together the chickpeas, speltberries, peaches, and berries…I felt something was missing…
Sautéed garden kale and chopped almonds did the trick. :) Of course, you can get creative with whatever you have on hand. There are no rules with salad making.
After mixing the Cinnamon Maple dressing, it all came together. Delicious and quite refreshing thanks to the summer fruit.
Ange = 1, Humidity = 647575
Hopefully kiddie pools don’t melt.
It’s kind of nice that you have heat. Here in BC it’s been on and off, and humid and then stormy when it does get hot but mostly it’s just cool, which is so weird. But I’d rather be cold than have hot and humid!
Love your salad. Greens and blueberries sounds awesome together, plus all that extra fruit! Yum! Just the kind of thing I do crave when it’s hot.
I knew Sketchie was just a fancy stuffed animal! We can see his seam!
LOL omg I just looked and its true!
Sketchie is absolutely gorgeous and hilarious!
This kinda weather makes me grateful for the dry heat of Arizona. 111? Not bad when compared to 103 with humidity :D The salad dressing sounds DELICIOUS.
awwwh and on the west coast we are at 15 degrees today and it’s the first day of sunshine in FOREVER! Maybe we can talk to mother nature and get a happy medium?
This looks incredible as always! :)
“Thankfully, summer salads always look composed and pulled together no matter how hot it is.” Great sentence — great tie-in between the heat/hair/salad. Really nicely written — and true, too!!
That salad looks yummy, but what I really got excited about was the Fiestaware you put it in! I’m such a dork for that.
Wow, what a fun summer salad that is featuring in season produce! definitely making this for the family or just by myself :)
Hope you stay cool!
Mmm. This is looking good! I’m definitely putting this on my menu for lunches next week!
And YES, I know what you are talking about. I live in Orlando and I feel like I’m dying. And I haven’t had a decent hair day in weeks.
Um heck yes. All of my favorite things in one bowl. YESSSS
This heat wave is nuts! I just walked outside and felt like I stepped into a sauna! Hope you’re staying cool. :)
Haha a little bit of irony for ya…
On April Fools (either this year or last year?), you almost had us convinced that you were getting a pool. I guess this is Mother Nature’s version of a July fools joke :)
I hate humidity! Every summer when I was kid we always went to Iowa, and it was awful! I hate feeling like I need another shower right after I go outside! Good luck:) And the salad looks amazing!
Yummy looking salad!! Sketchie is absolutely precious … what type of kitty is he? (He looks like one of those cats with a wee bit of wild cat in him! So pretty!!)
Thanks he’s a Bengal :)
Oh man, I love fruit in salad. This looks like love. When it gets this hot out, all I want to do is eat fruit. We’re not used to the humidity here in Saskatchewan and were totally meltified lately with the 40+ weather. Though I think I prefer hot over cold!
Ok the salad looks stellar! Love all the bright colors that are just POPPING off the page.
And clearly Sketchie is wanting to POP off the page. That’s a classic shot!!
The weather here in San Diego is about 72F, sunny, breezy, no humidity, no bugs, not a cloud in the sky. Move here, okay? :)
I just love all of your salad creations! Fruits and berries in salads is the best thing ever! This looks refreshing and good- and I love the added kale!
I love this simple bean and green salad. Makes for a great light meal in the heat!
I also love your kitty and his pretty markings! Is he/she a particular breed?
Oh my gosh this looks PERFECT for today! It’s like walking through soup out there! Stay cool :)
It’s 95 degrees just outside NYC. And the humidity? Oh my gosh. Your hair is a tumbleweed, mine is a chia pet. No amount of hair product or air conditioning can control this ‘fro.