Summer- the ultimate excuse not to turn on the stove or fire up the oven for fear of over heating the house (let's be honest, your A/C has it hard enough as it is!). Moms (and Dads... I'm not taking sides here; I am all for gender equality) across the globe are simultaneously filled with the joy of not having to cook and the dread of figuring out what to feed their families or simply themselves, without using traditional cooking methods (i.e. a stove).
I mean, there is the obvious go to- pizza from your favorite local spot. Which, don't get me wrong, is so so good, but how many times can you actually eat pizza before you decide you are (somehow) hurting yourself?(for me the answer is negative one times) The next best thing is grilling out. Ok, maybe those two things should be reversed because I LOVE food cooked on the grill, and these days (thanks to pinterest) you can figure out how to cook literally anything atop an outdoor range. It is amazing!
All that being said, you need sides, something simple, something (somewhat) healthy, to round out your heat absent meal (raw foodies do this ALL the time you guys... my MIND is BLOWN).
-I'M SORRY, THIS IS A SALD-
What you will need for 2 meal sized portions or 4 side appropriate portions-
2 heaping cups kale (I used two different kinds)
1 small head of broccoli
5-6 brussels sprouts finely chopped or shredded
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (I toast mine a little in a cast iron skillet and sprinkle them lightly with sea salt)
For the dressing-
1 1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
*salt and pepper to taste*
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Place the mustard, vinegar, and honey into a small mason jar and shake until blended.
Pour the dressing directly over the salad. Mix well until evenly distributed.
There is something incredibly satisfying about this salad. I don't know if it is the tang of the mustard or the crunch of the lettuce and onion together, but it hits home every time.
I made this dish as a side when we grilled burgers the other night. While we were eating one of our friends looked across the table and said, "what is this?! It is too good to be a 'salad', I normally hate salad!" and I had to laugh. Just because something is made from leafy greens doesn't mean it has to taste like dirt or be drenched in ranch dressing, there are better options out there you guys (and, in my opinion, this salad is one of them).
What do you do when it's too hot to cook?
xx
