I love salads.  Summer is the perfect time of year for them, too.  I live in Colorado and I do not have air conditioner in my home (when we built the house the builders assured us we didn’t need it, they were wrong!!!)  so there are several weeks during the hot months that I just don’t want to turn on the oven… A refreshing summer salad is just the way to go!

Here is the next summer salad I am loving, how can you go wrong with pulled pork (my favorite recipe coming soon!)…

Carnitas Ensalada

This recipe is adapted from Paleo Periodical.

Ingredients for 4 salads:

1 lime, juiced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, chopped (optional)

salt and pepper, to taste

6-8 ounces mixed green salad

4 ounces red cabbage, finely shredded

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

12-16 ounces shredded pulled pork (3-4 ounces per salad)

2 avocados, sliced

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted

• In bottom of large salad bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, garlic, jalapenos and S&P. Add lettuce greens, cabbage, and cilantro. Toss to combine.
• Divide the tossed salad evenly between 4 salad bowls or plates, top with warmed shredded pork, avocado and pumpkin seeds.  Enjoy!

This recipe is shared at:

Fight Back Friday, Summer Salad Sundays

Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Fat Tuesday

Tasty Tuesday, Gluten-Free Wednesdays

I love salads.  Summer is the perfect time of year for them, too.  I live in Colorado and I do not have air conditioner in my home (when we built the house the builders assured us we didn’t need it, they were wrong!!!)  so there are several weeks during the hot months that I just don’t want to turn on the oven… A refreshing summer salad is just the way to go!

In the next few posts I’m going to share a few recipes for my favorites right now…

Classic Cobb Salad

This recipe is adapted from Food Network.

Ingredients for 4 salads:

8 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 scallions, sliced

24 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (or 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped)

1 large avocado, chopped

4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

8 ounces, cooked chicken breast or thighs, chopped

1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

8 ounces chopped lettuce

Dressing of choice… I like cheater homemade ranch (recipe to follow) or if you eat dairy the traditional dressing for a Cobb salad is blue cheese (recipe to follow).

• Prep ingredients as instructed in the above ingredient list.
• In a large bowl toss the lettuce with your dressing, season with salt and pepper and then divide evenly between 4 plates.
• To garnish each salad, make a row of each on top of the lettuce; avocado, chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, bacon and eggs.
• Serve immediately.

Cheater Homemade Ranch Dressing:

1/4 cup homemade mayonnaise

1 T. Penzey’s Sunny Paris Seasoning

2 T. cold water

In a small bowl combine seasoning and water and allow to set for 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes, pour reconstituted seasoning into 1/4 mayo and mix until well combined.  Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Classic Cobb Blue Cheese:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

4 ounces blue cheese or Gorgonzola

In a medium bowl whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.  Whisk in blue cheese until well combined.

This recipe is shared at:

Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Fat Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, Beyond the Peel, Tastetastic Thursday, Fight Back Friday, Summer Salad Sundays