Pool Side Salad

When you find yourself feeling both hungry and in need of temporarily escaping the summer heat, nothing does the job right better than a salad. We both felt this exact way a few weeks back after we spent the afternoon by the pool and were ready to fill up our bellies. With a fridge and pantry full of a wide array of choices, we created our very own salad, perfect for consuming both indoors and by the pool. With the peppery arugula, sweetness from the dried cranberries, crunch from the walnuts, bright onion flavor from the red onion, creaminess of the avocado, and the tart and salty vinaigrette, this salad is absolutely perfect as a side dish or a meal unto itself. We opted for the latter, as we had more than enough room afterwards for a major calorie fest.

Pool Side Salad
Arugula
Dried cranberries
Walnuts, roughly chopped
Red onion, thinly sliced
Avocado, cubed
Strawberries, roughly chopped (optional)
Season with freshly ground pepper

Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free
Yields 6 tablespoons

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard (e.g. Grey Poupon)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Option 1: combine all ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds until emulsified.
   Option 2: Combine the lemon juice, mustard and salt in a bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuosly.
2. Taste and adjust the salt, and add more lemon juice or olive oil to achieve a pleasing balance of acidity.