Summer Salads

I just simply LOVE salads in the summer! They are light and refreshing! (especially when you have no air conditioning and you don't want to heat up the house!) We usually just grill chicken and throw it on top of some lettuce with lots of other yummy vegetables! I am always very content after one of these salads and not to mention the cleanup is SUPER easy!

Yesterday I was making a meal for a friend that just had a sweet baby boy and I came across this salad in my recipe box that a friend made for me when Baker was born! It was so delicious and I made it several times last summer but forgot about it until I made it for her yesterday! It is on the menu for tonight and I am SO looking forward to it! It is an expensive salad to make up front but once you have all the ingredients you will use them over and over again!

Strawberry Spinach Salad

1 lb spinach (or however much you need)

1/2 of a red onion (I usually use a little less then half of the onion)

3/4 cup sliced almonds (I eye it)

diced strawberries

dressing:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

1 Tbsp poppy seeds

You will really have to shake or stir this dressing to dissolve the sugar and it will continue to settle on the bottom so really stir it every time you want to use it!

This salad goes REALLY well with yummy chicken parmesan! This is the recipe I use for chicken parm:

chicken breasts

1 egg

italian bread crumbs

2 jars regular spaghetti sauce

mozzarella cheese

cilantro

2 limes

1. preheat oven to 400

2. put aluminum foil on a cookie sheet

3. dip the chicken in the egg and then the bread crumbs

4. place chicken on cookie sheet

5. put chicken in oven and cook for about 25 - 30 minutes

6. put 1 jar of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and put in a handful of chopped cilantro and squeeze 1 lime into the sauce. (gives it a fun taste)

7. Put chicken in sauce and add more sauce to cover the chicken. I always add more cilantro and squeeze another lime on top!

8. Add mozzarella cheese on top

9. cook for another 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked all the way.

This is so yummy and the cilantro and lime give the sauce a really delicious taste!

Believe me...you.will.love.this.

Let me know what your favorite summer salads are or some favorite meals you make during the summer that don't heat up the house!