I can’t believe I’m saying this but the weather is finally starting to warm up… Spring has Sprung!  In the spirit of warmer weather and wanting to attain those summer bikini bodies, I thought I’d post one of my favorite salad recipes. I like a lot of different textures and complementing flavors in my salads. Typically, I will have a green, a protein, a cheese, a nut, and a fruit component in my salads… Give or take some extras. And let’s not forget homemade dressing. Being able to control the flavors and balance of your dressing is a real game-changer.

I like having salads for lunch. The quickest way for me to do this (and to incorporate a protein) is to make some extra protein, whether it’s chicken, beef, or shrimp etc, the night before for dinner. I end up using the left overs in salad the next day!

This salad goes well with grilled chicken, but you could also leave the chicken out if you want it to be meatless. I like it because it’s light and flavorful, and I love the pop of color the dried Apricot gives!

Arugula Spring Salad

Ingredients:

1-2 handfuls of arugula

1 grilled chicken breast, chopped into pieces (seasoned with salt and pepper)

1/3 cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

2 tbsp (approx) crumbled goat cheese… Easier to crumble if the cheese is very cold

2 tbsp (approx) chopped walnuts (I used candied walnuts, but regular works, too!)

1/3 cup white wine

2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium-high. Add the mushrooms and onions. Sprinkle a little bit of salt. Once the mushrooms and onions and coated in the oil and they begin to soften, add in the white wine. Let it simmer for 2 minutes or so, (should thicken slightly), and then take it off the heat. This mixture is your dressing.

In a large bowl, combine the arugula, nuts, and chopped apricots. Once the dressing cools slightly, pour it over the salad. Finish off with goat cheese crumbles.

Enjoy!