Summer Strawberry + Avocado Salad with Prosecco Vinaigrette

Every season is salad season in our house, but there is something so extra tasty and fresh about salads in the Summer. I love the simple cooking that comes in the Summer. Grilling some meat or fish and making a giant salad filled to the brim with goodness to go on the side. Easy, satisfying and on the lighter side for these Summer scorcher days. 

This is my current Summer salad crush and we've been having some version of this at least once a week. I looooove the combination of the strawberries and avocado and the crispy bites of bacon are just the best. I don't always add corn but when I do, it adds a whole new level of flavor. This salad is great on it's own as a side, or add some grilled chicken, shrimp or salmon for a full meal. So much flavor going on here!! And I don't know how I ended up with Prosecco vinegar in my pantry instead of champagne vinegar, but dare I say I'll be buying the prosecco again and again. The dressing is the icing on the cake here. 

ENJOY!

Summer Strawberry + Avocado Salad

5 oz. container of your favorite salad greens (I like half baby greens mix and half arugula)
5-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 avocado, diced
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 cobs corn, cooked and the kernels cut off

Assemble all ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss with prosecco vinaigrette to combine. Serve immediately.

Prosecco Vinaigrette

Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. prosecco vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste to your liking. 

Citrus Curry Marinade

Grilling season is officially upon us! I'm sitting here on my screened in porch with some iced coffee and my favorite warm weather Pandora station playing- Bob Marley, obviously. It's totally setting my Summer mood.

This marinade is my go-to for chicken. My family has been making this for years and it's always a favorite with big crowds. I love the unexpected flavor of curry. It's bright and slightly sweet and gives the chicken a bright yellowish color when grilled, making it look extra tasty on the plate. 

Speaking of big crowds and parties, while listening to Ina's interview on Katie Couric's podcast last week, she talked a bit about the best ways to prep for a dinner party. She suggests centering your meal around three dishes. With that, she says that one should be made ahead of time, one should be made on the stovetop or grill, and one in the oven. This way you can time your meal appropriately and not be scurrying around trying to get it all served. This is excellent advice.

Bottom line, this marinade makes the most delicious and juicy grilled chicken breast. The butcher at my grocery store will fillet my boneless, skinless chicken breasts for me making for minimal prep work! If you've never asked at your grocery store I bet they will do it. This is almost the only leftover chicken I will eat- it's amazing on salads for lunch! 


Citrus Curry Marinade
(marinade for about 2 pounds of chicken)

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1-2 lemons
1 Tbsp. curry powder 
Salt + Pepper- add this to the chicken right before cooking

Whisk marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into a bag or shallow dish and add chicken. Let chicken sit in marinade for 30 minutes- an hour. Add salt and pepper to the chicken as it hits the grill. 

Mediterranean Vinaigrette

Salads. One of my favorite of all of the food groups. 

If you open my refrigerator, you will never see a bottle of store bought salad dressing- I love to make my own! Making your own homemade dressings could not be easier or healthier. Not only can you control what goes in it, eliminating so much of the sodium and unpronounceable junk in those bottles from the grocery store, but you would be surprised at the random items you may already have in your kitchen that make excellent additions to any vinaigrette. Maple syrup, avocado, dijon mustard...I love to get creative.

This is a good basic vinaigrette that goes well with anything. Make a small batch to toss on a salad for two, or increase the measurements for a giant salad for your next dinner party, or just to keep on hand in the fridge. This also makes a great marinade for chicken, steak or pork- just eliminate the salt and salt your meat right before cooking.

Mediterranean Vinaigrette

serves a salad for 2 

2 Tbsp. good quality extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp. dijon mustard

1 small clove garlic minced (or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder)

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl and toss with your favorite salad. 

Perfect Vinaigrette

It's no secret that around here, salads are basically a food group all in their own. Not only are they a great way to mix flavors and try something new, but they are a great way to take advantage of seasonal produce and are healthy to boot!


Open up my refrigerator and you will never find a bottle of salad dressing. A simple vinaigrette could not be easier to make, not to mention you can control what you put into it! With all of the added sugars, sodium and a plethora of other ingredients that I can never pronounce, found in store bought dressings, making your own vinaigrette leaves you feeling good about what you are eating.  I stick to a easy formula with easy substitutions and additions that yields perfect results every time...

You can find the rest of this post over at my dear friend Julie's site, Cooking Therapy, where I am guest posting today. Enjoy!

Saturday Salad

We are knee deep in boxes and our house is almost packed up, but the kitchen? It's still fairly intact and open for business until Wednesday, when it officially closes for business in Bloomington and re-opens in Charlotte.


After a long day of packing, we fired up the grill for some grilled chicken thighs. I sauteed mini bella mushrooms and I made a warm vinaigrette with Wild Mushroom & Sage olive oil. I tossed it all together with cherub tomatoes and arugula, then finished with some crumbled goat cheese. Warm vinaigrettes are SO GOOD. By sauteeing some garlic with olive oil, the oil becomes infused with flavor and the slightly warm dressing hugs the salad ingredients in the best of ways. The goat cheese becomes creamier, the greens are slightly softer and everything tastes better.

Warm Vinaigrette


1/4 cup good olive oil (I actually use somewhere in between less than 1/4 cup but more than 1/8 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper


In a small saute pan, heat oil and add garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until garlic is soft and fragrant (be careful not to burn!) Remove from heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Pour cooked garlic and olive oil mixture into a small mixing bowl and whisk in vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. 


Makes enough to coat a medium sized salad.  


Note: For different dressings, try mixing up your oil flavors and the tangy (vinegar) taste. Vinegars can be substituted for fresh squeeze lemon, lime or even dijon mustard. I also like to use balsamic and champagne vinegars.