What’s the weirdest thing you’ve had for dinner?
Tonight I had:
Mung beans tossed in butter, salt, and pepper. Mung beans. Yea… not ideal.
Frozen corn, made unfrozen in boiling water… tossed with butter, salt, and pepper.
A flour tortilla… while standing over my desk, looking glossy-eyed at my massive to-do list.
A sprig of parsley. I dunno. Because it was green and there on the counter.
Water from my water bottle… followed by a hearty slug of bourbon, poured over tiny ice cubes.
… I’m also really bad at re-filling the ice tray. Future husband, I’m sorry. I love you. I hope you hate ice.
And, for dessert, a frozen chocolate cupcake. I’m about 7 seconds away from going to grab another cupcake from the freezer. Believe that.
This is what I eat when left to my own devices. Clearly, I should not be left alone. I’m not sure how much longer I can survive like this… I’m a complete weirdo. Someone hold my hand and make me cook you dinner… that’s the only way I eat like a regular person.
These avocados? See how nicely sliced they are? This is the sign that I’m cooking for others, and not just standing in my kitchen eating tortillas.
I like fruit in my salad. I especially like citrus. I super especially like citrus if it’s sliced all fancylike.
Segmented. Totally classy, right?
Oranges are easy to segment. Once the peel is stripped, you just have to slice in between the natural orange segment markers/ skin bits/ pith marks… what the word I’m looking for?
I made dressing too!
The dressing is inspired by my favorite mason jar/ good olive oil/ fresh cracked pepper/ and Tracy’s mom.
Salad dressing. Shaken. It’s cathartic. Cats pay no attention.
But wait! Are my hands starting to look suspiciously 30 years old? Don’t answer that. (Yea… they kinda are) ((Don’t agree with that… thanks)).
This salad is simple, bright, and completely adaptable. Try grapefruit instead of orange segments. Peaches? Yes. Strawberries? Ok!
Arugula instead of Romaine? Do that? Did you say spinach? I like the way you think.
It’s salad. No biggie. Make it your own… then serve it to others.
I’d also like to distract you with the crazy delicious bread I made to go along with this salad. It has strawberries on it, and I can’t wait to tell you about it on Wednesday.
Look at this spread! Wine and bourbon and bread and such.
Avocado Orange Salad
serves 4 to 6 people
inspired by Shutterbean and yummy salady things
For the Salad:
1 large head of Romaine lettuce
1 Navel orange, segmented
2 ripe avocados, sliced
a handful of fresh, chopped flat leaf parsley is also nice
For the Dressing:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
2 teaspoons honey
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 egg yolk (if you don’t want to use a raw egg, 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt is great!)
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste
To prepare the salad:
Coarsely dice and rinse the Romaine lettuce. Place in a large platter. Segment the orange by first slicing off about 1/2-inch of the bottom and top. Slice down the sides of the orange, cutting through all of the pith to reveal the orange flesh. At an angle, slice in between the natural orange segments. A clean orange slice should pop out. Easy! Halve and slice or dice the avocado. Sprinkle oranges segments and avocado slices over the lettuce.
To prepare the dressing:
Combine all ingredients except the olive oil, salt, and pepper in a jar with a sealing lid. Tighten the lid and give the ingredients a good shake. Remove the lid and add the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Replace the lid and shake until dressing is well blended and emulsified. Drizzle over salad. Dressing will last, sealed in the refrigerator, for 3 or 4 days.
From California with Love
Lol, you r funny Joy. That thing you’ve called “weird dinner” is a quite common practice by mortals all around the world every now and then (and I proudly include myself in that list).
I wrote my first baking post this weekend, yay for me!!! :)
fromcaliwlove.blogspot.com
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
What a perfectly balanced summer salad- sweet, citrus, and creamy all in one on top of crisp lettuce!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
Nice orange segments. Very well done…I tell my child and hubs to just eat the segment parts, the fibrous part, b/c I am not patient enough to segment them. I’d rather spend my precious kitchen time making…chocolate desserts:)
Or that salad. Looks great and I make my own salad dressing 99% of the time, too. Shaken in old glass jars is my method, also.
Thanks for the bread recipe tease :)
Susie
Love this salad. I make a similar one with sliced strawberries along with the oranges… and I also toast pine nuts into it. The dressing I make is similar too but I like the addition of garlic and vinegar in yours. Perfect spring salad! I could eat a vat of it.. and then a frozen cupcake!!!
homegrown countrygirl
Hey, there’s nothing wrong with eating weird/having 30 year old looking hands/ and speaking in slash marks.
This salad dressing sounds delicious. I can hardly wait to read about that fab looking bread!
Fiona
Love this! Love your recipes! Can’t wait to hear about the bread with strawberries :)
Katie
Membranes…
Just got hooked on your blog.
Thank you.
Maris (In Good Taste)
This salad looks wonderful. I love the citrus in salad.
Nic at The Fit Writer
Hey girl, I know this isn’t the right place for this reply but I just had to say I love your podcast! It really makes me giggle. I listen to it whilst I’m walking my dog. Can I make a request for a podcast about peanut butter? Anything about it. Just.. peanut butter. Or malted milk. Or both.
Hurry and make more podcasts!
PS I tried to leave a review on iTunes but it kept crashing on me, sorry.
joythebaker
You’re sweet!
Katrina
Love this! Oranges make things so pretty!
Krafty Keely
This is so simple and elegant, I love it!
katescakesandbakes
I’m totally with you there Joy- on my own dinner is toast. Or if I’ve feeling more adventurous toast and cheese. And if I’m really pushing the boat out toast and cheese and chocolate. That’s why I have to be cooking for others, so I get variety at dinner.
Halley
That looks super delicious/simple/amazing.
I really need someone to hold my hand when I make salad dressing. It’s my achilles heel. Weird right?
Three-Cookies
Your dinner looks really interesting and nutritious, not weird. A cupcake is well earned!
Maggie @MaggieCooks
This Salad looks so simple but im sure it’s delicious!
I love your recipes Joy! and your writing its amazing like always :)
I’d love if you could check my blog! im just getting started, i could use some advice!
Thank you and I Love you and your blog in a good way <3 haha