Summertime Salads

This past weekend is was actually warm in San Francisco. Not just like warm but actually HOT. Which was amazing. I packed up my overflowing pile of magazines, doused myself in sunscreen and, Arnold Palmer in hand, headed to lay out.

So here I am, having this amazing day in the sun and I think to myself, what am I going to have for lunch? When its so warm out all I want is something light and refreshing. And while its not regularly warm in SF, I do understand that its warm EVERYWHERE ELSE, so I imagine I'm not alone in this feeling.

Since Allison and I are on a quest to be healthy or whatever, the answer was clear to me- I wanted a light, but filling, delicious salad. I remembered this amazing salad I recently had at Wichcraft and decided to improvise the recipe. The salad came out great and was perfect for a hot summer day! The recipe is as follows.

Lemon Arugula Salad
Makes 1 salad 

• Arugula
• Shaved parmesan cheese
• Capers
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1 1/2 fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

1. Wash arugula and place in bowl.
2. Grate lemon into a mixing bowl then slice lemon in half. Use one half of the lemon to juice.

3. Add next four ingredients. Whisk together.

4. Pour the dressing into the arugula and mix together. Add the capers along with salt and pepper to taste.

*Now, I don't eat chicken, but I'd imagine some grilled chicken would be a nice addition :)

Photo courtesy of CupcakesOMG!

I'd also like to share another summer salad that my good friend Melissa over at CupcakesOMG! posted awhile back. As soon as I saw her recipe I KNEW I had to try it! Had I had the necessary ingredients on hand, I would have loved to enjoy her recipe this weekend!

Peach, Prosciutto, and Ricotta Salad

Makes 1 salad

• 1 ripe peach
• 3-4 slices of prosciutto
• Mixed greens
• Fresh ricotta cheese
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• Juice of half an orange
• Dash of cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. While oven preheats, slice peach into 4 sections.

2. Lay peach sections on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for about 10 minutes, or until tender and juicy. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and allow them to cool slightly.

3. Combine olive oil, vinegar, and orange juice in a large bowl to make a dressing. Add salad greens and toss to coat.

4. Assemble salad on a large plate, starting with salad greens, then a few dollops of ricotta, the peach sections, and prosciutto. Season to taste with salt and freshly cracked pepper.

So what about you all? Do you have any delicious summer salad recipes you'd like to share? :)