Summer is the frickin' best, isn't it? Fresh air. No putting coats on the children. Color is everywhere - I LOVE IT!
This year, due to the magnetic forcefield to my household named COVID-19, I decided to actually do a garden. I'd wanted to for years, but I always let life and my never-ending jobs get in the way.
Being home set the tone and we built a decently sized raised bed with a little fence, all thanks to my dad to seemed thrilled with something to do!
Being it August 1st right now, we are in peak harvest time and I have to say that the basil is, and will always be, my favorite. I have never had a green thumb and generally always killed basil in a pot, for whatever reason why. This year, I planted a bunch in my raised bed and holy basil!
So - if you've read my posts before, you know that I have a thing for homemade salad dressing, or as I lovingly call it, lettuce gravy. It's SO easy to make your own at home and boy, can it make a boring ass salad into a glory moment!
Lately, I've been making this amazing dressing with basil straight from the garden and it has been taking my breath away each time. It is UGLY in the jar, but it's some of the best that I've ever had, so I wanted to share it with you!
What do you like to put into your salad? Lately, we've been on a romaine kick with my favorite tangy arugula. We always add red peppers, cucumbers, chopped green beans and snap peas (lately these last two have been from my garden and it's damn crunchy and delicious), carrots, croutons (always Texas Toast brand, garlic butter flavor - I do not care that this is not healthy - I'm eating a damn salad and I want them. The end.) I also love feta in a salad. I'm not always a big cheese lover, but I'll eat feta by the chunk.
Dressing makes ALL of the difference. Eating a salad with boring or nasty dressing is a chore and completely unfun. Start making your own - you'll be blown away by how good it can be - comment below with your favorite dressing to make and also your favorite salad fixin's!
Lemon Basil Feta Dressing
aka Lettuce Gravy: Summer Edition
Ingredients:
1 cup of avocado oil
1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (NO BOTTLED LEMON JUICE)
1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves (lightly packed)
4 large cloves of garlic
1/4 - 1/2 cup feta cheese
2 tsp kosher salt (you may need more or less, depending on how salty your feta is)
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Directions:
Grab your nearest blender. I prefer a Magic Bullet since it's perfectly sized, but use whatever you have
Add ingredients to blender
Blend!
Okay, but how easy was that?! After it's done, pour it into a jar and keep in the fridge for up to a week. The feta WILL separate and it's going to look GROSS in the jar. Just shake it well before serving and BAM! Flavor explosion in your mouth. It's like tasting summer.
SO - go! Make! Take full advantage of the bounty available to us this time of year, whether in your own garden or at the farmer's market, local farm stand and even supermarket.
If you make it, let me know! I love hearing about your lettuce gravy experiences!
HAPPY CHOMPING!
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