Happy August!  This time of year, people complain about the three Hs, which dominate the weather along the eastern seaboard and other areas, like the mid-west. But later this year, when wind chills cause us to shiver and our bones ache from the cold, we will remember these days, regretting we didn’t take time to enjoy them more. This morning it rained and living in AZ where rain is so rare, I now enjoy the rain, as a gift from the heavens. Today I walked outside with no shirt on and the 3 dogs. Though the rain was cold on my skin, I fought the urge to be uncomfortable and imagined myself in AZ. That’s when it went from cold to refreshing. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Speaking of enjoyment, here’s a great recipe for a light but filling dish for a summer salad dinner. The walnut meat recipe is from Marco Borges 22 Day Revolution Cookbook (A fantastic cookbook & overall health manifesto). Everything else is variations of recipes I’ve seen.

Ingredients:

Salad: 2 cucumbers, one can of cooked black beans, 1 cup of grape tomatoes, 1 avocado and 1 cup of olives (any kind work)

Guacamole: 1 ripe avocado, 1 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice, 2 tbsp minced red onion, 3-4 slices of jalapeno pepper, 1/2 ripe tomato or 6 grape tomatoes finely chopped, 2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves and stems finely chopped, one Mango, diced.

Walnut meat: 1 cup of raw walnuts roughly chopped, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon coconut aminos, 3/4 tablespoon cumin, 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander, dash of smoked paprika, dash garlic powder, dash of salt and pepper.

Dressing: 1/4 cup Virgin Olive Oil (Avocado oil can be substituted), tablespoon of Dijon mustard, tablespoon honey, two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.

Salad prep: wash and rinse all veggies thoroughly (I use baking soda and peroxide), cut the tomatoes into quarters and toss them in a bowl with the greens and olives.  Dice the avocado and sprinkle it on top of the greens. Slice the cucumbers and arrange in an arc along the side of a serving bowl or plate. Rinse & drain the beans and arrange in the center.

Guacamole prep: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and using a spoon or masher mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Walnut Meat prep: Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse several times until it’s crumbly. Be careful not to over mix it.

Dressing prep: Combine all ingredients in a bowl, whisking until thoroughly mixed.

Serving: Using a large spoon or tongs, dish up the salad, arrange the walnut meat, guacamole on the sides with the beans in the center. Arrange the cucumbers in an arc as shown. Spoon the dressing over the plate and serve.