Tonight I’m making dinner for the fam  There’s nothing I like better on a hot and humid day, like today, than a light refreshing meal.  I love a big salad and seafood in the summer, so tonight we’re having a Mediterranean Style Chopped Salad and Lemon Salmon mmm mmm

Mediterranean Style Chopped Salad

Lemon Salmon

The Lemon Salmon is a very simple recipe that I make all the time because it is so fast and easy and very healthy. The Chopped Salad is actually a recipe that I found on the Examiner.

Have a great weekend!!!

Mediterranean Style Chopped Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Salad

• 4-5 leaves of romaine lettuce, chiffonade (roll the leaves up like a cigar and slice thinly
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 English cucumber, diced (you can use a regular cucumber, but just peel it first)
• 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
• Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered (add as many as you please)
• Feta cheese, crumbled (I used motzerella instead)
• Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped slightly
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped fine
• added 2/3 pint of mushrooms because we love mushrooms

Lemon Vinaigrette

• Juice of 2 lemons
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions:

1. Toss together the salad ingredients. Set aside.
2. Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the lemons, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil (depends on how tangy you want it). Whisk thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Serve immediately.

NOTE: If you are taking this salad to a picnic, just be sure not to dress it with the vinaigrette until you are ready to serve it. To help keep salad mix crisp in the refrigerator, place a paper towel on top. The paper towel helps absorb any moisture that might get on the lettuce leaves.

Lemon Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb piece of fresh salmon
• One lemon, sliced and then cut into halves
• 1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper, Garlic Powder
• Lemon and Pepper Seafood Seasoning (optional)

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Wash the salmon and place it in a shallow, oven safe dish.
3. Brush the Olive Oil onto the Salmon. lemons, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive Season the salmon to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder. oil (depends on how tangy you want it). 
4. Cover the salmon with the lemon slices and place the salmon with the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until it is cooked well enough for your taste 

Enjoy!!!