Sophia Brittan's Signature Salad

I am finally posting the recipe for my Signature Salad. I could not think of the right name for it, and I love it so much, so I decided with "Signature Salad". I want to be known for this one. It is canned Pacific salmon, avocado, and grapefruit over a bed of baby arugula, dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. It is very similar to our South Beach Fennel Salad, but with a few significant changes. I love the SBFS for family dinners and entertaining, whereas my Signature Salad is a light lunch. Gosh, my favorite flavors are so obvious!

I love this salad because it is very light and healthy, but also quite filling. I think that the reason it is so satisfying is the contrast and diversity of flavors and textures. There is the smooth, rich flavor of the avocado, rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, which is balanced out by the light bitterness of the grapefruit. The body is given by the Omega-3 rich salmon. I love eating canned salmon because it is full flavored, healthy, and convenient. The spicy arugula is lightly dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. It needs nothing else. For the olive oil I prefer to use "O" Olive Oil with crushed jalapeno and lime. The oil has a slightly spicy undertone which carries through nicely in the salad. However, I have used regular extra virgin olive oil as well, and it works just fine. Lastly, I grind some fresh black pepper over the top at the end to perk up the flavors. Delicious! I like to eat it with a slice of toasted bread.

The other night I got together with some of my friends and we watched a movie. Beforehand, we went to Whole Foods and got the ingredients together, along with some rustic bread and grilled flank steak. I prepared the salad with out any mixing bowls or cutting boards, but it came out beautifully nonetheless. Everyone was so happy to have a healthy home-cooked meal!

I think that this salad is the perfect light meal to get you through the holidays. In fact, I recommend it for lunch on days you know you will be eating a heavy dinner out, because it will keep you full, but save you some room for night time. I have never overeaten at night after having had this for lunch.