The Perfect Summer Salad

One of the best things about the summer season is all of the fresh foods which you tend to get more of and also have more of an appetite for. Exotic fruits and gorgeous salads are those foods which summer would just not be the same without!

Salads are great to eat as they're so light meaning you can eat them on their own or alongside something like bread to make it more filling. They are great to have at lunch times out in the sun and of course they are super healthy too!

Here is a really simple idea for a salad which you can whip up in about 10 minutes and is so delicious. 

There are three key ingredients for this salad:
1) Spinach (Baby spinach works well)
2) Asparagus
3) Cherry tomatoes

Firstly if the spinach is already washed then just place into a bowl. Then chop the asparagus in small pieces and the cherry tomatoes in either halves or quarters.

I like the use garlic to add more of a flavour, so if you are also a fan of garlic then dice some garlic finely and leave this separate for the moment.

Next take a pan, preferably a shallow one however it does not matter too much. Add some olive oil to the bottom and let this heat up. Then when you think it is hot enough, add the garlic and let it sizzle for a bit. 

You then add in the asparagus and cherry tomatoes. Keep stirring so that it doesn't stick and add some seasoning like salt and pepper and some herbs such as oregano. Lemon is also another great flavouring so add lots of squeezes of lemon.

Let it simmer on a medium heat for a round 7 minutes. You can check the texture of the asparagus and judge yourself when it is done according to how you like it.

Then you simply add this mix to your bed of spinach, mix it in and taste. It may need a little more salt and pepper and maybe some more lemon but this is all up to you according to how it tastes.

And there you go! A quick and easy salad that tastes amazing! I just love how the tomatoes are a lot softer and juicier after cooking it, which contrast well to the crispy crunch you get from the asparagus. 

The tomato and asparagus mix is also great to put in bagels with houmous. I tried it out the other day and loved it. Was an amazing lunch time idea!

I hope you enjoy it if you do decide to try it out. I 100% recommend it and it definitely beats the ordinary salads you may be used to. 

You can also add a variety of other things to it such as broccoli and red onion, so go wild and experiment!

Jaina...Xx