Currently, being the lucky one to have 7 night shifts in a row, *yay*, I have a dilemma (major first world problem) – when do I sleep? Summer has finally arrived, temperatures are rising, skirts and dresses are out on the town, tanning is part of the daily routine and afterwork drinks on a roof terasse are also a must. How am I meant to work at night, get enough sleep and still manage to soak up all of the sun needed to restore my probably depleted Vitamin D levels?? Let alone take part in exciting summer activities such as swimming, cycling, (golfing – don’t judge), BBQ-ing, ice-cream eating and day drinking. Red Bull has helped a bit, but if you have any tips on staying awake 24/7, 7 days in a row, let me know. And no, drugs are not an option.
Lucky for me it is possibly the last set of nights in 2016 as I am starting a new job in October – exciting, but also terrifying.
Anyways, the heat always manages to rob my appetit for warm food. Summer is a time for salads and fruits – so why not combine the two? The other evening I decided to use up some random fruity citrussy ingredients lying about in my fridge and came up with this. Satisfying, refreshing, delish. Perfect as a starter or main (if you add some oven baked/grilled salmon).

Summer Salad with an Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

Serves 3-4

You’ll need
500g strawberries, chopped
4 nectarines or peaches, chopped
5-6 oranges, depending on the size, in fillets
1-2 avocados, diced
ca. 400g lettuce
For the vinaigrette
2 oranges, zested and juiced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp honey
salt and pepper to taste
50-100ml (or more) olive oil

1. In a mason jar, old jam jar or blender combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients excluding the olive oil and shake/blend until smooth. Gradually add the olive oil, taste to decide how much oil you feel is necessary. Feel free to add more honey. Refrigerate until needed.
2. In a bowl toss the strawberries, nectarines, orange fillets, avocado and lettuce. Drizzle with your vinaigrette.
3. Serve by itself, with some bread, or with some oven/grill roasted salmon.

Rating: 9/10

A must for every orange lover out there – a great refreshing simple salad for midweek warm summer evenings.