Simple yet satisfying and seemingly impressive salads are your secret weapon for a successful dinner party (or quiet night at home…that’s cool too). Now the key to a knock-out salad is the dressing, but I’m also a believer in not spending your entire day fiddling over a vinaigrette. This lovely little side dish is elevated by the effortlessly classic combination of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. That’s it! Don’t overthink it, don’t overdue it, let the deliciously nutrient-dense ingredients speak for themselves and you’re all set.
Lemon Thyme Arugula Salad with Grilled Asparagus, Avocado, and Kalamata Olives
*prep time: 10 minutes
*makes about 4 servings
Ingredients
4 loose cups of baby arugula
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half
Zest of one lemon
About loose ¼ cup shaved almonds
1 bug bunch of asparagus (about a dozen spears)
1 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt + black pepper
¼ cup lemon thyme dressing (recipe below)
Directions
Preheat your BBQ or a stovetop grilling pan to medium heat
Trim the bottoms of your asparagus and toss them gently with about a tbsp of olive oil, and a sprinkling of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Evenly grill the asparagus until cooked al dente
Set aside to let cool fully before cutting the spears into about 3 pieces each
Toss the baby arugula, asparagus pieces, sliced olives, and lemon zest in a large bowl with about 3 tbsp of the lemon thyme dressing
Spread out the dressed arugula mix on a serving platter, and place the avocado slices throughout
Drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp of dressing, sprinkle with almond slices, and serve!
Simple Lemon Thyme Dressing
*makes a little more than ½ cup of dressing
Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried…I know it can be tough to track down the fresh stuff)
1 small clove of garlic
Directions
Mix ingredients in a small blender or food processor and enjoy!