I’m back! And boy what a month it has been.

Since I last posted, I’ve spent a week of vacation in Rocky Mountain National Park, we bought our first home, transported our boxes, and today summer officially ended as I returned to work.  From sunrise to sunset I’ve been leaning into these experiences and haven’t spent enough time writing or cooking. I’m bursting at the seams and beyond excited to be back.

Last night, as we prepared for our routines to sink back in, we had some friends over for some much needed catching up and christening of our new porch.  I made a variation of this quick watermelon salad which thankfully only required that we dig out a few basic kitchen tools.  It was bursting with flavor, refreshing on a warm day, and made me happy to have something fresh after what seems like endless takeout.

Now, after several days of lifting from the knees, quenching with ice cold gatorade, and profusely thanking our friends for their help, we are in our new home. While some folks make smart decisions like prioritizing boxes and utilizing intricate labeling systems, we resorted to the old ‘stuff and tape’ method in the final days.  I know I should be opening boxes and purging unnecessary items tonight, but I’ve been spending most of my time scheming about how I can create a small writing nook for myself! More on that next week as it hopefully comes together.

As September unfolds I am looking forward to finding and experimenting with budget friendly meals (!) and revisiting some make ahead breakfasts that I can prep and bring with me to school each day such as overnight oats variations and breakfast egg muffins.  Any favorites? Send them my way! 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 of a large watermelon – chilled
• 3 oz of feta (while I buy reduced fat feta for my weekly lunch salads – I went for full fat here and the flavor was worth it and notable!)
• 1/4 oz of mint – chopped
• Apx 2 oz of arugula
• 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Steps and Notes:

1. If possible, chill the watermelon in the refrigerator for several hours before preparing the salad.
2. Cut the watermelon into cubes – about 1/2 inch and place into a large mixing bowl
3. Sprinkle all of the mint and half of the feta into the bowl. Mix well.
   • This will coat the watermelon and evenly spread out the flavors
4. Add a few large handfuls of arugula (I used about 2 oz) then toss gently
5. Create a simple balsamic dressing with the vinegar,
6. Top the salad with the remaining feta then serve

Thoughts for Next Time:

• Create a balsamic reduction for the dressing
• Incorporate diced lemon zest for some extra tang
• Add blackberries for a colorful twist