Watermelon Salad with Arugula, Field Greens, and Feta Cheese

This salad is a fresh, delicious change of pace. Why not give it a try and step away from the same old boring salads?  The sweetness of the watermelon blends so nicely with the peppery flavor of the arugula. Don’t be afraid to shake it up a little too. You can use all arugula and no field greens, or no arugula at all and maybe some baby spinach. It all depends on what you like. I like mixing both for a balanced flavor.  You can also use Blue Cheese or Gorgonzola in place of the Feta.

For a light dinner or lunch add some grilled chicken, beef or shrimp to make this a complete meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the vinaigrette:

• Juice of one lemon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

This will make more than enough dressing for the salad so be sure to not use all of it. Save any leftovers in a sealed jar in the refrigerator and use it over the next day or two on any other salad you make.

For salad

• 4 cups arugula, washed and ready to eat
• 2 cups of field greens, washed and ready to eat
• 1-1/2 cups of seedless watermelon, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 of a red onion, sliced thin
• 1 cup of Feta cheese (you can also use Blue or Gorgonzola cheese)
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly, to form an emulsion. The vinaigrette can be made ahead of time, just be sure to store it covered in the refrigerator.

Place the arugula, field greens, watermelon, and cilantro in a large bowl. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Use enough to coat the greens lightly, but not so much that it is dripping in dressing. Toss lightly and sprinkle with the feta cheese.  At this point, give it a taste. It may need a little extra salt or pepper.

Serve immediately

Cook’s notes:

This salad is great on a hot summer day but just make sure you keep your ingredients nice and cold. The salad and the dressing can be made ahead and covered and kept separately in the refrigerator. Don’t add the dressing to the salad until you are ready to serve it.  🙂