Pick-Me-Up Lunch: Summer Blueberry Salad

Here's what you need to know:

This meal will make 2-4 servings, depending on your serving size. Because of this, it's not really a shareable - but when I make it, I don't want to share anyway. It could be a side, but I think this salad is delicious enough by itself that making it secondary to anything else in the day is an unforgivable sin. But suit youself.

This meal pairs well with your inner toddler, who is still obsessed with berries despite the horrifically rising costs of groceries. Because of this, it also pairs well with early mornings at the grocery store during the summer, because blueberries will probably be on sale (and the unsuspecting victims of incoming berry-fueled mobs). You should plan for this meal after you've visited your general practitioner and confronted your family history of heart disease; instead of cutting out red meat, you'll think "I'll just eat salad for a week instead." Once you stand up your afternoon cookie dough date, you'll be globbing on raspberry vinaigrette - hey, fruit sugars are easier to process anyway, right? You're doing the responsible thing for your body here.

Take your time eating this salad. It'll take you that long to pierce a pecan with the edge of your fork, anyway. Don't pair it with any wine - remember, we're eating lunch here - but do pair it with your ultimate girls' girl drinks, whether that be a matching fruit smoothie or a rotating beverage tray of water, coffee, and mango Celsius.

You should probably use:

For the vinaigrette:

1/5 c. vegetable oil

1/4 c. raspberry vinegar

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

For the salad:

Baby Spinach

Pecans

Dried Cranberries

Blueberries

Bleu Cheese

my two cents on ingredients: Being my usual cheap self, I buy whatever salad toppings are on sale. I like the combo bag of dried cranberries and honey-roasted pecans they sell at Kroger, but follow your heart's desire. Add different berries, if you want. Buy your raspberry vinaigrette instead of making it. You're not cooking here, so just combine what you like to eat. The only one judging is your bank account.

Instructions:

1. It's a salad. What do you think?

1. Whisk together the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Store in airtight container.

2. Combine the salad ingredients. If you're picky, do: spinach, berries, nuts, cheese. Drizzle with dressing.