Green-ish Thumb

I mean no disrespect, but Mother Nature- I have some concerns.

You see, so much of the time, when the crabapples start to bloom, so do the lilacs…

…but the lilacs are so far behind!

I suppose nature could stagger the spring beauty a bit, but I’m eager for blooms ALL AROUND.

On the home front, at least 50% of my daffodils bulbs I planted in the fall survived. And yes, I’m the kind of girl who’s happy with a 50% success rate in many aspects of life.

For Mother’s Day my husband has been pushing me to spend a night alone in a hotel room and get the 12 hours of sleep I apparently need, buuuuuut, I chose to instead spend that money on new peonies and landscape blocks for what I meant to be a simple project.

So, to recap, my Mother’s Day will include crabapples but no lilacs, some daffodils, and manual labor on regular sleep.

I can deal with that.

Another thing I can deal with? Adding fruit to my salads.

I have never ever been a fruit-with-salads person. Mandarin orange slices? Nnnnnnope. Blueberries mixed in with that spinach? HECK NO. So how is it that I made a strawberry chicken salad that was SO GOOD I put it on the menu again this week? I think I might finally be growing up.

Strawberry Chicken Salad

Dressing

~4 large strawberries, stems and leaves removed (frozen unsweetened would be fine!) 1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/8 cup unsweetened almond milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes ~3/4 cup dressing. If not using immediately, cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Salad

1 lb (~16 oz/2 cups) pre-cooked chicken (you could use shredded rotisserie chicken, frozen grilled chicken strips, etc- just try to pick skinless grilled or baked)

1 cup shredded/matchstick carrots

~6-8 strawberries, sliced

10 oz baby spinach

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

4 oz crumbled goat cheese

Heat up chicken to package directions (or by all means, grill up some uncooked chicken with your favorite seasonings). Divide spinach between 4 plates and top with carrots, sliced strawberries, almonds, and goat cheese. Top with dressing!

Makes four salads. Per salad (with dressing): 371 calories, 13 grams carbohydrates (including 3 grams fiber), 15 grams fat, 45 grams protein, 1039 mg sodium