This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NaturallyClean #CollectiveBias
“Every rose has its thorn,” “Every sunrise begins in darkness,” or my personal favorite, “It’s called pain, get used to it,” as John Constantine said to the Angel Gabriel. In all of these quotes, ranging from Ancient Greece to a comic strip, lies a singular theme – that all of life’s pleasures involve some form of discomfort.
In the Living the Gourmet kitchen, the story is no different. No matter how perfect the picture, or how pristine the meal, or how satisfied the company, we all dance beneath an inescapable shadow.
The dishes.
With the heat here ranging somewhere between pleasantly balmy and “Oh God have mercy,” we’ve decided to try to keep things cool and light in terms of our meals, especially those towards the end of the day. Case in point, yesterday’s balsamic citrus salad, with grapefruit, orange, and cucumber, it had all of the refreshing and rejuvenating qualities that one craves in this weather, while jalapeno and radishes provided a seasonal kick.
With a garlic, lemon, and honey dressing, featuring bursts of mixed savory and spicy notes courtesy of red pepper, capers, and basil, it bore a distinct Mediterranean flare, perfect for light eating without sacrificing on flavor or body.
Yet, no matter how light the meal was, and no matter how refreshing, there was still work to be done afterwards. Glasses needed to be shined for the next round of pictures, and our plates needed to be made pristine again. Simply put, dishware that isn’t picturesque simply will not do.
Translation, around here, we don’t just need clean, we need “Picture Perfect Clean,” and we need it every day like clockwork.
One of the new ways we’ve helped expedite this process, while also getting that ‘picture worthy shine’ we need, is a new product from Clorox that I found during a recent run to Target; the Green Works Pump ‘N Clean. All natural, free of harsh chemicals, and perfectly convenient for cleaning as I go, courtesy of its one-handed pump, it’s helped take some of the bite of our ‘gourmet cleaning’ sessions.
One of the key benefits for me is that it’s an entirely natural cleaning agent, and so it not only puts a shine on the dishes, but it doesn’t leave behind any of the residue from harsher chemicals. Being all natural also means it is a food-safe multi-surface cleaner that you can use to clean your knife and cutting board in between cutting veggies. However, please note this product should not be used to clean up after raw meat or raw fish!
Green Works also boasts a range of other items, such as moisturizing hand soap, chlorine free bleach, and general purpose cleaners, meaning I can have a variety of all-natural, green cleaning agents not only for my kitchen, but also for the rest of my home as well, which are shockingly powerful considering that they’re entirely nature derived. The full line of products, however, is only available at Target.
That’s my latest experience with summer cleaning. What are some of the ways you expedite your home cleaning? I’d love to hear some your tips or tricks, especially if they’re seasonal. Check out more Green Works ideas here.
Fresh Citrus Salad with Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette Dressing
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 head of Romaine – separated
- 1 chunk of Parmesan cheese – shaved
For the Citrus Salad:
- 2 grapefruit – peeled and sliced
- 2 oranges – peeled and sliced
- 2 peaches – sliced
- 1 bunch of radishes – sliced thin
- 1 red onion – sliced thin
- 1 jalapeño – seeds removed – sliced thin
- 1 cucumber – sliced thin
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
For the Dressing:
- 1 large garlic clove
- 2 tbs. honey
- 1 tbs. capers plus 1 tbs. caper juice
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
For the Citrus Salad:
- Prepare all of the ingredients for the citrus salad and place in a bowl.
- Separate the leaves of the Romaine in a large salad.
- Spoon the citrus salad onto the Romaine leaves topped with the Parmesan shavings.
For the Dressing:
- Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor and process until smooth.
Enjoy with Love,
Catherine
xo
Comedy Plus says
That salad screams summer dinner. Wow, it looks fabulous.
Yes there is always dishes to do. I know because I do them. I’ll give this product a try. Your dishes always shine.
Have a fabulous day Catherine. Big hugs. ♥♥♥
★★★★★
Reduceri online says
Great recipe!
★★★★★
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
Love the presentation of this salad and that balsamic honey vinaigrette sounds amazing!
Chaya says
I made a salad, the other day, that had blueberries and strawberries mixed in with the greens. It was scrumptious. With more fruits in your salad, it must be a pure joy to eat. Catherine, you continue to inspire me.
[email protected]'s Recipes says
What a pretty and delicious salad!
Sandra Czosek says
Girl – that looks so good and summery – I had to print this one! Yummy.
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
What a beautiful salad Catherine. Perfect on these hot and humid days. Had not heard of Green Works and look forward to trying out this excellent product!
★★★★★
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom says
Oh that dressing is making me drool–perfect pair for the fresh citrus as well!
Big Daddy Dave says
Catherine, We’ve never made a citrus salad so we appreciate the recipe. It’s perfect for all the 90+ degree days that we’re having now here in East Tennessee! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Beauty Follower says
Yummy!
http://beautyfollower.blogspot.gr/
Dottie Sauchelli-Balin says
Good afternoon Catherine, Tammy, and Michael….
You really have hit it this time…It is so true, no matter how light the meal there is always something to wash. I really like this product especially the pump part. I will have to try this product..Now your Citrus Salad recipe is fabulous! I love the way it looks so beautiful, healthy, and light for dinner on these hot nights…The combo of the salad with the fruit and cheese is so mouthwatering. I can’t wait to try this…Thanks for sharing not only this wonderful recipe but also the dish soap. Have a blessed rest of the week.
Dottie 🙂
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
Beautiful salad! The dressing has me swooning!
Stephanie says
This salad sounds amazing and so delicious, my friend! My dear mom loves citrus salads so I will have to make this for her next time she visits 🙂
Thanks for sharing with Roses of Inspiration. I hope your week is going well!
David @ Spiced says
Oh my gosh, this salad looks incredible, Catherine! I love that vinaigrette dressing that you whipped up for it, too. This definitely needs to make an appearance in my house this summer…thanks for sharing! #client
AnnMarie says
The salad sounds great and I love the ingredients in the dressing, which can be used with so many other salads. I will give my husband a gift of the new dish washing product……he does the dishes!
★★★★★
Christine @ Must Love Home says
Hello cute Friend! You are amazing. You have been Pinned, Tweeted and Posted to facebook! Your post will be featured this week at the Friday Favorites Link Party at Mustlovehome.com. Come by and see your feature and share what you have been working on!! The party goes live Thursday at 7PM. I hope to see your there…Hugs – Christine at Must Love Home
Amy @ Ms. Toody Goo Shoes says
This is exactly the type of meal I want in summer – and it’s beautiful, too! Pinning, and featuring tonight on Best of the Weekend!
Miz Helen says
Congratulations!
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Have a fantastic weekend and enjoy your new Red Plate!
Miz Helen
★★★★★