Fresh Citrus Salad with Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette Dressing

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

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Living the Gourmet
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 1x

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

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

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Instructions

For the Citrus Salad:

1. Prepare all of the ingredients for the citrus salad and place in a bowl.
2. Separate the leaves of the Romaine in a large salad.
3. Spoon the citrus salad onto the Romaine leaves topped with the Parmesan shavings.

For the Dressing:

1. Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor and process until smooth.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes

Enjoy with Love,
Catherine
xo