When we invite someone over for a meal or have overnight guests who will join us for at least one meal, I ask, “Do you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions?” As long as I’m meal planning for their visit, I may as well put the work into a meal that they can actually eat!
I’m finding that more and more of our guests are eating gluten-free—some out of necessity, some by choice. So I recently decided to add some gluten-free options that I can draw from quickly when the need arises. So throw some chicken or burgers (with no added “fillers”) on the grill and use the recipe below to create a great side dish that allows you to tell your friends who eat gluten-free, “Come on Over—I’m prepared for you!”
“Come on Over” Watermelon Salad
Prep time: 20 minutes-ish
Serves: 8
From the kitchen of Brenda Henderson
Ingredients:
- 1/2 medium seedless watermelon
- 2, 1/4″ slices of red onion
- 2 cups spring mix greens
- 9 oz tub of crumbled feta cheese (or gorgonzola) [omit if guests eat dairy-free]
- Approximately 1/4 cup pecan pieces or pecan halves
Directions:
- Slice the watermelon into 1″ cubes.
- Dice the red onion slices.
- Place the spring mix into a medium bowl. Using kitchen shears, cut the greens into “edible-sized” pieces (i.e., don’t make your guests “fold” their greens in order to eat them graciously).
- Layer 1/3 of the watermelon, onions, and spring mix, topping with 1/3 of the feta cheese.
- Repeat the layering process two more times.
- Top with pecan pieces.
- Serve in a clear bowl if at all possible. This salad is beautiful!
I’d love to hear how your salad turns out! Better yet, send a photo of your completed salad to PetalsfromtheBasket@gmail.com on or before August 10, 2019, and we will select a random winner to receive a FREE copy of our soon-to-be-released book on hospitality and entertaining!
____________________________________
Would you like to receive these posts in your Inbox? We won’t spam you!
You will only receive e-mails from us when a new post appears on the blog. Click here to subscribe.