Grape, Feta, & Mint Salad

 

You know that classic combination of watermelon, feta, and mint? Yeah, I've mentioned it on here once or twice. Today I made a slight twist on it with fantastic results: still sweet and savory, juicy and creamy. But this time, instead of watermelon I used grapes. 

This salad is actually a great way to stay hydrated and energized during these sweaty summer months—which is so crucial for kids, as well as pregnant or breastfeeding moms. The feta cheese provides electrolytes in the forms of calcium and sodium. And the water-rich grapes provide potassium, essential to maintaining fluid and balancing those electrolytes in the body. Perfect hot-weather eatin'!


  Additionally, this dish provides satiety because of its balance of grain-free carbs (grapes) and protein (feta cheese). It's light but filling. Which is exactly the kind of food I love in summertime.

Ingredients
serves 2

• 1 cup red grapes, halved or quartered
• 1 cup green grapes, halved or quartered
• 1/2 cup feta, crumbled or diced
• 6-8 mint leaves, chopped or julienned 
• squeeze of fresh lemon or lime
• freshly-cracked black pepper

My green grapes were humungous and my red grapes were small, so I quartered the former and halved the latter, making them similar in size; just cut your grapes to your preference. 

Simply toss the grapes with the mint, feta, and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Top with a generous amount of freshly-ground black pepper. You can add salt, if you'd like; I find that the feta adds enough salt for my taste.

Eat by the spoonful as a main or side dish...

...or serve as a dip with crispy crackers. The briny, creamy, juicy, herbaceous, sweet salad was wonderful with these super crunchy Naan Crisps that Stonefire sent me to try. Such a refreshing snack!

This is one of those dishes that you could eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner...or even dessert. Not every salad can boast that.

 

What's your favorite fruit-and-cheese combo?