I am a brave, little chickadee for whipping out the mandolin slicer before my major mandolin injury is all healed up.  I thought not that long, but hard, about it.  And then, mandolin guard in hand, I got to slicing.  Lesson.  Learned.

I decided to celebrate the warmth of today with one of my favorites, an acorn squash filled with XYZ salad.  Today’s XYZ salad was ultra summery, with lots of fresh fruits and veggies.  I even added some mint with hopes that the universe would acknowledge my dedication to a summery salad and keep it warm in Austin until it’s supposed to be cool again.

FoodFash Mint & Apple Chicken Salad

1-1/2 lbs cooked chicken breast

1 apple, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)

salt and white pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and then serve in an acorn squash, over a bed of lettuce, or between two slices of bread!

Fresh herbs are really where it’s at, always.  And even though I rarely use mint, I am glad mint was on my mind while I was shopping for chicken salad ingredients.  Between the lightness of the greek yogurt, crispness of the apples and celery, and freshness of the mint – this salad is as airy as a protein packed meal could be.