A Healthy Summer Salad

As the summer winds down...there will still be days when you'll come home from a long hard day at work and not feel like doing a whole lot of cooking. Depending on where you live...it may be too hot to turn on an oven for any length of time. Here is a nice salad you can prepare in no time. It's a Pork and Apple Salad. (I know...the name took me out too when I first heard about it!)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons apple jelly
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3 boneless center-cut pork chops (about 11/4 pounds)

Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 heads Boston or Bibb lettuce, torn
1 Fuji or Gala apple, diced
1 small turnip, peeled and diced
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Chopped fresh parsley, for topping (optional)

Directions:

Preheat a grill to high. Mix 2 tablespoons apple jelly with the thyme. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil on both sides. Grill the chops until marked, about 3 minutes per side. Brush with the jelly-thyme mixture and continue to grill until the chops are cooked through, about 2 more minutes. Set aside to cool.

Soak the diced onion in a bowl of cold water, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the mustard, vinegar and the remaining 1 tablespoon apple jelly in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Slowly add 1/2 cup olive oil, whisking until smooth.

Cut the pork into bite-size pieces and drain the onion. Add the lettuce, apple, turnip, pork, onion and blue cheese to the bowl with the dressing and toss. Top with parsley, if desired.

I'm telling you...I had this at Houlihans and I was knocked out of my socks by it..You'll not be disapointed by this salad. (If you are a Muslim and or a member of the Nation of Islam...substitute the pork with broiled chicken or fish....you will have the same results.. )Bon Apetite!