Summer Favourites: Burgers and Mango Pepper Salad

" I always say, 'Eat clean to stay fit;

have a burger to stay sane.' "

GIGI HADID

Biting into a perfectly grilled burger makes my taste buds thankful every time. Hamburgers with all the fixings are certainly on my Top Five of summer eating favourites. I'm pretty sure I got hooked watching Wimpey all those years ago eat his way through piles of the perfectly shaped mounds - 'gladly paying Tuesday for a hamburger today'.

The standard for me includes mustard, relish, ketchup, a thin slice of sweet onion, beefsteak tomato, a lettuce leaf, all on a lightly toasted ciabatta bun. I know melted cheese and crisp bacon would take it over the top for some people. I love both but my scale says I'm okay without them. But, have you ever had a burger with a layer of crisp deep fried onion ring on it? This is only for once in a while but, oh my, that takes any burger I'm going to eat over the top-top. It's bite down delicious.

Being a curious soul, what do you like on your burgers? What is a must, what is disgust? Or, if hamburgers are not a favourite for you, what is on your summertime top five?

" Mindful eating is about awareness.

When you eat mindfully, you slow down,

pay attention to the food you're eating,

and savor every bite. "

SUSAN ALBERS

This mango and bell pepper salad is one of my favourite summer salads. It's so refreshing on a hot day, and it seems to go well with just about anything grilled. You can do the chopping ahead of time and keep ingredients in the refrigerator. Add the dressing just before serving.

Mango and Sweet Bell Pepper Salad

1 ripe mango (or 2 nectarines), peeled, cut into small chunks

1 sweet red pepper, sliced into matchstick-size pieces

1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)

1/3 cup diced sweet onion

1 Tbsp lime juice (or lemon)

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

dash hot pepper sauce

In a bowl, add mango, red pepper, and cilantro.

Mix onion, lime juice, vegetable oil, and hot pepper sauce.

Stir and pour over the ingredients in the bowl. Mix gently.

* * *

It's been a scorcher for us this past week. We've been mostly hibernating indoors, it being too hot to do anything outside, so what could we do but cheerfully beaver through our summertime reading stash. As they say, it's a hard job but somebody's got to do it. We only venture outside to check on plants in the pre-dawn and late into the evening to ensure they haven't croaked in the day's heat. Usually in our area we worry about frostbite for our plants, not heat stroke. Our beautiful Peace Rose is suffering especially - the buds venture open only to dry to a crisp in the winds. 😢 So grateful it's cooling down a little over the next few days. There might even be some rain. In the meantime, I'll be sure to keep my reading pile topped up.

Stay cool. Stay safe.

Here's wishing you a pleasant weekend.

Brenda

Photos are mine