This salad almost didn’t make it.
Initially setting out to make something totally easy and healthy for you all this week, what actually transpired went pretty much like this:
I cut my finger.
Knocked over the dressing.
Made a mess.
Had a near meltdown.
Image from Cute-n-Tiny.Com
Concerned the husband.
And in the end almost chucked the salad out the window. Literally.
Truth? Sometime being a food blogger is not all pretty pictures and perfect recipes.
A great deal of the time, it’s a lot of hard work.
And sometimes, creating a recipe is much more like getting a root canal. Albeit, a whole lot prettier.
Truth be told, sometimes I don’t feel like shooting my food but just want to eat it like a normal person.
Image from AshangelBlog.Wordpress.Com
Sometimes I don’t feel like writing or have anything particularly interesting or entertaining to say.
Image from Joy-Babbleon.Blogspot.Com
And despite how things may seem, recipes don’t always come out right.
Yet … even despite the mess, near meltdown, near-chucking of salad, etc. — in the end — the salad still turned out delicious.
Which made me think of something a dear friend’s grandmother used to say, which is that things eventually, always turn out right.
It may take a while and the road there could get ugly but — in the end — things always did. And she was right.
They do.
And as I looked at this salad that almost met it’s maker (wait, that’s me), my funk lifted.
Image from Flickr.Com — All rights reserved by Fiddling Bob
It made me feel lucky to be able to express myself through food.
Lucky that I could take a bunch of ingredients and create something not only lovely to look at but delicious too.
Lucky to be able to share my creativity with others and to get to cheer others on in the process with theirs.
Image from Glamour-Vintage.Blogspot.Com
And connect with people like you.
And as I took a bite of this extraordinary salad, with my cut finger and dressing-spotted shirt, I felt very lucky indeed.
‘Cause I was.
Blood Orange Salad with Goat Cheese, Pistachios and Mint
Inspired by Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian
Makes 2 servings
For Dressing
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
For Salad
2 blood oranges, peeled, pith and ends removed and cut width-wise into 1/4 – inch slices
1 large navel orange, pith and ends removed and cut width-wise into 1/4 – inch slices
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1 ounce goat’s milk chevre cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons raw pistachios
12 fresh mint leaves, julienned, plus a few extra for garnishing
extra sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
In a small mixing bowl — using a spoon — combine red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper together until well combined. Set aside.
Arrange blood orange and navel orange slices in a pretty pattern on a large serving plate.
Sprinkle chopped red onion evenly over top of orange slices, then repeat step with goat’s milk chevre cheese, then raw pistachios.
Drizzle dressing evenly over top and finish with julienned mint leaves.
Serve immediately with extra salt and black pepper — or more mint leaves — if desired and …
Enjoy!
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Announcement: Small Kitchen Chronicles is revamping it’s posting schedule to make time for exciting new projects and opportunities. As such, there will no longer be regularly scheduled posts on Wednesdays or on First Fridays but will be publishing posts intermittently. See you all back here soon!
Small Kitchen Chronicles 
What a great read, and delicious-looking salad. Wonderful combination of colours and flavours! Thank you
Aww, Darya, thank you so much … and really glad to hear you enjoyed reading it! Thank you! And I really enjoy your blog — it’s just lovely.
=)
That salad sounds absolutely delicious!!
Thank you, Ms. Panini! =)
I hope your finger is ok – ouch. I had a similar meltdown yesterday as I attempted to grill polenta. It kept sticking to pan and made a horrible mess – although looks aside it actually tasted pretty good. I’m glad your salad turned out in the end. It looks beautiful!
Aw, thanks, Hannah, I appreciate that. My finger is much better today =)
Aiy, kitchen meltdowns! I’m really starting to think it comes with the food blogging territory! I feel you, sister; you know I do! =)
Thank you for the love, Hannah, I appreciate it so greatly and look forward to what you cook up next (that polenta can’t beat you! Ha, take that polenta!)
I’m glad your finger is better! I’m definitely determined to figure out the correct way to grill polenta after the mess I made of it the other day – I won’t let it get the better of me!! 😉
That’s it, Hannah, you GO, sister! Polenta will very soon learn not to mess with the likes of you!
Big hugs and look forward to your next post =)
Have a great weekend! =)
Thanks Christina! Hope you’re having a good one too xo
Hey buddy, thank you for your honest, funny, thoughtful post. I really enjoyed it. Glad you overcame your meltdown, and the salad looks wonderful! Much much love, and see you soon!
Hey brother wonderful, so glad to hear you really liked it and thanks so much again for sharing it on Facebook =) There’s a reason why they call you Brother Wonderful =)
I’m glad I overcame my near meltdown too, and thank you re: the salad! It thinks you’re pretty wonderful too =)
See you soon, buddy! Love you oodles!
Kudos! Food blogging is s trip. Sometimes I just want to cook and eat the fruits of my labor; not spend time thinking of copy and setting up shots. But it feels great to share it too. Beautiful salad!
Hey Maribel,
Thanks so much for the love … and speak it, sister, speak it! I couldn’t agree more =)
Thanks for stopping by my little neck of the internet woods and you’re welcome here at SKC anytime =)
Warmest!
amen sista…food blogging can be a real “treat” somedays..but glad you made it through another post, with minor cuts and bruises oh and maybe a few stains too..but your salad looks just lovely, i’m sure every bite was worth it…lovely post..sarah
Hey Sarah, thanks so much for the love and encouragement (and so glad you enjoyed the post!); it sounds like you know exactly what I’m talking about.
I’m glad I made it through too and in the end, things always turn out right … though I may be a little worse for wear sometimes =) The salad was delicious!
Have a wonderful weekend, lovely, hope you are well!
I hope your finger is alright my dear Christina. You are so right –food blogging is A LOT of hard work. But it paid off. Your salad is just stunning! I love the color contrast of your photos, not to mention the goat cheese in this salad. 😉 Feel better and BIG hugs to you!
Thanks so much, Anne, my finger is much, much better today. It was really more frustrating than anything and thankfully not deep at all. All’s well that ends well! =)
Thank you for all the wonderful words re: the pics and salad; you are just too lovely, Anne! Thank you! I do my best =)
Big, big hugs back and look forward to whatever yumminess you cook up next!
Talk again soon =)
Looks so delicious and so beautiful! I LOVE all the colors of ths salad! I agree with you too…creating food is such a passion and way of expression for me!
Thank you so much, Brandi! I must give a lot of the credit to the two gorgeous blood oranges I used for the salad, they really where the stars of it =)
I just discovered your blog and it’s going straight to the favorites pile!! Your pictures are incredible. The one of the kid and the pasta is one of the most expressive and interesting I have ever seen…
Hi Gabart,
I am so glad! You are welcome here at SKC anytime =)
And re: the pic, I know isn’t that kid just hysterical? Can’t take credit for it, but just loved it when I found it and had to feature it =)
Oops. Just noticed the kid picture wasn’t yours. Nice anyway. The photo of the salad is quite stunning as well! Those colors…
No worries at all =) And thank you re: the pic of the salad, so glad you liked it =)
The more you cut the greater your risk of cutting your finger: Murphy’s Law. Colors colors colors, usually when it looks amazing it tastes that way too. I can only try to imagine. 🙂
True, how true … =)
And thank you so much for the lovely words, Mike, it did taste amazing =)
Thanks for dropping by!
I am so glad that you put together this salad at the end. It is gorgeous! Love the color! I am making this for sure. Also, I hope your finger is ok.
Aww, thank you, Lokness, I do appreciate that … me too! Please let me know how you like it! I think you will adore it =)
P.S. My finger is much much better today, thanks so much for the concern, lovely! That is so sweet of you and very much appreciated!
=)
Yikes. The finger cut is the worst. Was it the kind where you do it and then you don’t want to look? That’s how I broke in my Wustoff’s. Glad to hear that it’s feeling better.
And the kitchen meltdown…I hear you girl. They always frighten the hsbands, don’t they? Maybe there should be a food blogger vacation period wherein all food bloggers take an entire two weeks to only cook and eat food without taking any pictures or testing recipes…I feel like if somthing looked really good I wouldn’t be able to resist though. Like how this salad looks! WOW. It really looks amazing, Christina. Beautiful colors, I absolutely love the pic of the orange slices layed out.
I wish you all the best on your new opportunities, I can’t wait to see what you’re up to! {remember to breathe!}
Xo,
Rebekah 🙂
Hey Rebekah!
Nope, thank goodness it wasn’t that bad, it just hurt and kept bleeding, which just added insult to (already frustrating) injury. Thank you for the well-wishes!
Yes, the kitchen meltdowns do always frighten the poor husbands … bless their patient hearts! And, yes, I totally think that we all should get that kind of vacation, period, but I have to say I too have a hard time not photographing particularly lovely “results” — it’s like Food Bloggers Anonymous! Aiy, lordie help us! =)
Thank you re: the pics too, Rebekah, and the new-opportunity-well-wishes — I really appreciate the continued support =)
And yes, breathing, check! 😉
Have a wonderful weekend, lovely; talk soon =)
I know that funk so well! Despite all the trip ups the salad looks and sounds wonderful! The colours are just divine.
Aww, thank you so much, Jess, I really appreciate that! =)
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Thanks again for featuring my blood orange salad on your top 5 this week, Ches! SKC ❤ you =)
Today I will make roast pork ,I will serve with this salad. I think it will be interesting!
Wonderful! Enjoy! =)
The salad is very good!! I enjoyed!! Was very good with roast pork was fantastic! Mix the dressing with feta cheese with citrus hummmm incredible! thanks so much for sharing !
Of course! SO glad you enjoyed both the salad and the roast pork; truly, my pleasure =)
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Such a nice post. 🙂 I definitely have days like that, too. I hope your finger is healing ok! This salad looks so beautiful & refreshing that I’m guessing you now think it was all worth it!?!
Hey Allison,
So glad you enjoyed the post! Thanks so much for the kind words and, yes, my finger is back to being right as rain — thanks for the well wishes =) The salad was delicious!
=)
Hello, I’m new to your blog and indeed the world of blogging. Thank you for posting such a down to earth and human post. Despite your mishaps and trauma, your salad looks divine – blood oranges are yummy and mixing fruit with cheese is always a winner.
Looking forward to reading more of your posts.
Thank you, Alexis, and welcome to Small Kitchen Chronicles =) And welcome again to the world of blogging — hope you really enjoy it!
Thanks so much for your kind words (they are much appreciated), and know that you are welcome here anytime =)
xo
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This is amazingly good, thank you!
It really warms my heart to hear that, Mathieu, so glad you liked it!
=)
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