'tis the season for CRAVINGS!!!

I haven't figured out what a true craving is yet. Truth be told, I have cravings all the time, whether I am pregnant or not. Constant Cravings. Teehee. Anyway, during my first 2 pregnancies, I had constant cravings for absolute junk. French fries, cheeseburgers, cream-of-anything soup with buttered bread...no wonder I gained so much weight with each of my pregnancies!!

This time around however...my cravings are so very different. Sure, I still want the occasional french fry or pizza puff, but for the most part, fried foods aren't appealing to me. Maybe because they have made me feel sicker. I don't know the exact science of this phenomenon, but I'm a bit relieved. Maybe that means I won't pack on the pounds this time. One can hope and pray.

So what am I craving, you ask? Sushi- perfect timing, huh? Just when I'm not supposed to have it. Freeze pops. You know, the perfect refreshment on a hot summer day? Yeah, I have things a little backwards considering the freezing temps outside. And citrus. Clementines, oranges, grapefruit...anything juicy and sweet and tart. So when I saw this salad recipe, I just knew I had to try it. Stay tuned for a review!

Recipe: Butter Lettuce with Avocado and Graperfruit
Source: Spry Magazine, December, 2010

Dressing
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. minced fresh tarragon or 1 tsp. dried
1 tbsp. minced shallot
1/4 tsp. salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Salad
8 cups torn butter or bibb lettuce
1 medium avocado, sliced or diced
1 pink grapefruit, peeled & sectioned, juice reserved

To prepare dressing, combine all ingredients and whisk until well combined.
To prepare salad, place lettuce in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing and reserved grapefruit juice on top. Toss well. Divide among 6 salad plates. Top with avocado and grapefruit sections.