Arugula, Fennel, Blueberry, Toasted Almond Salad

I find going to the gym not only provides my body with the exercise it needs but my mind the fodder it needs on occasion.  I was standing around with a few ladies waiting for our class instructor to arrive when two of them struck up the conversation of "jonesing" (their words, so not mine) for new ink.  Then they proceeded to lift up articles of clothing to exhibit their hidden treasures and compare notes; which area was the most painful, which empty spots they had future plans for.  I felt slightly (actually make that extremely) uncomfortable at the moment.  How does one bow out of such an indelicate conversation and not seem like a total wet blanket?  I have surgery scars and other battle scars from falling out of a tree when I was little but no purposely-placed curiosities.

Not that I haven't entertained the idea from time to time, but I could never come up with a real reason to subject myself to pain on purpose.  I still vividly recall that my grandfather had an old lady on his arm. She was a wrinkly old prune with a sourpuss face.  As a young child I'm supposing my brain didn't know how to extrapolate that as you age the skin wrinkles and losses its collagen and elasticity and so goes anything you have placed on it.

I think it's time we slow the song down over here now, put on some easy listening and relax with an exceptional arugula salad selected for your eating pleasure:

Arugula, Fennel, Blueberry, Toasted Almond Salad

Dressing:

4 tablespoons minced shallot 

5 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a small jar (a mason jar works great) and shake or stir until combined. Store leftover dressing in the fridge. 

Salad:

7 ounces arugula

1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted in a small skillet

6 ounces fresh blueberries

1 medium sized fennel bulb (white part), shaved thinly 

Place the arugula, almonds, blueberries, and fennel in a large salad bowl and toss with the dressing just prior to serving.

I also know it's probably a good thing I don't tell people about my strange food hobby, I can only imagine what kind of internal head convos they'd be having.

Enjoy,

Gina