So I have a rental car right now because the air conditioner on my car decided to die as soon as it started to heat up for the Summer. Ok sure first it started sounding like a tractor engine and well then it just started blowing air sans the coldness. And I know this because here in So Cal we use the air conditioner year round and after a few weeks of my shirt sticking to my back, sweat chasing the make-up off my face and feeling like I am driving a sauna I decided to get it fixed. Unfortunately, come to find out, air conditioner work is not easy and cheap, it is actually the exact opposite. Boo! So my car is in the shop for this week and I have well....a rental car. Now let me tell you why I don't like rental cars...

1. They smell like Febreeze. It doesn't seem to matter how new of a car it is they always smell like Febreeze which kind of makes me want to gag.
2. I can never figure out how to use the little things...ya know like headlights or how to adjust the mirrors or how much pressure to put on the breaks....yeah minor things.
3. Rental cars are always gutless...I continuously forget I am not driving my car...so I go to pass or speed up or ya know just drive at a normal speed...and I get nothing....so I am pounding on the gas pedal in the fast lane and I am going 40mph...and I feel ridiculous.
4. I got passed by a neon green VW bug today...which almost made me burst into road rage but alas I thought how bad would it be for a white Nissan rental car and a neon green VW bug to be racing..awkward...so I just mad dogged the other drive because I could....and he wouldn't look at me.
5. Rental car people just always seem so schmarmy...and yes I can say this because my ex-husband worked at a rental car place before he became a cop....just sayin'
6. I am paying to drive a car that is not fun, not mine and that doesn't give me a thrill...grrrr
7. I hate that I have to put gas in a car before I drop it off...almost feels like adding insult to injury...because I know the minute I get my car back from the shop it will also need gas

Anyway enough about cars. Seriously I can handle 911 calls all day, but make me deal with car stuff and my stress level is through the roof. Crazy ridiculous, I know!



Anyway so I am on this I need to eat more veggies kick so the other night I made a Chopped Salad with Cumin Lime Dressing. This was a recipe from one of my favorite food bloggers, Mountain Mama Cooks.  She has great recipes that are easy, have fun pictures, are innovative but not crazy hard and that are healthy. This recipe was really good and it really was the perfect summer salad. I loved the citrus and the slight spice from the cumin and the crunch from the mix of all the veggies plus it has feta cheese, which always makes me happy.


The hardest part of this recipe is cutting the veggies so if you can use a knife you are good. It has cucumbers, bell pepper (I used orange for the color), cherry tomatoes (I used roma just because I prefer them), radishes and green onions. The contrasting colors look awesome!


The recipe says to make the salad dressing in a jar, so you can shake it. I just made it in a bowl with a whisk. So I combined the lime juice (I used a little lemon juice too cause I ran out of lime), olive oil, honey, cumin, salt and garlic.

I tossed the dressing over the salad and added the cilantro and Feta.

This salad is also great leftover. I do have to warn you that it does get a little soupy leftover and the radishes tend to leak some red coloring, but the flavors are great, especially after it sits for a day or two. Love!


Chopped Salad with Cumin-Lime Vinaigrette
Prep Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups diced cucumber
1 1/2 cups diced bell pepper
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup diced radishes
3/4 cup diced green onion
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon honey

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the dressing, mix lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, kosher salt, cumin and honey in a small mason jar with a tight fitting lid. Screw lid on tightly and shake vigorously until well combined. Set aside while you make salad.
Combine all the veggies in a bowl. Toss with dressing and stir in cilantro and feta cheese. Serve at room temperature.

Happy Summer Y'All! And stay cool because I know I will after I pay out the nose for my new air conditioner. Cheers!