No one looks forward to being locked in an airborne tin can, strapped down at an unnatural acute angle for hours on end, and that’s to say nothing of the hoops to jump through to qualify for such abuse in the first place. Yet we all accept these offenses as the necessary evils of air travel; small, cumulative personal injustices that must be suffered for the prize of a new adventure. On the bright side, this mild form of torture makes the joy of arrival all the greater, if only for the relief that comes from getting out of that maddening contraption.

Every small pleasure found in this unpleasant process is thus magnified, savored with aplomb, in hopes of turning down the volume on the rest of that logistical cacophony. for this reason alone, it’s worth the extra hassle whenever I book a flight out of SFO, because that means I can at least find a good meal while waiting at the gate.

It’s true: There’s fresh, healthy, and satisfying food to be found in an airport! The Plant Cafe Organic lays claim to many outposts across the bay area, but ironically, this inaccessible, highly guarded location is the one I stop by most often. Every time, the only thing I ever want is a pile of delicious produce, and every time, the understated yet dazzling grapefruit and avocado salad delivers.

Thankfully, there’s no need to subject yourself to such pain for such gustatory gratification, nor schlep out all the way to that isolated airport terminal, either. It turns out that while the sharply unpleasant contrasts surrounding this small morsel of pleasure do enhance the experience to a degree, it’s even more enjoyable when eaten at leisure, sprawled on the couch at home, preferably clad in completely unflattering sweatpants and slippers.

Something about the acidic, subtly sweet citrus, creamy avocado, and crunchy macadamia nuts make this salad utterly unforgettable. Don’t just take my word for it, because I’m afraid I can’t do it full justice in a few short sentences. It’s just too good to fully explain in words. This simple, invigorating combination will brighten the darkest of post-daylight savings time evenings.

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Yield: Makes 2 - 3 Servings

Avocado Grapefruit Salad

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Something about the acidic, subtly sweet citrus, creamy avocado, and crunchy macadamia nuts make this salad utterly unforgettable.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

Macadamia Nut Dressing:

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 2 Scallions, Sliced
• 1/4 Cup Raw Macadamia Nuts
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Salad:

• 8 Cups Arugula
• 2 Cups Thinly Sliced Fennel
• 1 Large Pink Grapefruit, Sliced into Segments
• 1 Large, Ripe Avocado, Sliced
• 1/3 Cup Toasted Macadamia Nuts, Roughly Chopped
• Salt and Pepper, to Taste

Instructions

1. Toss all of the ingredients for the dressing into your blender or food processor and puree on high, until creamy and completely smooth.
2. Toss the dressing with the arugula and fennel, and divide the greens between 2 or 3 bowls.
3. Top with equal amounts of grapefruit, avocado, and macadamia nuts. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper if needed, and enjoy.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 414Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 329mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 10gSugar: 11gProtein: 6g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.