Colorful foods really are the happiest of foods—not only to cook and eat but also to enjoy! I guess I really do enjoy colorful foods, hence the name of my blog, but summer is the perfect time to lighten and color your plate with fresh foods from the market.  To me, eating is not just about nourishment, but also finding satisfaction and joy in the foods that appear on your table, and colorful foods do just that!

I love combining sweet and savory, and one of my favorite combinations is strawberries and basil, both plentiful in the summer months! But with my recent fascination with drizzling rich balsamic glaze on everything (have you tried my Greek inspired sweet potato fries?), I decided that juicy red strawberries are only that much more delicious with a drizzle of balsamic.  I love making fruit salsas in the summer to add a hint of sweetness to your plate.  So, if tomatoes or nightshades bother you, or you are following the autoimmune paleo diet, this strawberry basil salsa is for you.

This meal is so simple to prepare and absolutely delicious.  It is the perfect summer dinner to throw together at the last minute or serve for a patio dinner party.  Add some vegetables to the grill and serve with grain free crackers and pesto or cheeses for a complete, colorful summer dinner. Enjoy creating this recipe and the sounds of laughter drifting through warm summer nights!

{If you are looking for some creative yet delicious recipes for summer nights and entertaining, check out my ebook A Backyard Summer}

Balsamic Chicken Kabobs with Strawberry Basil Salsa {grain free, paleo}

Juicy grilled chicken drizzled in rich balsamic glaze topped with sweet summer strawberries and fresh basil.  A sweet and savory grain and gluten free summer dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic granules
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp balsamic glaze
• 1 lb strawberries
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced
• 3 green onions, chopped
• fresh spring lettuce to garnish, optional

Directions

• Slice chicken into 2 inch cubes.  Place in a bowl and toss together with oil, rosemary, salt, garlic and pepper.  Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes-2 hours.  When ready to grill, place chicken on kabob skewers.
• Prepare the salsa by chopping strawberries, basil and onions and tossing together in a bowl.
• When time to cook, preheat your grill to medium high heat (about 500 degrees F).
• Grill chicken kabobs for 6-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of chicken, rotating half way through.
• Plate and drizzle generously with balsamic glaze. Serve with a garnish of spring lettuce leaves and strawberry basil salsa.

This & That

• Chicken grilling time really depends on how you cut your chicken, due to size and thickness.
• I keep a few fabulous poultry salt seasonings (herb flavored) on hand and sometimes use that instead of the fresh rosemary rub to save time.
• Chicken can easily dry out, but marinating it in a good salt rub and then searing these kabobs on the grill makes for the perfect flavor and tenderness.