last night i settled into bed relatively early, exhausted from our weekend away in palm springs & my first real work out in far too long… i curled up with my puppy, favorite blanket, and a handful of magazines & books i purchased the week prior. one such book happened to be the i love trader joe’s party cookbook- just in time for memorial day, and the highly anticipated arrival of my best friend, ross.  as i perused the various party recipes, i found several that perked my interest… including a delicious candied bacon recipe that i have been looking for since trying the delicacy at a very southern wedding in atlanta a few years back.  while undeniably delicious, candied bacon seemed a bit heavy for a memorial day pool party, so instead i settled for the lighter, brighter watermelon, feta & olive salad.  while my boyfriend was slightly terrified by the idea of olives invading a fruit dish, we both agreed that the end result was the perfect combination of salty & sweet, and delightfully refreshing for our weekend bash.

added perk: i plan on using the left over watermelon for a watermelon puree cocktail. yummy!

{cubed watermelon: colorful, pink & sweetly perfect}

{crumbled feta cheese: for those getting reading for bikini season, reduced fat is a light, yet still tasty option}

{olives: while the recipe calls for whole pitted olives, i had these chopped olives on hand… just 2 teaspoons did the trick!}

{fragrant mint: i’m saving the left over for to muddle in with my watermelon puree cocktail}

recipe:

2 cups cubed watermelon

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup pitted black olives {or 2 teaspoons chopped}

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

{mix all ingredients together, serve cold in a bowl, & enjoy!}