7UP Marinade for Grilled Chicken Salad

Here in the upper Mid-Atlantic states, winter is often long, cold, dark and dreary. As we arrive at the halfway mark, I am finding it increasingly difficult to keep the winter doldrums at bay. Those winter blues have a way of making me yearn for the warm sun on my skin and the smell of the ocean in the air. Lately, on these frigid days, I find myself dreaming of packing up and moving as far south as I get.

The temptation of swapping my snow boots and winter parka for flip flops and sundresses is a real struggle. To think that instead of warming up my cold bones with oatmeal and soup, I could be cooling off with ice cream and iced tea! I think of all those incredibly lucky people living in those warm sunny states and it makes me feel small twinges of jealousy.

But then, I get a sign from Old Man Winter – and a sparkling snowflake drifts by my window.

And just like that, my thoughts return to the beauty of winter. I quickly remind myself of how lucky I am to live in such a seasonal state. I get to witness the magnificence of a snow storm, the magic of an igloo, the excitement of sledding and the comfort of hot cocoa by a roaring fire. Suddenly, two more months of winter doesn’t seem quite so unbearable. I think that I may even miss it when the crocuses start to pop in Spring!

One of my favorite salads to make during the frosty winter months is this 7UP, soy sauce and ginger marinated chicken breast over baby butter lettuce. With just enough citrus to remind me of summer, this refreshing and tasty salad can be served for lunch or as a light dinner. I love the versatility of using 7UP in my marinade. This versatile 7UP marinade also works well for a variety of meat such as pork or beef.