With the weather practically improving by the minute, it's high time to start serving fresh salads. Here are a few delicious recipes to get you started down the road to good health and keep you away from the barbecue:
Avocado strawberry caprese salad
This salad is a fresh, delicious twist on the traditional caprese salad. The fresh sweetness of the strawberries is nicely offset by the tart balsamic flavor, and the avocado will fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied.
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup halved mini mozzarella balls
1 ripe avocado, pitted and diced
1/3 cup fresh basil, torn or chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- Place the strawberries, tomatoes, mozzarella, avocado, and basil in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and gently toss.
- Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette
- serve immediately.
- You can make your own balsamic vinegar reduction, the recipe is here.
Beet salad with goat cheese
Half of salad eating is about the aesthetic; this beet salad not only tastes good but looks beautiful. Mission accomplished! You can use canned beets or roast them yourself, the recipe is here.
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 can of sliced cooked beets, at room temperature
Ground black pepper and salt
4 ounces arugula
1/3 cup salted almonds
4 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
- Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper and set aside.
- Place the beets in a mixing bowl and toss them with half the dressing, and salt and pepper to taste.
- In a separate bowl, toss arugula with enough vinaigrette to moisten, then combine with beets on a serving platter and top with goat cheese, almonds and remaining vinaigrette if desired.
Make these salads for family and friends.
Watermelon feta mint salad
This refreshing combination is just the right balance of sweet and salty, with the feta complementing the watermelon perfectly. This salad is best when fresh; prepare this an hour or less before you plan to eat.
1 7-8 pound seedless watermelon
1/2 cup olive oil
3 juiced limes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chopped mint leaves
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta
- Remove watermelon rind and chop the fruit into 1 inch cubes.
- Leave in a colander to drain.
- Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.
- Place drained watermelon in a salad bowl, cover with dressing and chopped mint and toss.
- Top with crumbled feta and toss again.
- Serve immediately.
Sesame tomato and cucumber salad
This salad is very simple to make but is sure to be a fan favorite. The key is slicing the tomatoes and cucumbers thin enough that they absorb the dressing but thick enough that they are easy to eat.
1 pound thinly sliced tomato
1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons oil
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1 medium serrano or jalapeño chile, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
- Arrange tomato and cucumber slices on a platter.
- Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, olive oil and granulated sugar until sugar dissolves.
- Drizzle over cucumber and tomato slices and top with sesame seeds, scallions, chile, salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately.
Pea and herb salad
This is probably the easiest salad to make, a simple combination of fresh ingredients and lemon juice to offset the sweetness of the peas. This can be made ahead of time, simply hold off dressing the salad until just before serving.
2 cups fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cups fresh mint coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups fresh parsley leaves
1 8 ounce package sugar snap peas, sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- Combine basil, mint, parsley and snap peas and toss in a serving bowl.
- Toss with lemon vinaigrette.
- Serve immediately.
- To make your own vinaigrette, try this recipe here.
Here is hoping that this summer is long, happy and filled with delicious food that won't add to your waistline.