When it comes to summer food, one can only think of colorful and fresh dishes that are loaded with nutrients. Big, green leafy salads filled with all the great produce the season has to offer is what summer is all about. Aside from the health benefits salads provide, they also offer an abundance of flavor and are easy to make.
These salads are quick and require minimal or no cooking. They are the perfect way to enjoy all the freshness of summer produce. The following recipes are provided by MyRecipes.com
Arugula, grape and sunflower seed salad
Ingredients
3 tablespoons red vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
7 cups loosely packed baby arugula
2 cups red grapes, halved
2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seed kernels
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
1. Combine vinegar, honey, syrup, and mustard in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk.
2. Combine arugula, grapes, seeds, and thyme in a large bowl. Drizzle vinegar mixture over arugula; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat.
Porcini, artichoke and parsley salad
Ingredients
2 cups water
3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
2 large artichokes (about 12 to 14 ounces each)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 canned anchovy fillet, finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 ounces very thinly sliced fresh porcini or cremini mushrooms
5/8 ounce aged cow’s-milk cheese (such as Robusto or Gouda), cut into small pieces (about 1/4 cup)
Preparation
1. Combine 2 cups water and 2 tablespoons juice in a large bowl. Cut stem of each artichoke to within 1 inch of base; peel stems. Remove bottom leaves and tough outer leaves, leaving tender heart and bottom. Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise. Remove fuzzy thistle from bottom with a spoon. Thinly slice each artichoke heart into 1/8-inch-thick slices; place in lemon water.
2. Combine remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons juice, thyme, pepper, salt, and anchovy in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk until combined.
3. Drain artichoke hearts; pat dry with paper towels. Combine sliced artichoke hearts, anchovy mixture, parsley, and mushrooms in a large bowl; toss gently. Divide artichoke mixture among 6 small plates; sprinkle each salad with about 2 teaspoons cheese.
Tuna-Garbanzo Salad
Ingredients
2 quarts water
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (1-inch) cut green beans (about 1/2 pound)
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2 medium)
2 fire-roasted piquillo peppers, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
4 cups arugula
1 (7.8-ounce) jar premium tuna, packed in oil, drained and flaked
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
8 (1-ounce) slices French bread
Preparation
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Bring 2 quarts water and salt to a boil. Add green beans; cook 4 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Combine green beans, shallots, peppers, chickpeas, and garlic in a large bowl.
3. Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, and paprika in a small bowl, stirring well. Add mayonnaise mixture to bean mixture; toss gently to combine. Arrange 1 cup arugula on each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 1 cup bean mixture. Divide tuna evenly among plates.
4. Sprinkle cheese evenly over bread slices; place bread on a baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Serve toasts with salad.
Spinach salad with grilled shrimp
Ingredients
Dressing:
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Shrimp:
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Cooking spray
Salad:
8 cups baby spinach (about 8 ounces)
2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 4 ounces)
3/4 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
Preparation:
1. Prepare grill.
2. To prepare dressing, combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Set aside.
3. To prepare shrimp, combine 2 teaspoons olive oil and next 6 ingredients (through shrimp) in a large bowl; toss well. Thread about 5 shrimp onto each of 6 (8-inch) skewers. Place skewers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes or until done.
4. To prepare salad, add spinach, mushrooms, and onion to vinegar mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve with shrimp skewers.
These salads are quick and require minimal or no cooking. They are the perfect way to enjoy all the freshness of summer produce. The following recipes are provided by MyRecipes.com
Arugula, grape and sunflower seed salad
Ingredients
3 tablespoons red vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
7 cups loosely packed baby arugula
2 cups red grapes, halved
2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seed kernels
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
1. Combine vinegar, honey, syrup, and mustard in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk.
2. Combine arugula, grapes, seeds, and thyme in a large bowl. Drizzle vinegar mixture over arugula; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat.
Porcini, artichoke and parsley salad
Ingredients
2 cups water
3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
2 large artichokes (about 12 to 14 ounces each)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 canned anchovy fillet, finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 ounces very thinly sliced fresh porcini or cremini mushrooms
5/8 ounce aged cow’s-milk cheese (such as Robusto or Gouda), cut into small pieces (about 1/4 cup)
Preparation
1. Combine 2 cups water and 2 tablespoons juice in a large bowl. Cut stem of each artichoke to within 1 inch of base; peel stems. Remove bottom leaves and tough outer leaves, leaving tender heart and bottom. Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise. Remove fuzzy thistle from bottom with a spoon. Thinly slice each artichoke heart into 1/8-inch-thick slices; place in lemon water.
2. Combine remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons juice, thyme, pepper, salt, and anchovy in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk until combined.
3. Drain artichoke hearts; pat dry with paper towels. Combine sliced artichoke hearts, anchovy mixture, parsley, and mushrooms in a large bowl; toss gently. Divide artichoke mixture among 6 small plates; sprinkle each salad with about 2 teaspoons cheese.
Tuna-Garbanzo Salad
Ingredients
2 quarts water
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (1-inch) cut green beans (about 1/2 pound)
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2 medium)
2 fire-roasted piquillo peppers, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
4 cups arugula
1 (7.8-ounce) jar premium tuna, packed in oil, drained and flaked
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
8 (1-ounce) slices French bread
Preparation
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Bring 2 quarts water and salt to a boil. Add green beans; cook 4 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Combine green beans, shallots, peppers, chickpeas, and garlic in a large bowl.
3. Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, and paprika in a small bowl, stirring well. Add mayonnaise mixture to bean mixture; toss gently to combine. Arrange 1 cup arugula on each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 1 cup bean mixture. Divide tuna evenly among plates.
4. Sprinkle cheese evenly over bread slices; place bread on a baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Serve toasts with salad.
Spinach salad with grilled shrimp
Ingredients
Dressing:
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Shrimp:
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Cooking spray
Salad:
8 cups baby spinach (about 8 ounces)
2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 4 ounces)
3/4 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
Preparation:
1. Prepare grill.
2. To prepare dressing, combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Set aside.
3. To prepare shrimp, combine 2 teaspoons olive oil and next 6 ingredients (through shrimp) in a large bowl; toss well. Thread about 5 shrimp onto each of 6 (8-inch) skewers. Place skewers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes or until done.
4. To prepare salad, add spinach, mushrooms, and onion to vinegar mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve with shrimp skewers.
