Salads!
Ingredients
Simple Italian Salad:
Romain lettuce
Red onion
Tomatoes
Dressing: EVOO, Balsamic Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, S&P optional
Salad for Lunch:
Spinach and/or Kale
Sunflower Shoots
Avocado
Red onion
Pistachio nuts
Tomato
Dressing: EVOO, S&P. Fresh squeezed lemon
Salad for Dinner:
Red leaf lettuce
Green leaf lettuce
Grilled Halloumi cheese
Kirby Cukes
Red Onion
For dressing, 2 TBSP fresh lime juice, 1/2 TSP ground cumin, 1/4 cup EVOO. Mix ingredients in a separate cup S&P to taste - taste it first and add what’s needed. Pour over salad and Toss!
Instructions
Growing up we had salad at every dinner. Following the Italian tradition, it was served at the end of the meal. Why exactly Italians (and others) eat salad last is debatable…I was always under the impression it was so the vinegar didn’t mix with the wine. (As if Italians stop drinking their wine once the salad comes! ) I’ve also read that it helps aid digestion. Whatever the reason, it’s a habit I’ve stuck to when I’m given a choice.
I love salad so much that it’s often a full meal for me. There are endless recipes for salads using numerous interchangeable ingredients. And with farmers markets loaded with great produce, you can’t go wrong finding fresh ingredients.
I strongly believe that the secret to making your salad great is tossing it thoroughly before serving. You want the dressing to distribute nicely onto all the ingredients.
One of my recent salad ingredient discoveries is Sunflower shoots. They’re delicious and high in amino acids, iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, and phosphorous. Also great for digestion.
Chef Notes:
I prefer to buy my lettuces fresh. Some experts say you lose nutrients when spinach is pre-packed. Yes, the pre-washed pre-packaged are convenient, but washing lettuce can be part of the ritual of preparing your meal.
All ingredients are interchangeable and can be added or taken away. Try adding fresh corn, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, home-made croutons…Be creative! Discover YOUR favorite salad and enjoy all summer long.