I'm on a Summer Salad Kick and Need Some New Ideas!

[HeatherC]

Well...with the kids spring sports season underway we have been at one field or another every single night.

I have tried to get in the habit of having dinner made before we go so they can either eat early or late.

Soooo....this is along the line of the crockpot thread, but for salads. Today I figured I'd make some salads for tonight and the weekend.

I made: Cucumber Salad with fresh dill, A Couscous Salad by adding cucumbers, grape tomatoes, diced carrots, olive oil and fresh lemon, and a tabouleh salad.
Next two on the list is a panzanella salad (bread salad) with olive oil, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella and parsley and a spinach salad with strawberries and poppy seed dressing.

So that's my repertoire. I'd love to keep this up during the summer, but need new ideas.

Would love to hear any other ideas you guys may have.

So what's your favorite salad recipe?

Thanks so much!

 

[JVL1018]

My favorite salad is bbq chicken salad.
Lettuce, tomato, cucumber, black beans, corn and BBQ chicken.

Vicki

 

[MIGrandma]

I probably won't be of much help to you, because I don't get as adventuresome in my salad making as you are.

I basically just make good ol' fashioned potato and macaroni salads during the summer. Sometimes a pasta salad too. But that's about it. Oh, and fresh fruit salad as well.

 

[bookgirl]

Well...with the kids spring sports season underway we have been at one field or another every single night.

I have tried to get in the habit of having dinner made before we go so they can either eat early or late.

Soooo....this is along the line of the crockpot thread, but for salads. Today I figured I'd make some salads for tonight and the weekend.

I made: Cucumber Salad with fresh dill, A Couscous Salad by adding cucumbers, grape tomatoes, diced carrots, olive oil and fresh lemon, and a tabouleh salad.
Next two on the list is a panzanella salad (bread salad) with olive oil, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella and parsley and a spinach salad with strawberries and poppy seed dressing.

So that's my repertoire. I'd love to keep this up during the summer, but need new ideas.

Would love to hear any other ideas you guys may have.

So what's your favorite salad recipe?

Thanks so much!

Our favorite at the moment is pasta salad.

Boil you pasta (we usually do corkscrew, penne, or elbows) as soon as it's al dente drain and while still hot put on enough ranch dressing to coat heavily. Toss in any meat or grated veggies that you like (we do carrots and cucumbers). Let set until the pasta has absorbed the dressing. Add in a little more dressing to 'sauce' the salad. We don't like it runny so we only put enough to coat. Salt and pepper to taste. Chill for a few hours and serve.

Putting on the dressing while the pasta is hot seems to be the key to this. The few times we did this with cold pasta the dressing never stuck to the pasta and by grating the veggies they cook from the risidual heat and and get al dente themselves.

Sometimes I top mixed salad with cooked lentals and cooked shredded chicken. Dress with a little balsamic or soy and yummy.

 

[etoiles]

I have three make ahead salads:

1. Black beans, corn, red pepper, green onions, diced cheddar cheese cubes, avocado (add avocado at the last minute) and dress with lime juice, salt, pepper, olive oil.

2. Cooked pasta tossed with cucumber, tomatoes, chick peas, and crumbled feta cheese. Dressed with lemon juice, greek seasoning, and olive oil.

3. Cooked tortellini tossed with diced tomato, artichokes, mozzarella cubes. Dressed with pesto.

 

[mamajoan]

I make a shrimp, vegetable pasta salad.

1# bowtie or tri-color corkscrew pasta- boiled and drained

red onion, celery, zucchini, carrots, yellow squash, parsley- about 1/2 cup each.. more or less ..as you desire... ( I like lots and lots of veggies)

1# frozen medium shrimp- thawed tails removed ( should be pre-cooked)
(sometimes I also add 8 ounces of imitation or real crab)

1 cup of Newmans Italian dressing
1/2 cup of Mayonaise
1/2 cup sour cream
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
old bay
red pepper flakes
salt/pepper

chop all veggies to bite size while pasta is cooking,
mix dressing

drain pasta, immediately toss shrimp, veggies, mix with dressing and chill.

if you wish to drop some calories, use light versions of mayo, sour cream, Italian dressing. You can also use whole wheat pasta.

 

[DisneyMissy318]

We've been doing a version of OCharley's California Chicken Salad - although we have been adding more and different things each time...

grilled chicken, spring mix salad, strawberries, mandarin oranges (sometimes we add blueberries and/or grapes) cherry tomatoes & cucumbers - cranberries or raisins - crumbled blue cheese and candied pecans - we use Raspberry Vinegrette for dressing ... one of our very favorites -we will be having this again on Sunday for Mothers' Day - better than eating out!

 

[Nette]

This is one of my favorites:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/grapefruit_chicken_satay_salad.html

2 large pink or ruby-red grapefruits
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
8 cups roughly chopped romaine lettuce, (about 2 hearts)
1 cup sliced radishes, (about 8 radishes)

1. With a sharp knife, remove the peel and white pith from grapefruits and discard. Cut the grapefruit segments from the surrounding membranes, letting them drop into a small bowl. Working over a large bowl, squeeze the remaining membranes to extract the juice. Set the segments and juice aside separately.
2. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Line a broiler pan or baking sheet with foil.
3. Toss chicken, dry mustard, garlic powder, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, pepper and salt in a large bowl until the chicken is well coated. Place on the prepared pan in a single layer.
4. Broil the chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar and hot sauce into the reserved grapefruit juice until smooth. Add the cooked chicken and lettuce; toss to combine. Serve the salad topped with radishes and the reserved grapefruit segments.

 

[TimeforMe]

My two salads of the moment are:

iceberg lettuce served on a chilled plate
blue cheese dressing drizzled on top and in between lettuce leaves
cracked black pepper and bacon bits on top. So simple but so yummy!

shrimp salad--cook and chill cocktail size shrimp and toss with fresh lemon juice. Mix with mayo, dill weed (or fresh dill), diced celery and salt and pepper. I love to serve this on croissants, too.

 

[jazzielady]

Yumm! subscribing

 

[travelbug]

Chicken Grape Salad

1 lb. cooked, diced chicken
3/4 lb. red seedless grapes, halved
2-3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/2 c. slivered almonds
8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
Miracle Whip to taste (Fat Free works great if you prefer it)

(Can substitute extra celery for the almonds if you don't like almonds)

 

[Kae]

This is one I have been getting when I go out so I dont know a recipe but hear goes

Grilled Chicken Breast
Lettuce, Strawberries sliced, Mandrin Oranges, Pecans, Swiss cheese & poppy seed dressing(a sweet one)

Also when I make the kids chicken fingers I make my self a salad with chopped chicken fingers, chopped hard boiled egg, cheddar cheese, lettuce tomatoes, cukes, carrots, advocado & ranch dressing.

Kae

 

[luvmy3]

My favorite is grilled steak over salad. The steak can be grilled the day before and served cold.
I use a mix of romaine and baby romaine, tomatoes, cukes and red onion. I drizzle with balsamic vinagrette and srinkle gorgonzola on it. I also like to put walnuts on it when I have them, or a raspberry vinagrette if I'm in the mood (I don't use the gorgonzola then).

 

[HannaBelle]

Strawberry Banana Salad
sliced Strawberries sprinkled with sugar
sliced banana

Spinach Salad
Fresh Spinach
diced apple (I like gala)
crasians
sliced almonds
carrot shreds
feta cheese
Marzetti White Balsamic Vinaigrette (in the cold section)

Chicken Salad
2 rotisserie chicken breasts
grapes
apple
celery
purple onion
dill relish
salt
pepper
mayo
dijon mustard
apple cider vinegar
parsley

Southwest Chicken Salad
Chicken Fajita Meat
romaine lettuce
purple onion
corn
black beans
diced tomatoes
diced avocado
shredded cheese
ranch dressing mixed with taco seasoning
serve with chips

Greek Salad
romaine
peeled/slice cucumber
tomato
purple onion
feta cheese
black olives
Dressing:
1 part oil
1 part lemon juice
1/2 part vinegar
1/2 part sugar
with garlic, sugar. salt and pepper to taste

 

[HannaBelle]

I forgot this one...

Antipasto​

3c fresh asparagus – cut into 2” strips
3c fresh mushrooms – sliced
1c red bell pepper – cut into strips
1/2c pitted olives – sliced & drained
3oz part skim mozzarella – cubed
1 can quarter artichokes - drained
11.5oz jar pickled pepperoncini pepper rings - drained

Steam the asparagus, covered for 2 minutes. Drain and plunge into ice water. Mix the above ingredients in a large bowl and then set aside.

Mix the following ingredients in a small bowl…

1/3c cider vinegar
1/4c fresh parsley
2T EVOO
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
3 cloves of minced garlic

Wisk together the small bowl of ingredients. Pour the “dressing” it over vegetables and refrigerate for 2 hours. It is good for 2 to 3 days. Very low calorie!


This can also be served with pasta. Sam's has a good chicken and mozzarella sausage that we diced up and mix in occasionally as well.

 

[Stacerita]

My fave salad is spinich and baby greens, craisins, feta cheese, slivered almonds and then I toss with homemade dressing. Equal parts olive oil, sugar and apple cider vinegar. I toss the dressing right before we eat. But the rest I can keep in the fridge for a while.

 

[AnOtHeRdIsNeYfReAk]

1) Baby spinach, goat cheese, finely chopped red onion, blueberries, watermelon, and a lemon poppy dressing. Sounded odd to me at first, but the dressing brings it all together. My 8 year old niece likes to add roasted chicken as well.

2) Mixed greens, bell peppers, sugar snap peas, mango, pinapple, roasted macadamia nuts, seared ahi tuna and crispy wonton noodles with a plum dressing.

3) My current favorite: Arugula, mixed reds, roasted beets, red onion and goat cheese served with artichoke and goat cheese "fritters".

4) It might not be what you're looking for, but ceviche sorta meets my definition of a salad. Very, very fresh mahi mahi marinated in lime for a few hours. Add red onion, jalapenos, tomato, cilantro, hot sauce and whatever else you want. The fish is "poached" or cooked by the acidity of the limes. I like to eat it plain, but I think most people eat it with tortillas as a soft taco or with tortilla chips.

 

[HeatherC]

These all sound great. Thanks everyone. Can't wait to try a few.

 

[clh2]

some of our "summer favs" are:

Tuna salad (our version contains elbow macaroni OR vegetable rotini pasta, tuna, mayo, peas, onions, celery, and cheese)

Chef's salad: Bag of lettuce; and "whatever grabs my interest at the deli". Wile generally, I feel that deli meats are failry expensive, the advantage, is you can get just a couple of slices of "this and that" both cheeses and meats for a nice variety in the salad. Slice up or grate some carrots, celery etc and you are good to go. This is generally a "fast/easy" one for us, once the stuff is home from the store.

Taco salad: We all like different stuff on our taco salads, so for us, this is like a "salad bar" I just dice tomoatoes, chop onions, open a can of olives, chop up lettuce. This is usually all done the night before, including preparing the beef or chicken toacoo mixture. We usually have cheese, sour cream and some sort of taco sauce around the house.

I also have a salad recipe for something that calls for dried cranberries, a nut (possibly almonds or walnuts) blue cheese, parm cheese, lettuce, pears (i use apples,s ince I do not like pears). A nice salad to bring when you need a "dish to pass", however it is a bit on the pricey side, and it still is not a "main dish". The recipe is in the attached link. California Walnut Pear Bistro Salad again - we made a few changes to suit our preferences, we used the orange-flavored dreid cranberries, we specifically use Dole-Weet Baby Lettuce, and I don't like raspberry vinaigrette - so we get a basalmic vinaigrette with honey, we use gala apples instead of pears, and we added the shaved parm cheese to the recipe. No matter what you change in the recipe - it is still a fun salad with a lot of different textures and tastes.

Definitley interested in this thread!!! Summer is coming and who wants to cook????

 

[dizluvah]

I make a tri-color tortellini salad with fresh bell peppers - red, yellow, green and orange, olives and grape tomatoes dressed with regular italian dressing. Quick and easy and always a big hit a bbq or event.