It was a profound moment at a recent visit to a waterpark (I do not frequent waterparks at this point in my life, but I was at a conference with my husband and I had enjoyed a couple of margaritas, so please do not judge). I was about to get in line to go down the super treacherous waterslide and told my friend: “I don’t know which scares me more: the waterslide or taking off my bathing suit cover-up.” Yikes.
I have always tried to maintain a healthy lifestyle and eating habits. However, recently I have NOT been very diligent about going to the gym, and I have been much more diligent about going to parties or out for loads of comfort food. (Whoever invented gravy fries should be put in caloric jail.)
This winter and spring, I put on a few unwanted pounds, and need to get back to healthy eating. I have realistic expectations, but I need to tighten it up a little bit and get back to lighter and healthier eating as I head into the summer. I am sure that I am not the only person who needs to re-center some eating habits to get through bathing suit season.
Here we come, June: Less comfort food, and more leafy greens. These are a variety of filling summer salads that will get you ready for the beach, the pool, or even the waterslide.
Nicoise Salad
My daughter came home from college and told me of the best salad she had recently enjoyed. I have enjoyed a Nicoise salad at a restaurant but have never thought about making it at home. We immediately begin googling recipes, and this fresh, filling, and very delicious salad only takes a few steps to prepare. I prepared almost everything ahead of time and simply plated the salad when ready to eat.
It was a great meal and will be on our list of favorites for this summer.
1 lb. red potatoes, sliced in half or quartered
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 lb. thin green beans or French green beans, trimmed
4 eggs, hard boiled (recipe to follow)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper and course kosher salt
8 cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half or quartered
1 head Boston lettuce or other butter lettuce leaves, separated
6 radishes, trimmed
4 - 5 1/2 ounce cans of Italian tuna packed in oil. (Try to get the good stuff as this makes a difference.)
1/2 cup Nicoise olives or other whole black or green olives
To prepare the potatoes: Try to make sure all the pieces are roughly the same size, then put them in a medium sauce pan, cover with cold water, and about a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork-tender (about five minutes). Drain and transfer to a medium bowl. Drizzle with the white wine and allow to cool.
To cook green beans: In the same pan, refill it with additional water and add additional salt. Bring to a boil and cook the green beans until just tender-crisp (about two to four minutes.) Drain and immediately plunge into an ice water bath. Drain, pat dry, and set aside with potatoes.
To boil eggs: Place eggs in the same pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer, cover, and remove from heat. Allow to stand for 10 to 12 minutes covered. Drain and run under cold water until eggs are cool. Peel the eggs under running cold water. Set aside.
To make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, minced shallot, mustard, fresh chopped thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil constantly stirring until dressing is emulsified. I put everything but the oil in my food processor and processed until finely chopped and then drizzled in oil.
When ready to serve, toss the tomatoes with a little salt and pepper. Add about 1/4 cup of dressing to the potatoes and toss. Quarter the hard-boiled eggs.
Divide the lettuce among four plates and arrange the potatoes, green beans, radishes, hard-boiled eggs, and drained tuna on top of each bed of lettuce. Pour any juices from the tomatoes on top and then add the tomatoes to the plates.
Drizzle with the remaining dressing and top with the olives. Serve immediately.
Add additional salt and fresh cracked pepper as desired.
A Variety of Summer Salads
To make each of the salads, start with about three cups of your favorite mixed greens, per person. The grocery store has a multitude of varieties of baby greens, shredded iceberg, spinach, arugula, kale and romaine hearts. Feel free to use any variety or combination. I like a mixture of baby greens, and then add in some crunchy chopped romaine and a little arugula for a peppery kick. Feel free to add thinly sliced cabbage to any of these for additional crunch. Then add the dressing and toppings of your choice. Feel free to substitute the protein or omit it altogether.
Hoisin-Sesame Salad with Salmon
1 lb. piece of skinless salmon, roasted or broiled
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup sliced sugar snap peas
1/2 cup edamame, shelled and cooked al dente
1/4 cup toasted sesame sticks
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup hoisin-sesame dressing
To make the hoisin-sesame dressing:
Mix in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid: 1/3 cup canola oil, 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, 1 clove of garlic, minced, or pressed, and two green onions, well chopped.
Combine all and shake well to combine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Southwestern Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup corn, I like to use the fire roasted corn from the freezer section.
1/2 cup grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons cotija cheese
2 boneless-skinless chicken breasts, grilled
1/4 cup creamy cilantro dressing
To make creamy, cilantro dressing:
Place all ingredients in the bowl of your food processor: 1/2 of a ripe avocado, 3/4 cup packed cilantro leaves, 1/2 cup nonfat yogurt, 2 chopped green onions, 1 clove of garlic, peeled, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and sugar.
Feel free to add three or four fresh or pickled jalapeño slices if you would like to make your dressing spicy. Process until well combined and everything is chopped. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Coronation Salad with Cashews
Coronation Chicken Salad is loosely based on a French recipe created to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. This is decidedly less posh and more pantry friendly.
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
2 tablespoons toasted cashews
1/2 cup chopped roasted chicken breast
2 pieces bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1/4 cup creamy curry salad dressing
To make the creamy curry dressing:
Purée in your food processor: 1/2 cup nonfat yogurt and 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon curry powder 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons orange marmalade. Process until smooth.
Smoky Artichoke Salad
1/2 cup artichoke hearts
1/4 cup chopped salami, pepperoni, prosciutto, or ham
1/4 cup sliced red onions
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella pearls
Optional: 2-3 drained anchovies, packed in oil
1/4 cup smoked paprika vinaigrette
To make the smoked paprika vinaigrette:
In the bowl of a food processor, combined 1/2 cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 large shallot, minced, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Process until smooth.
Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Olives, and Feta
I love a “chopped salad” and am a big fan of shredded iceberg lettuce. This is easy to prep ahead and then toss when ready to serve.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1(15 ounce) can chickpeas or garbanzo beans, rinsed
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup halved Kalamata olives
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 head or bag of shredded iceberg lettuce
Whisk oil, vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, onion, olives, and feta; toss to coat and serve on top of a bed of crunchy lettuce.
Walnut and Orange Salad
2 tablespoons goat cheese
1 orange, cut into segments or about 1/4 cup, drained, mandarin orange segments
2 tablespoons toasted walnuts
1/4 cup orange walnut vinaigrette
To make the orange walnut vinaigrette:
Combined in the jar with a tightfitting lid, 1/3 cup vegetable oil and 1/3 cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 clove of garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and a dash of red pepper flakes. Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake well.
Farro Salad with Nora’s Greek Vinaigrette
2 cups farro, cooked according to package directions
1 large package baby spinach leaves
1 12-ounce package sliced mushrooms
1/2 Nora’s Vinaigrette* recipe to follow
1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese (optional but good)
To sauté the mushrooms: Heat a large skillet (I like to use a large cast iron) with about one to two teaspoons olive oil until the oil is very hot. Toss in mushrooms and season with a little garlic salt. Cook on high, tossing occasionally, until mushrooms are slightly browned and cooked through.
In a large shallow bowl, layer baby spinach, top with hot mushrooms, drained warm farro, and about 1/2 cup of dressing. Toss well and add additional salt and pepper, if needed. Top with shaved parmesan, if desired.
*Nora’s Vinaigrette
Nora Walker shared her vinaigrette recipe with me a few years ago and I try to always keep a bottle in my refrigerator. Pretty much anything is good with a little of Nora’s Vinaigrette on it.
Nora was very adamant that the most important thing to remember is to always keep the mixture; two parts fresh lemon juice to one part olive oil.
1 cup of fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup of olive oil
About 1 teaspoon fresh mint
2 cloves garlic, peeled
About 1 tablespoon dried mint, crushed with your hands
Salt and pepper
In the bottom of a large bowl or in a mortar and pestle, smash together the garlic with about a teaspoon of course kosher salt. Add a little olive oil if necessary but mash this together until garlic has become pulverized.
Add fresh mint and smash to break up leaves. Whisk in lemon juice, olive oil, the crushed dried mint and season with additional salt and pepper.
Lisa can be contacted at LisaIreland-2013@gmail.com .
