Big, beautiful salads – The perfect summertime meal

Many people eat salad dutifully because they feel it is good for them, but more enlightened types eat it happily because it is good.”

Laurie Colwin

There’s nothing better for a summer supper than a big salad and there are so many benefits. First off, as they basically require no cooking, you don’t have to heat up your kitchen. Secondly, they’re a great way to clean out the fridge. Thirdly and best of all, you can eat as much as you want to without feeling guilty, because chances are, the components of the salad are healthy and good for you.

Many times over the years, I’ve had what we call “Build your Own Big Salad Night,” where I put a big bowl of greens on the counter with many smaller bowls filled with toppings surrounding it and everyone can build their own big salad to their individual liking. The toppings can be anything you and your family like. Over time, our toppings have included tomatoes, sliced boiled eggs, bell pepper, avocado, green onions, mushrooms, olives, banana peppers, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, dried onions, cheese, cucumbers, jalapenos, bacon. You can use anything your heart desires. And the beauty of “build your own big salad,” is that if there are ingredients you don’t like, then you don’t have to use them. For example, Hubby and Daughter don’t care for mushrooms or olives, but I do, so they go on my salad but not on theirs.

And while it’s hard to beat a clean-out-the-fridge, individualized big salad, there’s something just as special as a carefully thought out, beautifully composed salad such as the “Mexican Cabbage Salsa/Slaw” and “Grinder Salad” I shared with you in the May 19, 2024 issue. And today I’m sharing with you two more that I’ve discovered. I found them on the internet and both caught my eye because of the amazingly colorful beauty of them.

The first one, called “Avocado Salad with Tomatoes & Herbs,” I found in an article by Jan Valdez called “60 Easy Summer Salad Recipes to Make All Season,” that was published June 4. To view the entire article, go to thekitchn.com. As I said, the beautiful picture is what drew me to it.

Same with the second one, called “Summer Chipotle Chicken Cobb Salad with 5-Ingredient Cilantro Vinaigrette.” I found it at pinchofyum.com and again, the picture was so beautiful it made my mouth water.

I made the first one for lunch one day and Hubby and I enjoyed it with some leftover pot roast. But the second one … oh my gosh. This dish is, without a doubt, one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Hubby and Daughter loved it too, with him proclaiming, “This needs to go in the rotation.” Between you and me, I’d already planned on adding it to the rotation. It’s so good and so easy and is really the perfect summertime meal. I hope you’ll try one or both of these. Enjoy!

Avocado Salad with Tomatoes & Herbs

From thekitchn.com

• 2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ medium English cucumber, chopped
• ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, parsley, dill, or tarragon
• Juice from 1 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the avocado, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and herbs in a large bowl. Squeeze the lemon juice over top, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Gently toss to combine.

My notes:

• I used 3 avocados and next time, will likely use 4.
• I didn’t chop the cucumber but instead quartered it and then sliced it very thinly.
• For the fresh herbs, I used cilantro, basil, parsley and dill.

Summer Chipotle Chicken Cobb Salad

From pinchofyum.com

For the Chipotle Chicken:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3-4 chicken breasts or thighs

For the Summer Cobb Salad:

• 3-4 cups greens (spring greens or fresh spinach)
• 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 8-10 strawberries, quartered
• 2 ears corn on the cob, kernels removed
• 1-2 ripe avocados, sliced
• Salt and pepper

Prep the chicken: Combine the oil, chipotles, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and salt in a bowl. Place the chicken in the bowl and toss to coat the chicken in the marinade. Place in the fridge and let it marinate while you prep your other ingredients.

Prep salad: Prep all your salad ingredients (cook the bacon, slice the strawberries, cut the corn off the cob, etc.).

Grill the chicken: Heat an outdoor grill (or grill pan) to about 400 degrees. Place chicken on the grill and grill for 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain.

Salad: Arrange the greens on a large platter and top with the bacon, strawberries, corn, avocado, and grilled chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with the cilantro vinaigrette and serve.

My notes:

• I used chicken cutlets that I grilled stove top on a grill pan.
• I used 5 strips of bacon, 11 strawberries and 3 avocados.
• I have a gas stove so I turned on one of the burners and roasted the ears of corn over the open flame before removing the kernels.

5-Ingredient Cilantro Vinaigrette

From pinchofyum.com

• 1 huge bunch of fresh cilantro (2 cups packed)
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ to ½ cup water, if needed

Blend everything up for about a minute until smooth. Add the water if you need more volume in the blender to make it run smoothly. Season to taste.