It’s salad season! With warm summer weather here, what better way to cool down than through chilled lettuce with all of your favorite fresh and local vegetables. Salads are easy, delicious, nutritious, and come together in 10 minutes or less. Here are a few ways to add some pizzazz to your salads this summer.
Sesame Cucumbers
Sliced or cubed cucumber, tossed with 2 Tablespoons Rice wine vinegar, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, black sesame seeds, wasabi paste, sliced scallions or red onion.
Steak Marinade
1/4 cup sherry vinegar, 1 cup avocado oil, 3-4 cloves garlic (crushed), 1/2 teaspoon each oregano and thyme, 1/8 teaspoon celery seed, coriander, tarragon, good squeeze of orange.
Blackening Seasoning for Salmon
1 1/2 Tablespoon paprika, 1 Tablespoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, 1 teaspoon each of cayenne, oregano, basil, salt.
Grilled Veggies
Most veggies can be grilled by simply tossing with a bit of cooking oil, salt and pepper. (I don’t use olive oil to cook with, as it has a low burning point. My favorite is avocado oil). Always make sure your veggies are dry after cleaning them, so they don’t steam while grilling.
Grill asparagus, bok choy, onions, sliced potatoes, eggplant, green garlic, summer squash… have fun experimenting! Add your favorite protein such as marinated steak, salmon, or BBQ chicken, and you have an easy and healthy summer meal.
Homemade Ranch
Ranch is really a fun summer dressing as you can get fresh herbs from the garden or simply dried herbs from the spice rack.
1/2 cup each buttermilk, sour cream and mayo. Whisk in a bowl until smooth. Mix together then, whisk in 1 1/2 Tablespoon each of chive, onion powder, garlic powder. 1/2 teaspoon dill, touch of cayenne. Salt/pepper to taste.
Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
In a blender: 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 2 Tablespoon lemon juice and honey, 2 teaspoon dijon, 1 small shallot, small pinch tarragon, salt and pepper to taste. Blend on slow. Once going, speed up, and slowly.
Other fun salad fixin’s and toppings: hard boiled egg, crispy bacon, avocado, apple, any cheese, seeds, dried fruits.
This month’s recipe is brought to you by Lauran Knight, a board member of the Nederland Farmers Market, long-time foodie and owner of the Kaleidoscope Kitchen Food Truck. We love having her food brilliance at the market and she’ll be sharing her many recipe ideas with us throughout the season.
Visit the Nederland Farmers Market online at www.nederlandfarmersmarket.org, and follow us on Facebook @ NederlandFarmersMarket and Instagram @nederlandfarmersmarket to check out more recipes all season long! Or email us at nederlandfarmersmarket@gmail.com. 80 E. 2nd Street, Nederland..
