Light and Satisfyingly Filling

Welcome to my Summer Salad Series — one chilled salad at a time.

Summer is just around the corner. Plan ahead with my chilled salad recipes.

Hot weather can cause a loss of appetite. It’s important to hydrate not just with water but with the foods you eat.

Over the past few years with sizzling, soaring summer temps ahead, I wanted to make sure we had plenty of light fare options. I scoured the internet and read through many of my cookbooks. My research and experimentation has led to an assortment of deliciously satisfying salads.

Now I want to share them with you. The recipes will be in no particular order. Your taste buds can decide for themselves which one stands out as their favorite.

Simplicity is Key for each salad. Simple ingredients and simple to make.

Recipe #1 — Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Ingredients — 2 to 4 Servings

• 1 c cooked quinoa (refer to recipe below)
• 1/2 c Roma tomatoes, sliced and diced — or — cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 c artichoke hearts, sliced
• 1/4 c red onion, sliced and diced
• 1/2 c kalamata olives, sliced
• 2 T fresh parsley, chopped — or — 1 T dried parsley

Greek Dressing Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 1/2 T red wine vinegar (I substituted white wine vinegar)
• 1/2 T lemon juice, fresh squeezed
• 1/4 t oregano
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 t sea salt (I did a couple twists on the salt grinder)
• 1/4 t black pepper, grind to taste

Instructions

Step 1 — Make the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa first, add to a saucepan at medium/medium high — toast with a drizzle of sesame oil, add water and bring to a boil. Stir in 1/4 t turmeric and add a few grinds of black pepper. The quinoa cooks in 15 minutes or less.

Note — read full details in How To Cook Quinoa to Perfection link. Make the quinoa early in the day to help keep kitchen heat to a minimum.

Step 2 — Cut the veggies while the quinoa cooks and cools.

Step 3 — Make the dressing. Whisk again and pour over the quinoa and veggies.

Step 4 — Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours to thoroughly chill.

Serve 5 — It’s time to dish up and enjoy.

Serve as an entree or as a side salad. Plate the entree on a bed of spinach or lettuce greens.

The quinoa salad leftovers are a tasty addition to veggie wraps. The salad packs a lot of flavor on the wraps and makes for another light dinner meal.

Eat Well! Stay Well! Live Well!