Good Eats: Easy Summer Salads
Eating fresh veggies and fruits is a must when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet. During the hot summer, I like to have salads for lunch and dinner. I pile my salads high with vegetables and fruit, which keeps me full and satisfied. The best salads are simple, usually consisting of only a few main ingredients accompanied by a light homemade dressing. You can imagine how happy I was when I stumbled upon Mark Bittman's 101 Simple Salads for the Season article for The New York Times... 101 simple salads? Yes, please. I tried a few of them out and enjoyed them all (to the very last bite)!
One of my favorites from 101 Simple Salads for the Season is #7. This salad has grated carrots, blueberries, and toasted sunflower seeds in. It's all mixed together with some olive oil, lemon juice and black pepper and the resulting salad is absolutely delicious. In Bittman's article, he describes it as crunchy yet soft, sweet and a little bit sour.
Another salad I fell in love with from the 101 list is #49. This salad combines raspberries, herb greens, walnuts and blue cheese with balsamic vinaigrette. After you've put together this decadent mix, Bittman suggests: "Sell for $14 a serving." I couldn't agree more.
My favorite salad is #2. It's described as "astonishing," which it is. What's in this salad? It's probably the most unlikely mix of ingredients I've ever heard of. It's a mix of tomatoes (I prefer heirloom), peaches, red onion, red-pepper flakes and cilantro. Then it's drizzled with some lemon juice and olive oil. Let's just say this salad will leave you speachless (sorry spelling fanatics, I had to).
After reading through all 101 of the salads I've been inspired to be more adventurous with my salad preparation by trying out new combinations. If I come up with any winners, I'll be sure to let you know. In the mean time, give these a try.
For your ingredients, I suggest picking up them up from a local farmers market. Fresh produce is always better, especially if you buy locally. When you buy your produce at a farmers market, the flavor is fuller and you can usually score organics for less.
What's your favorite (simple) summer salad? Post your recipes to your LaurenConrad.com profile page and link the recipe in the comments below! I'll feature my favorite salad idea in a Member Spotlight post. And I'll add my other picks to the Dine Gallery.
Not sure how to upload and submit a recipe? Click here to learn how.
XO Lauren
Photo: nytimes, Francesco Tonelli for The New York Times
62 comments
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I have a silly question...I went to the store to buy Olive Oil the other day...and realized there are a few different kinds-light, Extra Virgin, ect. What is the healthiest/best for these yummy salads? Thanks! :)
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I love salads with correts. They are healty and you are not getting ungry that quick after eating!!
http://www.look-scout.blogspot.com
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Wow I'm really interested In eating more salads that aren't boring esp since its for my boyfriend and I. Excited to try some of these!!! Thanks girls!
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Mixt greens, chopped apples, purple grapes, chevre goat cheese, walnuts, olive oil and rice vinegar. To. Die. For.
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Pear Salad
Serves 12
Ingredients
8-9 radishes, halved sliced thin
6 Bosc pears, sliced thin
2 whole jicama, peeled and grated (or cut into thin matchsticks)
2 stalks celery, peeled and sliced thin
Zest of 3 limes
2 lemons, juiced
¼ cup Olive oil
1 tablespoon of honey
Salt and black pepper to taste
Get Cookin'
1. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl and serve. Make sure to cut the pear last, as it will oxidize.
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Chilled Watermelon Slices with Lime Juice, Honey and Mint
Ingredients
1 watermelon, chilled and sliced1/2 cup fresh lime juiceZest from one lime1/4 cup honey1/2 cup chopped mint
Get Cookin'
1. Place the watermelon slices on a decorative platter. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, zest and honey. 3. Drizzle over the slices of watermelon. Sprinkle the mint over the slices of dressed watermelon and serve immediately.
Serves 10-12
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I love this blog. I am a tall, thin woman, just turned 50 in April and never had to go on a diet or weight loss program, but things happen in your 40's, lol. I lost 45 pounds on Jenny Craig between 8/08 to 4/09, then a year later gained 20 pounds back, in the Spring of 2010, lost what I re-gained and on my own, kept it off all last summer and decided to try to lose 5 more to the 50 pound mark and actually lost 6 pounds as of 11/10. Currently, I am at 52 1/2 pounds gone, working my way to the 55 pound mark. I never thought I could wear Lauren's clothes (I thought at my age I was too old), but I am a HUGE fan of her slim boot jeans from her line at Kohl's, my fave store. I go straight to the LC Collection when I go in the store; I have the boot jeans in blue and white denim and just yesterday, 7/16, bought them in black. Keep making more Lauren, you have a fan and buyer from me. Also, I look good and feel good and I drink a lot of water during the day, which helps to keep the weight down. :-)
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really excited to try these! i could have salads for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! my favorite. :) i love slivered almonds and strawberries added to anything! it gives it a sweet crunch!
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i LOVE this post! I've recently decided to change my eating habits and increase my workouts! Now I can't say salads get boring, there is nearly one per day that I can try.
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Salads are so great and can be so yummy if you make them out to be and it's a great way to stay in shape and healthy for the summer so we can all look good in our summer outfits -
A plant-based diet can help you lose weight, fight heart disease & even cancer! Make the switch to plant-based foods, no dairy products, and you will see a dramtic change in your health!
http://balletpinkhearts.blogspot.com/2011/07/forks-over-knives.html
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Thank You soooo much, Miss Lauren! i have a very restrictive diet (no red meat, no dairy, no gluten) and sometimes because of it meals can become somewhat boring. But i will be able to enjoy many of these salads. This is delightful!
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yum, I will definitely have to try some of these!!!
xo,
^Follow the link to my personal blog!
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I totally agree with having a few simple ingredients! Thanks for the new ideas. Try this.
In a bowl combine:
Baby spinach
grapes, cut in half
grape tomatoes, cut in half
thinly sliced shallot or red onion
basil, julienned
gorgonzola crumbles
Then right on top add fresh cracked pepper and salt, drizzle with high quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss. YUM!
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My favorite salad is grilled chicken salad with terragon and gorgozola! AMAZINGLY delicious ;) give it a try.
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my favourite salad is a spinach salad with raspberries, cucumbers, goat cheese and either sunflower seeds or walnuts with a raspberry vinagrette...yum!
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made this one yesturday, SO good!
- spinach
- pinapple
- cucumber
- tomato
- black bean
- toasted peanuts
- italian vinagrette
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