Summer Salads!

​I often think of salads as a big beds of lettuce with a few raw veggies and a dressing on the side. Though I love a good lettuce salad, come summer time I want a salad that incorporates the abundant summer produce available at the market. Salads, broadly defined, are anything that involve a mix of vegetables (raw or cooked), fruit, grains, eggs, or meats, and a dressing. My favorite summer salads feature diced sturdy vegetables like cucumber or zucchini, a cooked grain like rice or quinoa, and a herby vinaigrette dressing. Throw in some toasted nuts and salty cheese and you're set! Hearty summer salads hold up in a picnic basket, keep well in the fridge for quick lunches, and are filling enough to eat as a main course. 

The Kitchn put together a list of 20 must try summer salads on their blog. Get inspired!

Recipe: Quinoa Salad with Cucumber and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 large cucumber, seeds removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• Kosher salt
• 2 small shallots, minced (or half a red onion)
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper

Recipe from: www.seriouseats.com/
recipes/2014/10/make-ahead-quinoa-salad-cucumber-tomato-parsley-mint-recipe.html

Directions:

1. Combine quinoa and 2 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 7 minutes. Shut off heat and let rest until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer quinoa to a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until thoroughly chilled. Let drain for 10 minutes.
2. While quinoa cooks, combine tomatoes and cucumbers in a colander set in the sink. Season with salt and toss to coat. Let drain in sink until ready to combine with quinoa.
3. In a large bowl, toss drained quinoa, drained tomatoes and cucumbers, shallots, parsley, mint, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, or for best flavor, let rest overnight in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Salad can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days