By Elizabeth Ripley
Summer salads for when it’s too hot to cook…or the lettuce in the garden has bolted! From a simple yet remarkably delicious chopped salad to a spinach salad (with pickled red onions!) to a curried rice salad – we have you covered. All offer vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous options.
Israeli Chopped Salad (with hutzpah!)
One English cucumber (or a couple Persian), chopped roughly (don’t peel)
1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped roughly
2 large Roma tomatoes, chopped roughly
1 bunch Italian parsley, big stems discarded, thinner stems and leaves roughly chopped
¼ of a red onion, sliced thinly
Juice of one small lemon (or a half of a big one)
Olive oil 2-4 tbsp
4 oz of feta cheese, crumbled (the sheep/goat blend is especially tasty)
Pepper (freshly ground preferred) to taste
Chop the vegetables, set aside. Slice and dice the red onions and generously salt (½ tsp to 1½ tsp). The onions need to sit for about 10 minutes, then add to chopped vegetables. Add fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Top with the crumbled Feta cheese, pepper to taste. Toss and serve. Vegan: Lose the feta. Vegetarian: As is. Omnivore: Serve with your favorite chicken or a beautifully cooked steak.
Spinach Salad with Pickled Red Onions—and so much more!
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/3 of a red onion, peeled and sliced very thin
One Persian cucumber or ½ English cucumber, sliced ¼ inch thick, peel on
1 tsp salt
Juice of one lime
2 five-ounce tins of Yellow Fin Tuna in Olive Oil (trust me: don’t use Tuna in water.)
1 avocado (peeled and cubed)
3 hard boiled eggs (peeled and sliced)
1 bunch or ½ lb spinach leaves (stems removed, well cleaned & torn small)
A handful of basil leaves (torn small)
A handful of cilantro leaves (torn small)
A handful of fresh mint leaves (torn small)
Fresh-ground pepper to taste
In a glass jar with a good lid, mix the rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt with 3 tbsp hot water. Shake well, until sugar has dissolved. Bring a small pot of water to boil, and add the onions. Count to 5; drain the onions and add them to your prepared jar. Leave the onions in the jar for at least a half-hour to let them pickle.
In your salad bowl, combine the sliced cucumber with 1 tsp salt and the lime juice. Add the tuna and its oil (breaking the tuna into smaller chunks with a fork). Add the avocado, sliced eggs, pickled onions (and any liquid in the jar), torn herbs, torn spinach, pepper to taste. Toss and serve! Vegan: Lose the tuna and eggs. Vegetarian: Lose the tuna. Omnivore: Eat it all 🙂
Curried Rice Salad
Make the Vinaigrette:
1 tbsp prepared Dijon mustard
2 tsp curry powder
3 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
¾ cup olive oil
Combine in a glass jar with a good lid and shake until emulsified.
Make the Rice:
2 cups of white rice cooked, then cooled for 10 minutes (see rice cooking instructions below)*
1/3 cup green onions, chopped finely
2 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and chopped)
2/3 cup golden raisins (plumped in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drained)
1 cup seedless grapes (cut in half)
2 stalks celery (sliced ¼ inch)
5 radishes (sliced thin)
Combine warm rice with fruit & vegetables, add the vinaigrette, and toss gently. Cool completely!
* Bring 4 cups water to a boil, add 2 tsp salt & 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the 2 cups white rice and turn the heat down low. You want the water to have some bubbles—but not to boil! Cover with a lid and let simmer for 20 minutes. Check to see if all the liquid has been absorbed and rice is fluffy. Simmer longer if needed. Or get thee a rice cooker— follow their instructions and you will get perfect rice every time!
Make the Sauce:
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients and mix well.
Gently fold sauce into cooled salad. Chill. Vegan: Use vegan mayo, coconut yogurt, replace honey with maple syrup. Vegetarian: Eat as is! Omnivore: Serve salad with chopped cooked chicken or broiled salmon with olive oil, cumin, coriander, peeled and grated ginger, and salt.
Bon Appétit!
