Here is an easy, crowd-pleasing salad that I guarantee will be a big hit at your next barbecue. I just happened upon this yummy recipe on Instagram, it is almost a full take on one that Gaby, of What’s Gaby Cooking, was showcasing. It not only looks and tastes delicious, it’s a cinch to throw together. Think about this as a stand alone lunch or as a wonderful salad at your next barbecue. It pairs beautifully with almost any grilled meat or fish and certainly would be terrific with cheeseburgers.

There is a whole bunch of celery in this and that is not a mistake! I like celery, but I certainly don’t crave it. I do, however, crave salt and crunch and this salad satisfies both of those in spades. Gaby’s enthusiasm (and if you’ve ever visited her website, you know what I’m talking about) was infectious enough and I decided to just give it a whirl. It also didn’t hurt that I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand.

As written, it is incredibly crunchy and satisfying, however, it has endless possibilities beyond what I have here. So, feel free to add or delete according to your preferences. I’ve added a few suggestions in the notes section below. Just beware, the celery and the feta on their own are inherently salty. So, be careful how much salt you add, both in the dressing and on the ingredients. You can always add salt, but you can’t remove it!

INGREDIENTS
1 head romaine lettuce, sliced
2 persian cucumbers, diced
1 bunch celery, sliced
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed & drained
1/2 cup feta, crumbled or cubed
1-2 ripe avocados, diced

DRESSING
1 cup fresh dill
1 lemon, zested & juiced
2 cloves garlic
1 small shallot
1 Tbs. dijon mustard
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
kosher salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
First, prep all of the vegetables and place in a large bowl. Then, combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend all until smooth, check the seasonings, and add more salt and pepper as needed. Finally, when ready to serve, drizzle some of the dressing over the vegetables, toss to coat and serve immediately.

NOTES
I tend towards underdressing my salads, so initially, I would not use all of the dressing. Start with a light drizzle, toss to combine and then decide whether that is enough dressing for you. Add more as needed.

Also, the actual salad ingredients and amounts can be modified to your preferences, with no adverse effects. I often don’t add the chickpeas, because I don’t always have them on hand. However, they definitely do add not only a good amount of protein and fiber, but also some additional depth and texture to the overall salad. As always, play with the ingredient amounts to please your palate.

Regarding substitutions, if you don’t like feta, try goat cheese or even blue cheese, my husband’s favorite. He is always “suggesting” that blue cheese would be a great addition, and it is! You can sub in or out different lettuces, but I would definitely stick with the crunchy ones or a combination of crunchy ones. Also, consider adding in some olives, walnuts, toasted pine nuts or peperoncini for a little kick. Maybe some diced red bell pepper or some cherry tomatoes for color. A mixture of fresh herbs would also be yummy; try mint, basil, parsley or a combination to your liking. The one thing that I would not change however, is the dressing, I think it is perfect, delicious, and very refreshing just as written.

Well, this may seem silly to post about something as simple as avocado toast. However, hear me out before you dismiss this. There are so many variations of this and I dare say, this is the best or certainly one of the best I’ve ever had. It is insanely quick and simple to pull together and better than anything you get in a restaurant.

Now, as we all know, the simpler the recipe, the higher quality the ingredients should be. This is no exception, especially when it comes to the bread. If you don’t make your own sourdough, make sure to get a good quality loaf for this. However, if you’re feeling adventurous, you could always give it a try. Although there definitely is a learning curve, the effort is well worth it.

INGREDIENTS
2 slices fresh sourdough bread
1 ripe avocado
2 oz. goat cheese or marinated goat cheese
extra virgin olive oil
pinch of crushed red pepper
fresh ground pepper
kosher salt, any sea salt or fleur de sal

DIRECTIONS
First, soften the goat cheese a bit. Then, mash the avocado with a fork, add a drizzle of the olive oil, a pinch of red pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine well. Alternatively, you could just slice the avocado, as opposed to mashing it. The choice is yours.

Next toast or grill the sourdough, to your liking, spread some of the goat cheese on the warm toast and then top with the avocado mixture. Finally, top it off with another few drops of the olive oil and a small sprinkle of the salt. Voilà, you’re done! Honestly, this is my all time favorite breakfast, I just never tire of it.

Although everyone seems to have an abundance of summer and zucchini squash recipes, I think this one takes things to another level. I found it on smitten kitchen and have made very few modifications. If you are not familiar with that website, you need to check it out. Not only are the recipes terrific and easy to follow, but it is also quite entertaining; I love her subtle and dry sense of humor. Additionally, she has wonderful pictures of most steps taken when preparing her dishes.

INGREDIENTS:
Gratin
2 lbs. summer squash, any mixture is fine, smaller ones are better
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/4 c. panko
3 Tbs. butter
3/4 c. thinly sliced shallots, about 4 to 5
1 c. grated gruyere cheese
1/4 c. salsa verde (below)
Freshly ground black pepper

INGREDIENTS:
Salsa Verde
1 Tbs. thyme leaves
1/4 c. mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1 c. flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
2 small cloves garlic
1 anchovy filet
1 Tbs. capers, drained
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced, or more to taste

DIRECTIONS
Salsa Verde
First, combine the herbs, garlic, anchovy and capers in a food processor until it is the consistency of a paste. Make sure to scrape the bowl when needed. Next, with the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Then, when fully emulsified, season with kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and lemon juice and set aside. You can actually do this a day or two ahead of time, if you wish.

DIRECTIONS
Gratin
Preheat oven to 400°F.
First, cut the squash into very thin coins, toss them with one teaspoon of kosher salt and place them in a colander to drain for about 10-15 minutes. You can then dry them briefly, on paper towels, before placing them into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Then, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a small pan and cook until it browns a bit and has a nutty aroma. Next, pour the melted butter (make sure to scrape out all of the little brown bits) over the breadcrumbs and toss to fully coat them.

Next, add half the breadcrumbs, shallots, gruyere, 1/4 cup salsa verde (about half) and some freshly ground black pepper to the bowl with the summer squash and toss well to combine. Then transfer the mixture to a 9-inch cast-iron skillet, or a 9″x9″ baking dish. Finally, scatter remaining breadcrumbs over the top and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the squash is tender and the crumbs are crisp.

NOTES
Just an FYI, I tried this without salting and draining the squash (because I forgot!) and it turned out just fine. So, if you can’t be bothered with that step, leave it out. Also, don’t really worry about the slice thickness too much, it works quite well even if they are not super thin. The 400º temperature for 35-40 minutes is definitely enough to cook the squash through.

I must admit, this salad is rather deceiving, in a good way. Although the ingredients look ordinary enough, the finished product is nothing short of delicious, satisfying and I dare say, addictive. My husband who is no fan of “foo-foo” salads, can’t get enough of this one. I first had a version of this with a group of ladies. There was plenty of chit chat, until lunch came, and then there was silence, for several minutes. Three of the four of us had ordered this salad, and after several minutes, someone finally looked up and commented how incredibly delicious it was. The dressing definitely is what makes it and the ingredients just have a wonderful balance of crunch and sweetness, that pulls it all together nicely. So, here you have my best imitation of it and hopefully you have the same reaction after trying it for yourself.

Ginger Citrus Vinaigrette
1 medium orange, zested, then juiced
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs. honey
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
3/4 inch piece fresh ginger, finely minced or grated
1 small garlic clove, finely minced or grated

SALAD INGREDIENTS
crunchy greens, Little Leaf is my favorite
avocado
grilled corn, 1 or 2 ears, cut off the cob
fresh dates, sliced into thin strips
goat cheese
slivered almonds, toasted
sunflower seeds, I prefer roasted & salted
cherry tomatoes, halved

DIRECTIONS
First, let’s make the dressing and it couldn’t be easier. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and whirl it up, until emulsified. Alternatively, you can just use a jar and shake until well combined. That’s it! I do recommend making this ahead of time and letting the flavors blend and mellow nicely. This makes more than you will probably need for the salad, but no worries, it keeps well for several days.

When ready to serve, place the lettuce into a large bowl. Then, add the remaining ingredients to the lettuce, season with salt and pepper and then drizzle the dressing over everything. Be careful, and go light on the dressing at first. There is nothing worse than an overly dressed, soggy salad. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out. Toss well to combine, give it a taste, and if needed, add more dressing, more salt and pepper, enjoy!

NOTES
The lack of specific amounts on the salad ingredients list is intentional. There really is no exact amount that is right or wrong. I usually put in what I think is enough lettuce for the number of people I’m looking to serve. Regarding the other items, I usually just eyeball it, putting in a handful of each. Although I do love almonds, so I put in a bit more of those. Also, if you’re a not a big fan of dates, I still strongly urge you to try them. They are in small pieces and they add a wonderful touch of sweetness to the salad, without overpowering it.

Come mid-summer, when you have an overabundance of fresh basil, dive into this simple and delicious recipe. Pesto is yummy on just about anything, from pasta, to sandwiches, salads and of course, pizza.

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 cups gently packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

INSTRUCTIONS
Place the walnuts and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until coarsely chopped, about 10 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper and process until mixture resembles a paste, about 1 minute. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly blended. Add the Parmesan and process a minute more. Use pesto immediately or store in a tightly sealed jar or air-tight plastic container, covered with a thin layer of olive oil (this seals out the air and prevents the pesto from oxidizing, which would turn it an ugly brown color). It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

NOTES
Pesto can also be frozen, in an airtight container, for up to 6 months. Try pouring the pesto into an ice cube tray and freeze. Once it’s frozen, remove the pesto cubes from the tray and put them in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container. You can add the frozen or defrosted cubes to soups, pasta dishes, sandwiches, potatoes and more.

Looking for a wonderful salad/vegetable to kick off spring? Well, you’ve just found it and this is as beautiful as it is tasty. This is a mildly tweaked version of a Cook’s Country recipe and I think it’s a wonderful cross between a salad and a vegetable. The three vegetables are quickly blanched to enhance the green and still maintain their crunch. Add in some sliced radishes, fresh mint and a light, refreshing dressing and you have a match made in heaven! Try pairing this beauty with almost any grilled meat, however my personal preference is grilled lamb chops. Not only do the veggies go well with lamb, but the mint does as well. It really is a wonderfully refreshing combination that is a true crowd pleaser. An added bonus, it can be made well ahead and still maintain its wonderful crunch. Just don’t fully dress it until ready to serve.

INGREDIENTS
Dressing
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄4 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1⁄4 tsp. pepper

Veggies
4 oz. sugar snap peas, strings removed
6-9 oz. English peas (about 3⁄4 cup)
4 oz. snow peas, strings removed
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
pinch kosher salt
2 oz. baby arugula (about 2 cups)
5-6 radishes, sliced into thin half moons
1/2 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS
First, in a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients until well combined and set aside to allow the flavors to meld. Then, combine the garlic and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a separate bowl and set aside. Next, in a medium saucepan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Meanwhile, make an ice bath, for the blanched veggies, by filling a large bowl with ice and water, then place a colander in that bowl.

Once the water starts to boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water and add the snap peas and cook just until bright green, but still crisp, no more than a minute. Using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, transfer snap peas to colander set in the ice bath. Swish them around for about a minute, until fully cooled and place on a clean kitchen towel to dry. Next add the English peas to the boiling water and do the same. Transfer to the colander, then to the towel for drying. Repeat this with the snow peas as well, however leave those in only long enough to brighten the color. If they stay in too long, they will not stay crisp. The sugar snap peas should be cut on the bias, into 1/2″ pieces and the snow peas should be sliced thinly and also on the bias. Don’t fuss over cutting them exactly, they will still be delicious even if they’re not perfect.

When all the peas are blanched, cooled, and dry, transfer to a bowl, add a teaspoon of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, the 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and toss to combine. Finally, when ready to serve, and up to an hour ahead of serving, spread a portion the dressing over the bottom of a large shallow bowl or serving platter. I like my salad lightly dressed, so I don’t use all of the dressing at once. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away! Only you can decide how much to use. Then, add the arugula, radishes and mint to the peas. Toss well to combine and pile the salad on top of the dressing. Serve immediately and make sure to scoop up some of the dressing when you do.

NOTES
If you can’t find fresh English peas, you can definitely substitute 3⁄4 cup of thawed frozen peas and there is no need to blanch those. Definitely don’t use canned, they would be too soft. Also, if your local market happens to carry Pero Family Farms vegetables, you’re in luck. They have each of the three fresh peas in small bags, they’re the perfect size needed for this recipe.

Additionally, you can obviously increase or decrease the amount of each vegetable, depending on your tastes or availability in your area. Although I do strongly recommend a combination, since it just makes it a more interesting salad.

You have just stumbled upon your next new favorite recipe and it couldn’t be easier. All you need is about 10-15 minutes and you’re ready to go with this one. Honestly, it is addictively tasty and is also pretty darn healthy. Although this is delicious with crackers, crostini or crudité, it also works as an incredibly flavorful condiment. I’ve used it in quesadillas, as a flavor booster in sandwiches and I’ve even been known to just swipe a spoonful, it’s that yummy. A definite bonus with this recipe is that all ingredients are pretty much pantry staples, making for a great last-minute appetizer.

INGREDIENTS
3 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 panko bread crumbs
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
12 oz. jar roasted red peppers
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS
In a small skillet, over medium-low heat, add the first 3 ingredients and toast until the panko is a nice golden brown. Then, take off the heat and immediately add the garlic to the warm ingredients. Stir to combine and set aside to briefly cool.

Next, drain the peppers and add to a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients, including the cooled walnut panko mixture. Finally, pulse the mixture, to your liking. I prefer a little texture with mine, but you may like it super smooth. The decision is yours.

This is a tasty use of your farmer’s market produce. I had a little of this, a little of that, left over from my weekly farmer’s market trip and was trying to figure out how to use them. Then, I decided to put them all together, I added a simple dijon vinaigrette, a few herbs and voilá, an instant, beautiful and healthy side dish!

INGREDIENTS
2 ears of corn, blanched, cut off the cob
a handful of green beans, blanched and cut in 2″ pieces
4 small new potatoes, cooked and quartered
about a half pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
1⁄4 cup lemon juice
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
handful of parsley, chopped
handful of basil, chopped

DIRECTIONS
First, combine the first four ingredients in a bowl and set them aside. Next, combine the next four ingredients in a small jar, shake well until completely emulsified. Then, pour a portion over the vegetable mixture and toss well to combine. I tend to have a good amount of dressing left over, because I prefer my salads on the dry side. Although I like it drier, use your best judgement when deciding how much dressing to add. Additionally, if you dress it earlier in the day, you may need to add a little more to moisten things up, just before serving.

Finally, add the chopped herbs, toss well to combine and serve. This tastes equally good whether served cold or at room temperature, therefore  making it a great choice for a picnic or big gathering.

NOTES
I have given you the recipe as I made it, you can adapt it and vary it, depending on your “leftovers”.

All things considered, this is a great dish for a crowd. You can just increase the quantities of vegetables and herbs (dill is a nice addition as well). Also, no worries if you have leftovers because each of these vegetables holds up well and is equally good the next day.

Don’t say it, I understand, you don’t really like kale. Honestly, I get that. I was not a big fan either, I was just trying to be a bit more healthy and give it a fair shake. Additionally, my husband, definitely was not a kale fan. When he recently said “I really liked that kale thing, you should make it again”, I was shocked.

So, this is for all of you that want to click away and say “no thanks”. Please, just give it a try, you too might be surprised. It’s healthy, it’s hearty, it’s delicious and pretty darned easy to pull together. Another big plus, this stands up well for a couple of days and actually tastes better as it “ages” and the flavors have a chance to meld.

INGREDIENTS
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tbs. olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 cup dry Israeli (pearl) couscous, cooked
2 cups, thinly sliced kale leaves
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

VINAIGRETTE
3 Tbs. cider vinegar
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 small clove garlic, grated
1 Tbs. maple syrup
2 scant tsp. dijon mustard
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425°F
First, place the cubed butternut squash on a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with the olive oil, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and toss to combine. Then, bake for 25-35 minutes, tossing occasionally, until tender and slightly browned. Next, remove the squash from the oven and set aside to cool for a bit.

Meanwhile, combine the vinaigrette ingredients and either whisk to combine in a small bowl or use a covered glass jar and shake to combine well. Preferably, make this a little bit ahead to let the flavors mingle.

Next, place the sliced kale into a bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil (maybe a teaspoon) and a half teaspoon of salt. Then, dig in (with clean hands of course!) and massage the kale for a few minutes. I know this sounds strange, but it actually softens the kale a bit, which gives it a better texture and it does make a big difference.

Now add the, couscous, cranberries, and walnuts to the kale and toss well to combine. Then, when the squash has cooled a bit, add that to the bowl and add most of the vinaigrette (because I prefer a dryer salad, I always hold some out to add later, if needed), toss well to coat the kale. Next, add the crumbled goat cheese and toss lightly to combine, trying not to break up the goat cheese. Finally, don’t forget to give it a taste, check the flavors and add more salt, pepper or dressing as needed.

NOTES
Additionally, you can switch up the grains, as you wish, depending on what you have on hand. I have tried this with quinoa (see below) and with barley, instead of the couscous and honestly, all three are delicious. Since the quinoa has a good amount of protein, it makes a nice vegetarian choice.

One other note, some people actually put the kale in a food processor and pulse it to break down the leaves into smaller pieces. This has a similar result to the massaging and either technique is fine. However, if you do choose the food processor option, be very careful, you can quickly go from small pieces, to mush if you process it too much.

Lastly, a great swap-out to the dried cranberries is dried cherries. This is a delicious alternative, Trader Joe’s has them and they are right next to the cranberries. They do tend to be larger than the cranberries, so I would chop them a little before using. I first tried them when they were out of the cranberries and I was quite surprised how tasty they were.

Heirloom tomatoes should always be the star and simple is always better. You can just slice or quarter them, drizzle with good olive oil, sprinkle with flaky salt, fresh ground pepper, and a sprinkling of juliennéd basil. That’s the basic formula and trust me, everyone would be quite happy at just that. However, a few additions can take it to a whole new level and make a significant difference in both flavor and presentation.

Here are a few of my favorites.

So, you have a collection of gorgeous heirlooms, different colors, different sizes. First, slice and quarter them, mixing the colors and shapes. Then, add fresh mozzarella, burrata, or some crumbled gorgonzola would work well too. Just tear or slice the cheese and sprinkle it over the tomatoes. Next, if you have some pine nuts or walnuts, toast them in a dry skillet (just heat them on low until they’re fragrant) and sprinkle those on as well. Additionally, a drizzle of pesto or some basil oil would be a wonderful option.

Whatever your choices, always be sure to include fresh basil, good olive oil, fresh ground pepper, and a pinch of good flaky salt. Be careful not to overdo the additions; less is more, keep it simple, and let the tomatoes shine.