Summer is salad season, for a reason.

Are you new to salads? Do you need a salad recipe for a picky eater? There’s no “one recipe fits all” salad,  almost everyone’s taste is different: We suggest going to a farmer’s market or summer vegetable stand where vegetables are picked at their prime when they are ripe with brilliant colors.

 Local farmer’s markets often have samples of vegetables or fruits that you can try. You can start with two or three seasonal ingredients that you like, such as tomatoes and cucumbers, top it off with a chopped herb like basil or dill and a few toasted nuts. Next add in a few tablespoons of simple extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, and juice of a lemon or lime. Don’t forget the flake sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Start experimenting from there!

Read on for some of my seasonal favorites!

Darlene 

Did you know strawberries are a member of the rose family? Ten million baskets of strawberries are shipped daily from California during harvest season, and they contain more Vitamin C than oranges! I’m getting my dose of Vitamin C with this Summer Sumac Chicken and Strawberry Salad: 

INGREDIENTS

Whisk

• ½ cup chopped fresh mint

• ½ cup chopped parsley

• ¼ cup avocado oil

• ¼ cup balsamic

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• Flake sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Prep

• 1 lb. skinless chicken thighs (or breast)

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 1/2 tablespoons crushed garlic

• 1 tablespoon Sumac

• 1 teaspoon dried mint

• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• ¼ teaspoon salt

Toss

• 4 cups butter Lettuce torn into bite sized pieces

• 4 cups arugula

• 3 cups sliced Strawberries

• 2 cups Sumac Chicken

• 1 cup Honey roasted Sliced almonds

• 1 cup Yellow bell pepper

• 1 cup diced avocado

• 1 cup feta cheese cut into ½ inch cubes

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400. In a medium bowl combine lemon juice and zest, oil, garlic, sumac, mint and salt, whisk until well combined. Chop chicken into 1” cubes and add to the bowl of marinade. Let sit for 15-30 minutes in the refrigerator. Place on a parchment or silicone line baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, stir and roast for another 5-7 minutes or until it begins to brown on edges and interior temperature reaches 165 fahrenheit.

2. In a large salad bowl combine mint parsley, oil, basil honey, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined.

3. In the same large salad bowl add lettuce, arugula, strawberries, chicken, almonds, bell peppers, avocado and feta cheese and toss until well combined. 

Check out my Amazon storefront for tools of the salad trade!

🥗Loving my new compost bin and don’t forget the biodegradable liners, like I did. 

🥗 I learned about these “tweezers” from a food stylist. They are so helpful when you are plating or want to make your salad pretty and photo ready. Remember to taste with your eyes first.

You don’t have to be a baseball fan to love this bowl-like salad. It has been a long time family favorite in my household! The Cha Cha Bowl: 

INGREDIENTS

Prep

• 6 boneless chicken thighs

• 1 cup of pineapple juice

• 1 tablespoon Jamaican jerk seasoning

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flake

• 1 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic

• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano

• 1 tablespoon of white vinegar

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Whisk

• 2 cups of fresh pineapple, finally, diced

• 1 cup of zucchini finely diced

• 1 cup of grated carrots

• 1/2 cup of white onion finely diced

• 2 cups of chopped loose cilantro (one big bunch) chopped

• 2 jalapeño pepper, peppers, deseeded and finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon of sugar

• 2 tablespoons of white vinegar

• 2 teaspoons of EVOO

• Salty taste

Toss

• 3 cups of steamed long grain rice

• 3 cups mixed greens

• 1 can drained black beans

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium bowl combine jerk seasoning, salt, black pepper, cumin, red pepper, flake, allspice, sugar, garlic and oregano and stir until well combined then add oil, vinegar, pineapple juice and whisk until well combined. Reserve a half cup for basting. Add the chicken to the remaining marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.

2. Remove marinated chicken from the refrigerator and preheat the grill to medium high heat. Place chicken on the grill and turn after 6 minutes, spoon on the reserved marinade and grill for another 6-10 minutes and internal temperature reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. In a large bowl add pineapple, zucchini, grated carrots, onions, cilantro, jalapeños, sugar, vinegar, oil, and salt, and toss until well combined.

4. In the same bowl add rice, greens, beans and diced chicken and toss until well combined. Best if served while it’s still warm.

I wanted to take a minute to welcome all of my new subscribers and the salad community on multiple social media platforms. An extra thanks to all that have stuck by my side watching, supporting, and helping me grow. This is a dream I could never have imagined, come true. I especially love all the feedback, love, and support! It truly makes my day when someone comments that they’ve made a recipe, customized it to their own, and enjoyed it. This is why I do this.  Thank you!