Delicious Summer Salads

I love a colorful salad bursting with seasonal flavors! The produce right now makes eating healthy so fun! The three salad recipes below include a healthy version of fried green tomatoes, a fun use of watermelon, and more! Whether you’re entertaining, throwing a picnic, or need a healthy lunch, these salad recipes are perfect for summer.

Baked Fried Green Tomatoes and Beet Salad

I love the combination of goat cheese and beets on a salad. Now with the endless supply of delicious tomatoes, I really upped the ante on this salad. I love fried green tomatoes, but I wanted to keep this salad light and healthy so I baked them. It was so easy and incredibly delicious! The warm tomatoes slightly melts the goat cheese – oh. my. goodness. Yum!

Ingredients:

Tomatoes:

• 2 large green tomatoes, cut 1/4 inch thick
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped thyme
• 2 tbsp oregeno
• 2 tbsp salt

Salad:

• Beets, roasted with salt and pepper
• 6 cups of mixed greens, I prefer romaine, spinach, and arugula
• 3 -4 oz of goat cheese
• 1/4 cup crumbled bacon
• Dijon Vinaigrette

Directions:

For the tomatoes, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Get three shallow bowls out for the buttermilk, flour, and breadcrumbs. Divide the salt, pepper, and herbs evenly between the flour and breadcrumbs. Dunk the tomato slices first in the flour, then buttermilk, and lastly the breadcrumbs. Place the baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for about 10-15 minutes and then flip the tomatoes. Bake until they’re about golden brown. About 30 minutes in total. Divide the mixed greens among four plates. Then arrange the beets, bacon, goat cheese and about baked tomatoes on top. Serve with a drizzle of homemade Dijon vinaigrette. 

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Watermelon Refresh Salad

I’m obsessed with anything watermelon right now. I’m seriously eating it every night. So why not throw it in a salad for lunch, too? This watermelon salad is so refreshing and pretty! Aren’t the colors great? And the flavor combination with the feta and red onion are perfect. The saltiness of the feta goes perfectly with the mild watermelon. A drizzle of balsamic with a splash of olive oil and red wine vinaigrette is all you need to bring this salad to life.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cubed watermelon
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup pecans
• 6 cups of greens, i like spinach and arugula for this salad
• Balsamic glaze
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Olive Oil

Directions:

Combine the greens, watermelon, feta, pecans, and onions together. Divide evenly among four plates. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and a dash of red wine vinaigrette.

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Grapefruit, Greens, And Shrimp Salad

This salad has an amazing flavor profile! The sour grapefruit combined with a creamy avocado and grilled shrimp is out of this world tasty! The red onion adds the perfect pop of color and flavor to the salad. This is a great salad to serve alongside fish tacos or just chips and salsa. I love this salad with a simple drizzle of olive oil and juice of one lime. If you want a heavier dressing though, it would go great with my homemade avocado cilantro dressing. 

Ingredients:

• 6 cups Mixed Salad Greens: I like Romaine, Spinach and Arugula
• 1 avocado, cut into long wedges
• 1 grapefruit, peeled and all skin removed
• 7-8 oz peeled and deveined shrimp, tail on
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• Juice of one lime,
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Cilantro dressing (optional)

Directions:

Grill the shrimp on skewers or heat a pan over medium heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Salt and pepper both sides of the shrimp really well. Cook on each side for about 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp are pink. Set aside and let cool while peeling the avocado and grapefruit. Assemble all of the ingredients over a bed of mixed greens. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and drizzle of olive oil, or my homemade avocado cilantro dressing also goes well with it.

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