Grilled Romaine Salad

Use the grill for more than just meat this summer by grilling your salad, too. Romaine is hearty and lends itself perfectly to grilling.

Pile on veggies of your choice for a complete grilled romaine salad. 

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 large head romaine lettuce
• 1 ear corn
• 2 slices day-old bread
• 1/2 avocado, chopped
• 1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

Dressing

• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Make the dressing by whisking together the cheese and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add the olive oil, balsamic and black pepper and whisk again until incorporated. Set aside.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill or stove top grill pan to medium-low, about 350⁰F.
3. Place the corn on the grill and grill for about 4-5 minutes per side until the kernels start to char. Remove from grill once the whole ear is slightly charred, cut the kernels off the cob and set aside.
4. While the corn grills, drizzle the bread with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place on the grill for about 1-2 minutes per side until just slightly toasted and grill marks appear. Remove from the grill and cut into cubes.
5. Cut the head of romaine in half lengthwise keeping the core intact. Wash each half thoroughly, gently shake off any excess water and dry well.
6. Drizzle both halves of romaine (cut side) with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Place the lettuce halves on the grill, cut side down and grill for 1-2 minutes per side until the outer leaves just start to wilt and the core has some nice grill marks.
7. Plate the grilled romaine on a serving platter, top with the grilled corn kernels, sliced red onion, chopped avocado and grilled croutons.
8. Drizzle the dressing on top and serve warm.

Serving Suggestion

Add chopped hard-boiled egg or cooked chicken for a complete meal.

Goddess Chickpea Salad with Kale

Creamy and crunchy this salad is packed with protein. Enjoy by itself or stuffed in a whole wheat pita. If you don’t have green goddess dressing on hand, substitute your favorite dressing. 

Meal prep trick: place the dressing at the bottom of the mason jar, top with salad to avoid soggy greens.

Photo Credit: Food, Pleasure & Health

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 cup packed thinly shredded kale
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup slivered red onions
• 1/4 cup green goddess salad dressing
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, kale, cherry tomatoes and red onions. Pour the green goddess dressing over the mixture and toss to coat.
2. Grind fresh black pepper over it all and mix, then taste and add salt if desired. Serve immediately, or store, tightly covered for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Serving Suggestion

This salad is also delicious wrapped in a tortilla or stuffed in a whole wheat pita. If you don’t have green goddess dressing on hand, substitute your favorite dressing.

Moroccan Carrot Radish Salad

Shredded salads are incredibly quick and easy, when you use the food processor. In this one, the peppery kick of radishes and sweet crunch of carrots are enhanced with the tangy lemon dressing. Sort through the radish leaves, discarding any wilted ones, and chop the good ones to toss with the salad.

Ingredients

• 4 large carrots
• 4 large red radishes
• Radish leaves, chopped, or spinach
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup toasted pumpkinseeds
• 1/4 cup toasted, unsalted peanuts (optional)
• 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

Grate the carrots and radishes coarsely. Wash and sort the radish leaves, and chop or julienne. Put them in a bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk in the olive oil gradually. Pour the dressing over the carrots and toss to mix. Just before serving, add the pumpkinseeds, peanuts, and feta cheese and toss.

Authored by Robin Asbell. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

Green Goddess Salad Dressing

The classic Green Goddess dressing has a hint of anchovy for umami, but if you want to leave it out, you can. Top with cooked chicken or ham for a main course salad. Double the amounts in the dressing ingredients to make extra for salads throughout the week.

Via Creative Commons

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 small anchovy (optional)
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh parsley
• 2 medium scallions, white and green parts separated
• 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 ounces baby spinach, washed and dried
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium avocado, sliced

Preparation

1. In the food processor, combine the garlic, anchovy (if using), parsley and the white parts of the scallions. Process to mince very finely. Scrape down and process again. Add the tarragon, yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar and salt and process until smooth. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until well mixed. Transfer to a pouring cup or jar; keeps for four days, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.
2. For the salad, spread the spinach on a platter or four small dinner plates. Cover with cucumber and avocado, and drizzle with dressing, then chop and sprinkle the scallion greens over the salads. Serve immediately.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

Kale & Blood Orange Salad

Via A House in the Hills

Ingredients

• 4 medium blood oranges
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 bunch kale, washed, stems removed
• 1/2 cup slivered red onions
• 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or cubed

Preparation

1. For the dressing, zest and juice one of the blood oranges into a small bowl or jar. Taste the juice. If it is very tart, add a tablespoon of lemon juice; if it is very sweet, use two tablespoons blood orange juice and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Add salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil and whisk well or shake to combine. Set aside.
2. Roll the kale leaves up, cut crosswise into thin ribbons and place into a serving bowl. Pour the dressing over the kale and use your hands to toss, then massage for a minute or two to tenderize the leaves.
3. Peel and segment the remaining blood oranges, either with your fingers or with a knife, cutting between the membranes to make neat sections. Cut each segment into 2 or 3 pieces and add to the bowl with the kale. Add the red onions and feta, toss to mix and serve. 

Serving Suggestion

This salad is a great make-ahead, since, unlike many tossed salads, it keeps for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Serve with roasted meats, or top with leftover cooked sliced chicken for a hearty lunch salad. Substitute navel oranges for the blood oranges if you prefer; just be sure to use 2 tablespoons of lemon juice with the sweeter navel orange juice in the dressing.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop