Summer has arrived; bringing lots of fresh produce which will gift us with green and luscious salads that graciously give our tables health as well as artful beauty.

You’re going to love each and every one of these great summer salads.

Go ahead; indulge.

They are all perfectly healthy; not to mention the fact that they are also tasty and delicious.

HAWAIIAN PASTA SALAD

Ingredients:
8 ounces bow tie pasta
1 (14 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, juice reserved
1 red pepper, diced
2 cups diced deli ham (I don’t eat pork; so I substitute deli roast beef here and it is delicious too.)

1 green onion, thinly sliced.
Dressing:
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 /3 cup pineapple juice
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water. Whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and gently toss with dressing. Refrigerate until time to serve.

GRAPEFRUIT AND TOASTED HAZELNUT SALAD

Ingredients:
2 pink grapefruits
½ small red onion, thinly sliced, divided
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup fat-free plain yogurt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces baby kale leaves
1 ounce toasted hazelnuts, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
Directions:
Peel and segment grapefruit; reserve 3 tablespoons juice in a large bowl. Mince 2 rings of the onion. Add to grapefruit juice with lemon juice, yogurt, oil, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well mixed. Toss in kale. Top with remaining onion, grapefruit and hazelnuts.

WALDORF SALAD

Ingredients:
½ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
3 medium gala apples, cored and diced
1 cup thinly sliced celery
¼ cup raisins (plumped)
½ cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice and sea salt. Stir in apples, celery and raisins. Chill. Just before serving sprinkle with walnuts.

CHICKEN CORN AND TOMATO PASTA SALAD

Ingredients:
8 ounces orzo pasta
1-1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup light sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup fresh corn kernels (sliced from 2 ears of corn)
½ medium red onion, diced
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1-1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
½ cup thinly sliced basil leaves
Directions:
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salt water until tender. (Approximately 10 minutes.) Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water until cool. In a medium bowl whisk together ricotta, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss together pasta, corn, red onion, chicken, tomatoes and basil. Add ricotta-lemon dressing to pasta mix and stir to evenly coat pasta Season with salt and pepper to taste.

APPLE BRAISED CABBAGE

Ingredients:
1 Apple, chopped
1/2 head red cabbage
1/2 head green cabbage
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 Teaspoon brown sugar
Directions:
Shred cabbage and chop apple. Mix together. Add olive oil and cider vinegar into a skillet and heat until hot. Dump in apples and cabbage and teaspoon of brown sugar and stir well. Turn heat to medium and cover until cabbage is tender, but not limp (about 20 minutes.)

ITALIAN FRUIT SALAD

Ingredients:
1 pound seedless watermelon, cut into cubes (about 4 cups)
3 cups seedless grapes (sliced in half)
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Directions:
Combine watermelon, grapes, blueberries and basil in a large bowl, then; prepare the dressing in a small bowl. Whisk together the vinegar and honey and pour all over the fruit. Stir to coat. Chill well before serving.

LEMON WITH COLLARDS AND PASTA

Ingredients:
8 ounces fresh collard greens
½ package whole wheat spaghetti
3 tablespoons pine nuts
Extra virgin olive oil
2 small cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces Parmesan cheese
½ a lemon, cut into wedges
Directions:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to directions. Drain. Cut the center rib out of the collard greens. Stack a few greens at a time and roll them up into a cigar shape. Slice across the roll as thinly as possible. Shake up the greens and give them a few chops so that the strands of collards are not too long. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium heat and toast the pine nuts until they turn golden and fragrant. Set aside to serve later. Return the skillet to medium heat and pour in one tablespoon of extra pure virgin olive oil. Sprinkle in a pinch of red pepper flakes and the garlic and stir. Toss in the collard greens. Sprinkle all with sea salt and stir for about three minutes. Remove from heat and put greens into the pasta pot and toss adding a little bit more olive oil. Divide into plates and top each plate’s serving with pine nuts and Parmesan shavings. Serve with two big lemon wedges per person.

HONEY WALNUT POWER SALAD

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
½ large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cups seedless red grapes, washed and cut in half
2 cups Edam me
1 cup uncooked steel oats (or any grain)
¾ cup walnuts
¼ cup honey
¼ cup water
Fresh baby spinach
Crumbled blue cheese
Sea salt to taste
Directions:
Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over low heat. Add onions and sauté on low for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and golden brown. While onions are cooking, pour steel oats and 2 cups water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes until most of the moisture has absorbed and the grains are soft enough to eat. Let cool for 15 minutes. When onions are done stir into the steel oats so the butter is absorbed by the grains. Season with sea salt. Combine grapes and edamame in a large mixing bowl. Add cooled bulgur and walnuts. Whisk water and honey. Pour over mix and stir well. Add fresh baby spinach and crumbled blue cheese just before serving.

AVOCADO WATERCRESS AND PINEAPPLE SALAD

Ingredients:
2 bunches watercress
1 (2-1/2 lb.) pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into four 1 inch slices.
3 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large avocado
1 small red onion thinly silvered lengthwise
Directions:
For the Watercress:
Place the watercress in a colander and wash under cold water. Remove the stems. Pat dry with paper towels and refrigerate.
For the Pineapple:
Preheat the broiler. Place the pineapple slices on a baking pan and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top of them. Broil about 3 inches from the heat source, turning once for 10 minutes on each side. Let cool then cut into 1-inch cubes.; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
For the Dressing:
Place the garlic, olive oil, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

For the Avocado:
Cut the avocado lengthwise in half around the pit and remove the pit. Place the avocado halves cut side down on the work surface and slice lengthwise into 1 inch wide wedges. Peel each segment by hand or with a paring knife and cut into 1 inch cubes.
To Assemble The Salad:
Toss the watercress in its larger container with half the dressing. Add the pineapple and avocado to the same container and toss with the rest of the dressing. Mound the pineapple and avocado over the bed of watercress. Garnish with the slivers of red onion. Enjoy!

COBB SALAD

Ingredients:
½ head romaine
½ head Boston lettuce
1 small bunch of frisee (curly endive)
½ bunch watercress (stems discarded)
6 slices bacon (just leave out if you don’t eat pork)
2 ripe avocados, seed removed, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
1 tomato seeded and chopped fine
1 whole skinless, boneless chicken breast halved, cooked and diced.
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2/3 cup olive oil
½ cup finely grated Roquefort

Directions:  To prepare dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, the mustard, the salt and pepper to taste. Add the oil in a slow stream while whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. Stir in the Roquefort. Whisk once more. Keep refrigerated in a proper storage container until time to use.

Pre-cook the bacon and crumble.  Set aside until time to prepare this salad. Wash and shred the lettuce leafs and de-stem the watercress.  Toss the watercress with the other lettuces and place in a medium-sized salad bowl.  Compose the salad by arranging the chicken, the bacon, the tomato, the avocado decoratively over the container of greens and garnish the salad with the grated egg and the chives.

SPICY SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND BROCCOLI PASTA

Ingredients:
½ pound dried whole wheat bow-tie pasta
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1-1/2 pounds broccoli chopped into small bite-sized pieces
Sea salt
½ cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 to 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled while still cold (1/2 cup after crumbled)
½ cup coarsely grated Parmesan
15 pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
½ small lemon, juiced
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente, then drain in a colander. Set aside. In a skillet on the stove heat the olive oil over medium low heat. Then add the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook as you stir. Add the sun-dried tomatoes next, then add the broccoli and season with the salt while cooking and stirring for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add drained pasta and more oil. Stir well and add goat cheese and Parmesan, then the chopped olives and lemon juice. If needed add in more olive oil.

ICE COLD CELERY SALAD

Ingredients:
6 celery sticks thinly diced
1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
1 diced tomato
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and ground fresh black pepper to taste
Directions:
Dice and slice vegetables and spices. Add salt and pepper to taste, then mix in extra virgin olive oil and coat all well.

MOZZARELLA AND TOMATO SALAD

Salad Ingredients:
2 cups red cherry tomatoes halved
2 cups yellow cherry tomatoes halved
2 avocados peeled and diced
8 ounces of small fresh mozzarella cheese balls
½ cup fresh basic, chopped
Dressing ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey (warmed)
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl except for mozzarella cheese balls. Set them aside until time for serving and mix in with the rest then. Combine all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour dressing over salad and toss well. Add mozzarella cheese balls and toss again just before serving.

If you enjoyed these recipes you might enjoy reading our Monday Menu column more often!  We keep everyone up-to-date with eating and living healthy in our monthly news letters about The IN SEASON Lifestyle Community (based on 2 Timothy 4:2).  If you wish to receive our e-mails; just fill out the form below: