Summer Salads

By Joni Schockett

I must admit that, despite my love of being in the kitchen for hours on end during the winter, I hate cooking in the summer. I prefer grazing in the refrigerator for snacks through the day and, if it's really hot, I find that simple pieces of fruit and veggies make a perfect meal for me. My family, however, is not quite so flexible in its eating habits; they want dinner and are able to eat heartily even when the temperature hovers in the 90s and I'm content just to sip iced tea. Does this sound like a familiar dilemma? Several of my friends have reported the same phenomenon in their homes during the summer, and we have all discovered that salads seem to be the only compromise that is flexible enough to satisfy everyone's appetite. Salads can be light or very filling and can make a healthy meal.

Here are some helpful salad hints for varying appetites:

Keep lots of cut up carrots, cucumbers, celery, etc. in the refrigerator for munching. Add a low-fat yogurt dressing or dip, and you have part of a great meal.

Serve salads in a salad-bar style. Provide cold, grilled chicken slices, or grilled or poached salmon, tuna fish, or sliced eggs as optional, filling additions, and diced onions, capers, olives, and other veggies (which don't always appeal to kids) as additions to satisfy the adults.

Want to keep your part of the salad lower in fat? Use shredded fat-free cheese and fat-free, home-made dressing.

Make your own croutons to save calories from fat.

Add nuts and seeds for additional nutrition, fiber, and bulk.

Raisins and other dried fruits, such as cranberries and cherries, can be a child-friendly salad topping.

Make your own salad dressings. They are fast, easy, lower in fat, and save tons of money. They are also preservative- and chemical-free.

Any salad can be used as a filling for pita bread.

Leftover pasta can be a great basis for a salad dinner. Just add cooked veggies and some dressing, and you have a dinner.

Almost any leftover can be added to cut up, chopped, or shredded veggies for a great salad. It¹s a great way to use leftovers.

Sesame Chicken Salad (Meat)

Preparation time: 15 minutes, excluding time for cooking the chicken

Ingredients
3 cooked (grilled, broiled, baked, poached) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups shredded cabbage, green and/or purple (I use 1 cup of each)
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1 cup shredded bok choy
1/2 cup shredded spinach leaves
1/4 cup shredded carrots (about 1 carrot)
Optional: sliced water chestnuts thinly sliced Chinese pea pods mung bean sprouts

Shred the vegetables using the medium shredding disc of the food processor. Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Shred the chicken with a knife and fork and toss with the vegetables. Pour the Sesame Salad Dressing over the salad and toss. Serve immediately.

Variations: Substitute grilled salmon for chicken.

Add some cold, cooked brown or white rice for a nutritious addition.

Sesame Salad Dressing (Pareve)

5 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp. tamari or light soy sauce
2 tbsp. (scant) sugar
2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp. sherry
2 tsp. grated ginger
1 tbsp. sesame seeds (preferably toasted, but plain will do)
tiny pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Tuna Salad with White Beans and Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (Pareve)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
1 can solid white tuna packed in water, drained
1 can white navy beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups Roma plum tomato chunks
1 cup red and green bell pepper strips
3/4 cup red onion slices
4 cups romaine lettuce pieces
Optional: Add cold, cooked elbow macaroni or cheese filled tortellini

Toss all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the salad dressing and toss again.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (Pareve)

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 garlic clove minced
pinch salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Optional: 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. orange juice

Grilled Vegetables With Chinese Sesame Noodles, Tofu and Peanut Dressing (Pareve)

Preparation time: 35 minutes
Grilling time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: (for noodles) 5 minutes

Ingredients
1 pound extra firm tofu
2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp. orange juice
2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
3/4 pound broccoli florets
2 cups carrots, cut in matchsticks
1 pound Chinese noodles, udon style, or linguini will do
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/8 cup toasted (or plain) sesame seeds

Prepare a medium-hot fire in the barbecue. Spray a vegetable grill or basket ( I prefer a vegetable basket to keep the veggies contained) and place the basket on the grill.

Wrap the tofu in cheesecloth and place it on a plate. Place a plate on the tofu and put a heavy weight, such as a brick or large plastic juice bottle on it for about 30 minutes to remove some of the excess water. Then cut the tofu into one-inch cubes.

Combine 1 tbsp. sesame oil, tamari sauce, orange juice, ginger and garlic in a large bowl and stir to blend the ingredients. Add the broccoli, carrots, and tofu and toss gently. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add some salt and a teaspoon of vegetable oil. Add the noodles and cook until just tender. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water to cool. Place the noodles in a large bowl and toss with one tablespoon of sesame oil to coat. Set aside.

Put the veggies and tofu in the veggie basket and grill for about 8-10 minutes, tossing often.

Toss the noodles with the Peanut Dressing and pour the veggies on top of the noodles. Sprinkle chopped scallions and sesame seeds on top.

Peanut Sesame Dressing (Pareve)

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
2 tbsp. sesame oil (toasted sesame oil is preferable)
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp. Chinese black vinegar, Worcestershire sauce or rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. chili paste
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
1 tbsp. sugar
1-1/2 tbsp. rice syrup

Mix all the ingredients together in a jar or plastic container and mix well. Toss with the noodles and veggies.

Greek Pasta Salad With Zucchini, Feta Cheese and Olives (Dairy)

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 pound "spiral" type pasta
3-4 tbsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-2 tbsp. your favorite barbecue sauce
3 small zucchini, cut into large matchstick-type pieces
1 red pepper, seeded, and cut into large matchsticks
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup olives, (your favorite kind)
!/3 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. garlic wine vinegar
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare a medium-hot fire in the barbecue and spray a veggie grill basket with non-stick spray. Set the basket on the heat.

Cook the pasta according to directions and drain. Toss with one tablespoon olive oil in a large bowl and set aside.

Place the oil, and the barbecue sauce in a bowl and stir well. Add the vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Place the veggies in the basket and toss often, grilling until the veggies are lightly charred, about 8-10 minutes.

Toss the vegetables with the pasta. Add the olives, onions, parsley and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and add the feta cheese just before serving.

You can make this in a skillet in the house. Just heat a skillet and cook the veggies until they are browned.

Really Easy, Fast Salad Dressing (Pareve)

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, pressed
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tsp. mixed herbs (Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb mix is great for this)
1/2 cup garlic wine vinegar
1/8 cup water
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup olive oil

Mix all ingredients in a small jar and shake well.

Variation: Add some Dijon mustard for a traditional vinaigrette

Home-Made Low-Fat Croutons (Dairy) Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
1 long, thin French baguette
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
23 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. crushed tarragon
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Optional: Grated parmesan cheese

Variation: Add any other spices or herbs that you like or keep it simple and use just plain garlic and olive oil for garlic croutons

Cut the baguette into thin (about 1/4-inch thick) slices. Set them on a cookie sheet. Mix the olive oil with the garlic and brush the mixture lightly on both sides of each crouton. Place the spices in a small shaker jar and shake over the croutons. Bake in a 300 degree oven until toasted on one side. Turn and bake for another few minutes. Let cool before using.

Joni lives in Needham, MA with her husband and three lovely children. She co-edited From Soup To Nosh: A Modern Kosher Cookbook and is a really good cook.