Summer Salad Suggestions
My husband lost twenty-five pounds recently and he looks marveeeeeelous, as Billy Crystal used to say. Gone are the huge stomach and double chins! It’s most important for him to maintain this weight loss because at 70 he's fighting many health problems which are made worse with the excess pounds.
What’s his weight loss secret? The omission of white foods; pasta, rice, and bread. But I really need help with recipes now that six months have passed. Salad with grated carrots, chopped celery and EVOO and vinegar is really getting boring. Plus I want to keep indoor cooking to a minimum. The filling vegetable soups I made all winter simply won’t work now that it’s hitting 90 degrees.
Rachael Ray’s Grilling Guide and recipes are truly wonderful, but now I want to plan some great salads to go along with these grilled items or as a stand alone lunch or dinner main course. I’m using ones that incorporate our wonderful and growing harvest of fresh fruits and vegetables, many of which are locally grown. It’s also a thrill to add sage, Italian parsley, oregano and basil grown in my garden. We can’t wait for the tomatoes in August! Then of course, all we need is mozzarella cheese, basil and tomatoes for a true Caprese Salad feast.
Here are some of Rachael Ray's salads that make wonderful summer meals:
Arugula and Romaine Salad with Walnut and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
Asparagus and Green Beans with Tarragon Lemon Dip
Baby Spinach Salad with Mandarin Orange and Red Onions
Earthy Portobello Salad with Prosciutto
Hot and Cold Curry Chicken Salad
Low Fat Ranch Dressing over Chopped Salad
Macho Gazpacho Vegetable Chunk Salad
Mixed Greens with Romano Chips
Red, White and Blue Slaw Salad
Hot and Cold Curry Chicken Salad (pictured)