I can't believe summer is only a few week's away, and I am so ready for some easy, healthy summer salad recipes.
Summer is too precious to waste indoors and for anyone who enjoys food and cooking, summer offers the finest produce. The key is to keep it simple and just enjoy the fresh, fragrant flavors of these seasonal ingredients.
That is what I tried to do with these summer salad recipes. Each salad has it's own unique flavor profile, and every dressing is light and oil-free. There is no reason to smother those beautiful flavors with lots of oil, fat and calories.
I don't know about you, but I love potato salad on a hot summer day. This potato salad is loaded with organic corn, red pepper, red onion, dill and lightly coated with a dijon vinaigrette dressing. How many ways can you say yum!!
Healthy Summer Salad Recipes #1 – Vegan Potato and Corn Salad with Oil-Free Mustard Vinaigrette
My next healthy summer salad recipe is a simple arugula salad accompanied with sweet roasted carrots.
Healthy Summer Salad Recipes #2 – Roasted and Glazed Carrots with Arugula Salad
I love the intense flavors roasting brings out in vegetables, but you could also throw these carrots on the grill. Just remember you don't have to load on the oil. I made a glaze of lime juice and maple syrup and slathered it on before roasting and those roasted carrots were outstanding. The arugula salad was tossed with a light lime oil-free vinaigrette.
The last recipe I would like to share is this gorgeous summer heirloom tomato topped with an oil-free miso pistachio sauce.
Summer Salad Recipes #3 – Heirloom Tomatoes Topped With A Pistachio Dressing
White miso replaced the oil in this recipe, and I must say it was outstanding. It really complimented the earthy, almost smokey sweetness of the heirlooms.
Hope you enjoy these healthy summer salad recipes as much as I did. If you love salads as much as I do, I think you will enjoy my Summer Salad with my favorite secret ingredient and my Vegan Macaroni Salad.
I would also like to mention that June is National Dairy Month. I have seen lots of advertising about the health benefits of cow's milk which unfortunately isn't the truth. Please read my blog from February 15, 2016, on why the best milk to drink isn't from a cow.
Non-dairy milk has all the health benefits of cow's milk except you won't be digesting any hormones or antibiotics.
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- 1¼ pound of red potatoes, cut into 1 inch dice (unpeeled)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped (approximately ½ cup)
- 1 small red onion, chopped (approximately ½ cup)
- 4 ears of corn
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ground black pepper
- 3-4 tablespoons of fresh dill, chopped (or parsley)
- 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add your diced red potatoes to a big pot of boiling water. Lower the heat and cook until the potatoes are still firm but tender, 8-12 minutes. Keep checking so they don't get mushy.
- Drain, rinse with cool water.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in your corn. Cover and turn off heat. Leave the corn for 5-7 minutes in the hot water. Cool and remove kernels* note below
- In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, bell peppers, corn, onion, salt and ground black pepper.
- Meanwhile make the vinaigrette by placing all the ingredients in a small food processor and process for about 10 seconds or until it is combined.
- Pour the dressing over the potato mixture. Add the dill, combine well and serve.
- *The best technique to remove kernels is to place an ear of corn vertically in a large bowl. Using a small, sharp knife, slice the corn off the cob from the top to the bottom. Turn ear and continue.**
- 1 bunch carrots
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- pinch of salt and ground black pepper
- a large bunch of arugula
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1½ teaspoons maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 1 red Fresno chili, finely chopped (optional) adds heat
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Whisk together the 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 tablespoon lime juice. With a small pastry brush brush the carrots with the mixture, coating both sides.
- Place the carrots into oven for approximately 20 minutes or until soft and caramelized.
- Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients. Taste for seasoning. If too tart, you can add more water or a little more maple syrup. Toss half of the dressing with the arugula, taste and add more as needed. Taste for seasoning.
- Place a mound of arugula salad on a plate with roasted carrots.
- 2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
- pinch of salt (or more to taste)
- fresh ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup mild white miso
- 2 tablespoons capers
- ¼ cup shallots, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
- Whisk together the miso, capers, shallots, champagne vinegar, maple syrup, salt and a little fresh ground black pepper. Add the chopped pistachios. Refrigerate until using.
- Arrange the tomato slices on plates. Stir the pistachio sauce and spoon over the tomatoes.
- Add the pinch of salt and a few twists of fresh ground black pepper.
Wow! you are talented! These sound like “musts” for this summer.
I’ll be trying them all.
I will be doing the same! They look yummy!!!!!
I am going to try them and sound so good and I am so new to this and I am 61 years old and I want to be healthy as long as I can be
Hope you like them Theresa and congratulations on being part of our healthy community – you are 61-years young and eating a healthy plant-based diet will help you live a long and healthy life. You deserve it!
Hej. I am wondering, that You recommend oil free salads – ok there is fat in the pistachios and perhaps the miso – . I think You need a little fat to digest the vegetables.
Greetings Anna Hedegaard
Hi Anna – I agree – there is nothing wrong with some healthy plant-based fat in our diets. Thanks for being part of our healthy community!
All the recipes sound good until the maple syrup. Can it be left out ?
Hi Jcb – Yes you can leave it out but it may need a little sweetener of a different kind to balance it. Thanks for stopping by and for being part of our healthy community!
What could I substitute for champagne vinegar? I’ve never tried it and I live in a camper and don’t have room for bottles of “stuff”. Thank you for all you do
Hi Robin – You definitely don’t need to buy champagne vinegar – I recommend just having a white wine vinegar to substitute any recipe calling for champagne vinegar. There is little difference and they are both mild. Hope that helps and thanks for the kind words.
Very helpful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.