summer salads
Once summer arrives, it seems like the last thing we want to do is standing around and cooking over a hot stove, right? (Although having someone else slaving over a hot grill in the back yard is another story entirely!) So we started putting together a new list of summer salads that we think look fabulous, and these photos just looked too good not to share. (Feel free to make an extra batch of any of these and send it over to our office, by the way!)
Chickpea Tex-Mex Salad
from DinnerThenDessert.com
Seriously? Does this not just scream of cool-and-spicy all at once? According to Sabrina at Dinner Then Dessert, this summer salad “has a ton of flavor like most Tex-Mex salads, but with far less of the heavier and more caloric ingredients that would weigh you down. Having this lunch option will help you avoid falling into the normal restaurant salad trap where similar Tex-Mex salads are filled with cheese and sour cream and mayonnaise based dressings.” We’re totally on board with the whole idea.
Grilled Vegetable Nicoise Salad With Salmon
from HummingbirdThyme.com
Okay – so let’s say we do have that guy out working the grill in the back yard. That’s perfect! All they need to do is grill us up some sliced eggplant and this amazing hunk of salmon, and we’re on our way to nirvana. Oh sure, a couple other items in this recipe might take a couple minutes on the stove (blanching green beans), and a few minutes in the oven (roasting beets) – but wouldn’t you say the end result is absolutely worth it? We would. We’d like to give a shout out to Laura at Hummingbird Thyme for sharing these mouthwatering photos along with her amazing summer salad recipe on her blog.
Sweet ‘n Savory Wild Rice Salad
from GreatEightFriends.com
Wild rice, grapes, cranberries and pecans (and Anna of Great Eight Friends says that adding some grilled chicken breast makes it even better). Seriously: YUM. Light, flavorful, savory, and sweet all in one dish – with a refreshing and simple dressing that is simply to die for. Bring it on.
Shaved Asparagus Spring Salad
from DelishKnowledge.com
Minimal ingredients, maximum flavor – just the way we like to prepare our meals. Alex of Delish Knowledge created this fabulous vegetarian recipe (just throwing that part in because, hey – it matters!) – and even though it’s got the word “spring” in the title, we’re pretty sure it’s good-to-go anytime around here. Some tips from Alex: “This salad works because of the layering of flavors. If it grows in the spring, I put it in this salad. Thinly sliced radishes, mint, slivered almonds, couscous and a lemon-mustard dressing. Cooked couscous almost clings to the shaved asparagus like pasta, so I don’t recommend subbing out another grain in its place.” This one is worth investing in a mandolin, if you ask us.
Purple Cabbage, Orange & Walnut Salad
from Teczcape
A huge part of our dining experience comes from the visuals, as we all know. And we think this summer salad recipe is simply perfection for the eyes. (Not a bad experience for the taste buds, either!) Quick to prep and pull together, it offers a simple, fresh, and light meal solution on its own, or makes a great accompaniment for whatever that guy has on the grill tonight. Presented on Hui Leng Tay’s blog, we’re happy just looking at this one for the moment!
If you have a favorite summer salad recipe that’s your Go-To meal, we’d love to hear about it! (And taste it – so hey, share, okay?) Summer Rules All!
New Home Resource helps current and future homeowners with all of their Las Vegas real estate needs. Whether your preference is for property management, a newly built home from a local builder, or a resale property in just the right location, a New Home Resource Realtor® is here to provide the service you’re looking for. Please contact a New Home Resource Realtor® today at 702-365-1000 or visit www.newhomeresource.com. Broker Joanna Piette, and agents Denise Thrasher, Jessica O’Brien, Evelyn ‘Beng’ Kern, and Kathy Paterniti are all here to help!
Summer’s arrived – and with it comes everything that implies. Whether you’re headed to the lake for some serious watersports or hanging out at the pool – taking the casinos up on all their (free?) air conditioning or just headed to the movies – we’re all looking for ways to stay cool and have a good time. Friends are visiting, school is out (for some), vacations are all the rage – and there are few places that offer more opportunities to enjoy the season than Las Vegas. (We should write a book about how much we love this place!)
But it seems like the one thing we don’t want to do much of is spend our time in a hot kitchen preparing meals. So our solution to that? Spend it in a cool kitchen – making fresh and seasonal dishes that are great for feeding the family – or whipping up to take to the neighborhood BBQ. So we wanted to share some of our old favorites and fabulous finds to help you navigate your way beyond the heat without the “I’m hungry but I don’t feel like cooking anything” drag.
Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Edamame, Cilantro, Chipotle, and Lime
from Kalyn’s Kitchen
We are not gonna lie: This salad R.O.C.K.S. Filling yet refreshing, and a little tiny bit spicy. We have never failed to receive a multitude of compliments whether we’re serving this at home or taking to a pot-luck event. And there is NEVER anything left to toss out. The trick lies in timing your avocados so that they’re ripe on the day you want to make this dish. (You do know the “avocado-ripening trick” – right? They ripen more quickly in a closed paper bag!) But omygosh, this is one salad you’re going to add to your regular repertoire.
from The Creativity Exchange
Okay – we know what you’re saying. “But I have to cook the chicken and the pasta!” Well, not exactly. Pick up one of those nice rotisserie chickens at the grocery store, and then you can handle boiling a little water to cook the Penne pasta to a nice al dente. Then toss the 7 (total) ingredients together, and you’re all set. (The only thing we’d add is some nice fresh avocado – but then again, we add that to everything!)
by Chew Out Loud
You can go do the quinoa tango all you want, but as far as we’re concerned, this barley salad puts all those trendy seeds to shame. Could be we just like the texture or the size of pearl barley – or that it’s more flavorful – or hey, it’s just not quinoa! Granted, it’s a grain, so that grain-free label doesn’t apply. But that might also be why we love it. (Always a rebel is this one, Obi-wan.)
from Green Valley Kitchen
Actually, this recipe is in the category of “fall salads” (with the Braeburn apples and all). But the truth is, this simple collection of wholesome ingredients will work well with many other apples types, too. Easy to prep, easy to toss together, and a mix of white wine vinegar and olive oil make this an easy and go-to recipe almost anytime.
by Pumpkin Spice
Who. Doesn’t. Love. Bacon. ? Let’s put it this way, we’re suckers for it. There are plenty of great recipes out there that include bits of freshly-cooked bacon, that’s for sure. And this one is up there on the list for us. (Although the “Broccoli Madness” salad from the Sweet Tomatoes salad bar is another one that rocks our world! You can get that recipe here.)
When you think about it, it’s amazing how using a limited, select collection of fresh ingredients can so easily turn into a meal-most-tasty. Skip the fast food and the preservatives when you can this summer – and try keeping a variety of lettuce, vegetables, nuts, and other of your favorite ‘snacking foods’ around the house this summer. No reason at all you can’t create a masterpiece of your own! (And it leaves just that much more room for those frilly cocktails you’ll enjoy by the pool!)
New Home Resource helps current and future homeowners with all of their Las Vegas real estate needs. Whether your preference is for a newly built home from a local builder, or a resale property in just the right location, a New Home Resource Realtor® is here to find the perfect property for you. Please contact a New Home Resource Realtor® today at 702-365-1000 or at www.newhomeresource.com. Broker Joanna Piette, and agents Denise Moreno Thrasher, Jessica O’Brien, Evelyn ‘Beng’ Kern, Lance Partin and Kathy Paterniti are all here to help!