This Summer's Salad

Summer time always finds us avoiding using the oven as much as possible and looking for as many fresh recipes that require a minimal amount of cooking or can be done on the grill. In my book a must have for summer is a good salad recipe (although can you call it a recipe when it's as simple as a salad?). I feel like every summer we find a new salad that we love and make over and over again. Last summer was this Cobb salad with chili-lime dressing.
This year I found this really simple recipe for Garden Three-Bean Salad in Better Homes and Gardens. The recipe suggests using a french dressing, but we've been loving it with Trader Joe's Tuscan Italian dressing.


Garden Three- Bean Salad

2 cups fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
8 cups mixed greens
2 cups froxen shelled sweet soy beans (edamame), thawed (the microwave defrost setting is great for when I forget to get them out!!)
1 cup canned white beans (I used cannellini), rinsed and drained
1 cup radishes, sliced and quartered

1. Place the green beans in a microwave safe bowl with about 1/4 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Microwave for 3 to 5 minutes or until just tender. Allow beans to cool.
2. Place salad greens in a large bowl; add green beans, edamame, white beans, and radishes. Toss gently and serve.

Enjoy!

Cobb Salad with chili & Lime dressing

This is the third time I've sat down to write this post...let's see if I can finally finish! There are certain foods that I only think of making when the weather gets warm. This Cobb Salad with Chili & Lime dressing is one of them. I'm typically not a fan of Cobb Salad because I don't like the hard boiled eggs, so this is my version of Cobb Salad minus the eggs (ironic considering I STILL have hard boiled eggs left over from Easter). The salad itself is pretty basic, because really how complicated can a salad be?

I use the following to make two large salads that I plate individually, but it could be done in a salad bowl too:

Two hearts of Romaine Lettuce rinsed and chopped
1 tomato chopped
1 avocado cubed
1/2 a red onion chopped
1 cup of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese

What makes this salad is the dressing, which is a combination/variation on a couple of different recipes I've tried. The combination of flavors goes great with the salad without being overpowering.



Recipe for Chili & Lime Dressing:

1 Cup plain Greek style yogurt
1 lime juiced (approximately 3-4 Tablespoons)
1/2 Teaspoon chili powder (or to taste)
1/8 Teaspoon Onion powder
1/8 Teaspoon Garlic powder

Mix together and serve over salad. Enjoy!