Summer Salads

“With one mind, we turn to honor and thank all the Food Plants we harvest from the garden. Since the beginning of time, the grains, vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive. Many other living things draw strength from them too. We gather all the Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting and thanks.”

A Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Prayer

My daughter knows me well. She knew that the photograph above would make me happy (and hungry!) when she texted it to me, along with this message:

“Another beautiful salad this evening! We have about eight different kinds of greens, plus turnips that turned a beautiful shade of purple when we pickled them with beets! Everything is from our garden, of course.“

Of course. That includes the edible flowers playfully garnishing the plate. I could picture my two little grandsons picking the dainty blossoms with their trademark zeal.

They are always eager participants in summertime harvests, crunching and munching on tender pea pods and sprigs of fragrant parsley along the way. One of their favorite snack inventions is the “Lettuce Wrap,” which is comprised of a variety of single-leafed greens, stacked together, rolled into a crispy cigar, and consumed right on the spot … garden grit and all.

But even if you’re not as lucky as these boys, with tasty veggies and herbs growing right outside your door, you can still find locally grown produce at your nearest farmer’s market or in specially marked sections of many grocery stores.

Here in North Carolina, bins are overflowing with a kaleidoscope of tempting ingredients for salad suppers: just-picked zucchini; red, green, and yellow peppers; snap beans; cucumbers; carrots; and an endless array of sun-ripened tomatoes. Oh, the tomatoes! Super sweet cherry tomatoes and plump, juicy heirloom tomatoes with fun names like German Johnson, Cherokee Purple, and Homestead. And peaches, blueberries, and blackberries are in season now too, ready to add a bright pop of flavor to salads. What a rainbow of possibilities!

Creating a salad from this summertime bounty is easy, economical, and oh so aesthetically pleasing. It’s all about combining an assortment of satisfying colors, textures, and tastes. Using fresh, aromatic herbs in the dressing makes a delicious difference too. And for a more substantial salad, you can always toss beans, seeds, grains, pasta, or proteins into the mix.

So, here’s to beautiful summer salads … and to a healthy, happy harvest!

Pictured Clockwise: Confetti Quinoa Salad and Marinated Lentil Tomato Salad with blue tortilla chips; Caprese Salad; Shrimp and Pasta Salad with Fresh Herbs