Reveille Recipes: Summer Salads

It's hot out there! So we think it's time to chill out...with a summer salad!

With a variety of your favorite fresh summer ingredients available from your local grocer, farmers' market, or even your garden - now is the time to chop 'em all up and throw them together to make delicious, colorful, summer salad! These salads will have you feeling refreshed, satisfied and cool as you beat the summer heat:

Greek Pasta Salad
Recommended by: Lindsay Weinberg
Reveille Camper & Staff

I saw this recipe on The Food Network and tried it out on our family that very night. I love it because it’s a light dish for the summer, but you still get to have some pasta which I love! It’s perfect for a BBQ and you can bring it with you to a party since there’s no mayo to go bad in the sun. I love the combination of greek flavors in greek salad and this changes it up a bit! Also, the dressing is SO simple!

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of orzo
• 1 cucumber chopped
• 1 container of grape or cherry tomatoes halved
• 2 green onions chopped
• 1/2 pound crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Dressing: 

• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar, whatever you have!) 
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions: 

• Bring 8 cups of cold salted water to a boil, add the orzo and cook till al dente, drain and set aside. 
• While the orzo is cooking, go ahead and make the dressing: whisk together the mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper till smooth. Slowly whisk in the olive oil till emulsified. Set aside. 
• In a big bowl, combine the orzo, cucumber, tomato, green onion, salt and pepper. Crumble the feta and sprinkle the dill over the top. Stir. 
• Drizzle half the dressing and stir. 
• Add more dressing as needed or serve extra on the side.

Summer Corn Salad

Recommended by: Sarah Lambert
Reveille Camper in: 2007 - 2011

One of my favorite things about summer is the fresh vegetables, especially the corn from local stands. We make this salad all summer long and there are never leftovers after a big dinner with friends! It is super easy and tastes like summer. 

Ingredients: 

• 5 ears of corn, boiled or grilled
• 1 container of cherry tomatoes or 1 large tomato chopped
• 1 red onion chopped
• Fresh cilantro, chopped, to taste (you can also use basil if you prefer) 
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbs Olive oil

Directions:

• Cook the corn and let cool. 
• Then cut corn off of cob. 
• Combine with tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. 
• Add lime juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. 
• Stir to combine and enjoy!

Joan’s Salad

Recommended by: Joan Lunden
 
My house is the go-to spot for all of our family occasions. Birthdays, Anniversaries, Super Bowl, you name it and we’re hosting! No matter what kind of food we’re having, I almost always make a big salad and everyone has coined this “Joan’s Salad.” It’s simple, I have always just put my favorite salad ingredients together and somehow, it became a hit! Of course salads are the easiest dish to personalize, you can add or take out anything you like or don’t like and include anything you have around in your fridge that day. Here’s what I put in mine to please my family and friends!

Ingredients:

• Chopped romaine
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• Shredded carrots
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1 can of corn
• 1 can of sliced beets
• 1 can of mandarin oranges
• Candied walnuts
• Croutons

Directions: 

Combine all ingredients in a big salad gown and serve with dressing choices on the side! 

What are your favorite summer salads?