Italian Cucumber, Onion, Heirloom Tomato Salad

I love this salad for its tangy, intense flavors. The flavors transport me straight to Italy. I really wish I could be in Italy right now, but this summery salad will have to do. You can really get a full rainbow of colors, with the cucumbers and purple onions, and carefully selected heirloom tomatoes. Not to mention this salad is super simple to make. 

Some day I shall go to Italy and eat all of their food.

Italian Cucumber, Onion, Heirloom Tomato Salad

Ingredients
- 2 medium sized heirloom tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 1/2 large purple onion
- a few handfuls of fresh parsley
- Balsamic vinegar/ red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Ground black pepper

Directions
- Chop up purple onions, lengthwise, and soak in water
- While onions are soaking chop up tomatoes and cucumber. Finely slice the cucumbers.
- Take onions and mix with chopped veggies in a bowl, a tablespoon of olive oil, and a splash of balsamic. Toss with chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper.
- Chill in fridge 15-20 min.
- Enjoy! (alone, or atop a bed of fresh romaine lettuce)

It's crazy to think how into salads I am these days. I used to crave donuts and now I get all excited over a big bowl of salad. I think it's a positive change. 


Thanks for reading, and check back every Monday for new recipes!

Black Bean and Yellow Corn Salad - The Perfect Summer Salad

In the blazing mid-June heat, I had a bit of trouble figuring out what to eat for dinner without inducing heat-stroke. Everything that required an oven or a stove was out of the question - I didn’t need any extra heat in the kitchen.

Luckily, I found a can of black beans stashed away in the pantry and came up with this super flavorful black bean and corn salad. Colorful and served chilled, it’s cooling, yet it fires up the taste buds with a South American flair.  

Black Bean and Yellow Corn Salad

Ingredients

- ½ cup of cilantro

- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped

- 2 ears of cooked corn  (I used tri-color sweet corn, but a cup of frozen corn works as well)

- 1 can of drained & rinsed black beans

- 3 green onions, chopped

 - 1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes)

Dressing

- 1 lime, squeezed

- Cayenne pepper to taste

- Pinch of salt

- Teaspoon of olive oil

- 1 garlic clove, diced

Directions

In a bowl toss together, chopped red bell pepper, cooked corn kernels, black beans, green onions, and cilantro. To make the dressing - combine lime juice, cayenne pepper, salt, olive oil, and garlic in a small container - then, shake. Drizzle dressing over salad and stick in the fridge until chilled. Enjoy!  

(Serves 2)

Tips: 
- Serve in a chilled bowl. It keeps the salad nice and cool while you munch! 
- If you pulse in a blender, it can double as a salsa.

Thanks for reading! Check back for weekly recipes, while I attempt to survive the summer heat! 
 

Avocado-Grilled Mushroom Salad

Sometimes I just need an outlet for my creativity. This week I've been really into creating savory salads. Avocados and grilled mushrooms work surprisingly well together in a salad as they have similar textures, but add unique flavors. Salads are super simple and quick, so there isn't much to this recipe-- just a matter of tossing ingredients and watching everything come together in perfect harmony.

A 1960's Classic Dinner

This classic dish of grilled chicken, bread, and comforting greens reminds me of a dinner that would have been served at 6' o' clock in another era. Besides being healthy and wholesome, this classic meal has remained in the proverbial American cookbook for its home-cooked simplicity. A perfect meal that can transport you back to the 1960s. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Positively 1960's

Easy Grilled Veggie Salad

With the warm weather approaching, the deliciously aromatic smell of grilled food starts to fill the air. It's almost summertime. In my anticipation of summer, I'm starting to crave grilled veggies, colorful and varied. Carmelized onions, tender mushrooms, sweet charred bell peppers, the whole shebang. Here's one lovely (and healthy!) salad. 

 

Gluten-Free Parmesan Pasta With Roasted Tomatoes & Herbs

                                  

A quinoa-corn pasta, makes for a pretty bowl of pasta with its bright yellow noodles. Mixed with roasted tomatoes and herbs, this simple meal is both eye-catching and mouth-watering. A healthy gluten-free pasta dish, this recipe is quick & packs a kick with roasted herbs.