Simplify Summer

Whole-meal salads offer an easy take on lunch or dinner

Summer is finally here, and we can wear flip-flops and kick back in the sunshine. Even if you spend yourdays in an air-conditioned office, your body is in tune with the season. Most people don’t crave mashed potatoes and gravy when the temperature rises; it’s natural to want lighter fare. That’s where easy salad meals come in.

The whole-meal salad is a great way to eat in the summertime. You won’t waste a moment of precious sunshine when you make these streamlined, one-plate meals. Each is vegetable rich but still hearty enough to fill you up for all your activities. Serve them at room temperature or chilled so they don’t heat you up or weigh you down.

One salad strategy that will make your summer life easier is cooking ahead. If you are firing up the grill one day to cook burgers or steaks, throw on the brats and veggies for the brat salad while the grill is hot, then put them away in the refrigerator for the next day. That strategy works for the mixed greens with chicken salad, too. If you make a habit of grilling extra chicken, shrimp or other proteins, you can stash them to make into a salad later in the week and save precious time.

Grains can also be made ahead. Cook a pot of brown rice, wheat berries or quinoa and store the finished grains in the fridge. Then you have a base to flavor with your favorite dressing and toss with veggies and beans or whatever you have on hand. Simplify your summer with salads. You will love it.

Creamy Peanut Quinoa Salad and Grilled Vegetable and Bratwurst Salad

Creamy Peanut Quinoa Salad

Makes 4 Servings

Quinoa is the mild-tasting, high-protein grain that has become a staple in American kitchens over the past few years. It cooks in just 15 minutes and is fantastic in a salad such as this, with a creamy peanut dressing and some crunchy vegetables. Edamame is another high-protein vegetable, and many kids love it too.

1 cup quinoa

½ cup coconut milk

¼ cup smooth peanut butter

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce, or to taste

1 cup (4 ounces) snap peas

1 cup grape tomatoes

1 cup shelled edamame, thawed

2 large scallions, sliced on a diagonal

1. In a 1-quart pot, bring 1½ cups water to a boil. Add the quinoa and return to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Uncover and fluff the grain with a fork, let cool.

2. In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine the coconut milk and peanut butter and stir with a fork until smooth. Add the lime juice, brown sugar, soy sauce and Sriracha, if desired. Stir to mix well.

3. Trim the snap peas and halve the grape tomatoes. Place the cooled quinoa in a large bowl and add the snap peas, tomatoes, edamame and peanut butter mixture. Toss to mix well. Serve sprinkled with scallions. It will keep, tightly covered, for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Grilled Vegetable and Bratwurst Salad

Makes 4 Servings

Brats are a grill favorite and deserve to be served outside the bun in a fresh salad such as this. Grilled veggies provide a burst of color and texture with barely a carbohydrate in sight.

1 medium zucchini

1 medium red bell pepper

1 small onion

1 tablespoon canola oil, divided

1 bunch asparagus

4 bratwurst (1 pound)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat the grill. Prepare a grill wok or skewers for the vegetables: If you are using a wok, you can slice the vegetables in smaller pieces. To skewer, slice the zucchini in ½-inch-thick slices and place in a large bowl. Slice the pepper in half and remove the membranes and seeds, cut in 1-inch squares, and add to the bowl. Cut the onion in ½ inch wedges. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of the canola oil over the vegetables in the bowl and toss to coat, then skewer each kind of vegetable on its own skewers (so they will cook evenly.) Slice the tough bottoms from the asparagus, place in the bowl, and toss with the remaining oil to coat.

2. On the grill, place the vegetable skewers or put them in a wok over medium heat and turn often. Arrange the asparagus spears on the grate so they won’t fall through. Turn every minute or so until browned. Transfer each vegetable to the bowl as it is grill-marked and tender.

3. While grilling the vegetables, grill the brats for about 12 minutes, turning every 4 minutes. Transfer to the bowl and let cool.

4. When the brats are cool enough to handle, slice each on a diagonal into bite-sized pieces. Remove the skewers from the cooked vegetables, put them in the bowl, and add the sliced brats.

5. In a cup, stir the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Drizzle over the vegetable mixture and toss to coat. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days.

Bacon Roasted Broccoli and Pork Noodles

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Fortunately, Korean foods such as fresh kimchi and fish sauce are now easy to find. Smoky bacon gives this dish tons of flavor, providing a crispy counterpoint to the soft noodles and tangy kimchi. Kimchi comes in mild and hot versions, so if you are not into heat, buy the mild one and vary the spice at serving by offering hot sauce at the table.

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 bunch broccoli, 6 cups large florets

½ medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

3 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

3 tablespoons brown sugar

8 ounces rice noodles

12 ounces pork tenderloin, sliced

1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped

1 cup kimchi, drained and chopped

½ cup cilantro leaves, torn, plus more for garnish

1. Boil a pot of water to cook the noodles. Preheat the broiler. Prepare a bowl to drain the bacon by lining with a double thickness of paper towels. In a large skillet, sprinkle the chopped bacon and place it over medium heat. Stir often, until the bacon is crisp. Transfer the bacon pieces to the prepared bowl. Don’t wash the pan.

2. Place the broccoli and red peppers on a sheet pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Toss the broccoli to coat, then place under the broiler. Broil the broccoli and peppers for about 2 minutes, then take out and stir. Return to broiler for just 1 to 2 minutes, until the broccoli is browned and softened. Take out to cool.

3. In a cup, stir the fish sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and brown sugar. Cook the rice noodles, drain, then place in a large bowl and drizzle with half of the fish sauce mixture, and toss to coat.

4. Reheat the remaining bacon fat in the pan over high heat, and add the sliced pork and jalapeños. Stir frequently for about 4 minutes, just until the pork is browned and cooked through.

5. Add the broccoli mixture, pork mixture, kimchi and cilantro to the bowl of noodles and toss to mix.

6. Serve topped with bacon and garnished with cilantro.

Cavatappi with Creamy Tarragon Dressing and Fresh Tuna

Makes 4 to 6 servings

The classic tuna pasta salad may hold a nostalgic place in your heart, but this one just might replace it. The mayo is cut with creamy yogurt for a lighter, tangier dressing, and the salad is spiked with scarlet bits of radicchio and slivers of mild, oniony leeks. Topping each serving with slices of seared tuna is much nicer than using canned—even fitting for guests.

½ pound cavatappi or rotini pasta

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup Greek yogurt, plain

2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons dried tarragon

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and sliced

1 large leek, sliced

1 small radicchio, torn

3 tablespoons capers, drained

1 pound fresh tuna filets (or thawed frozen filets)

coarse salt

cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

parsley, for garnish

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well and let cool.

2. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, mustard, tarragon, salt and pepper and stir to mix. Add the pasta, artichokes, leeks, radicchio and capers and toss to mix.

3. Pat dry the tuna filet and sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper.

4. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat for 30 seconds, then place the tuna in the hot pan. Sear on each side for about 2 minutes, until browned but still pink in the center. Transfer the tuna to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing across the grain into thin strips. Serve the pasta in a low bowl with tuna spread across the top. Sprinkle with parsley.

Mixed Greens with Tomatoes, Corn and Spiced Chicken

Mixed Greens with Tomatoes, Corn and Spiced Chicken

Makes 4 servings

Chicken

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

Dressing

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

Salad

4 ounces (4 cups) mixed greens

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

1 cup corn kernels from

1 ear whole sweet corn, or frozen

1 large red bell pepper, sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F, or preheat the grill. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, brown sugar and salt and mix well. Drizzle ½ tablespoon olive oil on a sheet pan, place the chicken breasts on it, and sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken, turning to coat both sides. Drizzle the tops with ½ tablespoon of olive oil and pat to spread the oil over the spices.

2. Bake the chicken for about 20 to 25 minutes depending on the thickness of the filet. When the chicken reaches 160°F on an instant read thermometer, take it out to cool. To grill, oil the grate and cook the chicken over medium heat. When cool, slice across the grain in strips and reserve.

3. For the dressing: In a cup, stir the Dijon mustard, honey, vinegar, salt and remaining 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) of olive oil until smooth.

4. Spread the greens on four dinner plates and top with tomatoes, corn and red pepper, then the sliced chicken. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

By Robin Asbell

Photography Terry Brennan

Food Styling Lara Miklasevics