*Summer Salads*

This is the time of the year when many of us are gathering fresh vegetables and fruits from our own gardens.  There is nothing like fresh produce from the garden...so let's talk about SALADS!!!

The word "salad" comes from the French salade of the same meaning, from the Latin salata (salty), from sal (salt). (Other salt-related words include sauce, salsa, sausage, and salary). In English, the word first appears as "salad" or "sallet" in the 14th century.

Salt is associated with salad because vegetables were seasoned with brine or salty oil-and-vinegar dressings during Roman times.

The terminology "salad days", meaning a "time of youthful inexperience" (on notion of "green"), is first recorded by Shakespeare in 1606, while the use of salad bar first appeared in American English in 1976. The United States popularized salads in the late 19th century and other regions of the world adopted them throughout the second half of the 20th century. From Europe and the Americas to China, Japan, and Australia, premade salads are sold in supermarkets, at restaurants (restaurants will often have a "Salad Bar" laid out with salad-making ingredients, which the customers will use to put together their salad) and at fast food chains. In the US market, fast food chains such as McDonald's and KFC, that typically sold "junk food" such as hamburgers, fries, and fried chicken, now sell packaged salads to appeal to the health-conscious customers.

*Apple Jicama Coleslaw*

Jicama is a crispy, sweet, edible root that resembles a turnip in physical appearance, although the plants are not related. Jicama has been cultivated in South America for centuries, and the vegetable is quite popular in Mexican cuisine. Jicama has a unique flavor that lends itself well to salads, salsas, and vegetable platters. The roots can sometimes grow to be quite large, although when they exceed the size of two fists, they begin to convert the sugars that give jicama its sweet flavor into starches, making the root somewhat woody to the taste.

Apple Jicama Coleslaw Ingredients:
1/2 small green cabbage, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 jicama, sliced into 1/4-inch strips on a vegetable slicer
1 large Fuji apple, sliced into 1/4-inch strips on a vegetable slicer
For the dressing:
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp sugar
hot sauce to taste
salt to taste
1/3 cup crushed corn nuts

*Baby Zucchiini Salad*

Ingredients

• 5 baby zucchini, sliced thinly
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 leaves fresh basil, minced
• 2 tablespoons smoked olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Toss the zucchini, onion, bell pepper, and basil together in a large bowl. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the mixture and toss again to evenly coat. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

*Peach Chicken Salad*

Ingredients

• 3 medium fresh peaches, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
• 1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• MINT VINAIGRETTE:
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup minced fresh mint
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 4 lettuce leaves

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the peaches, chicken, cucumber and onion; set aside. In a blender, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, mint, salt and pepper; cover and process until smooth. Drizzle over chicken mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Use a slotted spoon to serve on lettuce-lined plates.

*Cucumber, Tomato & Red Onion Salad*

Ingredients

• 2 large cucumbers - halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 large tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large bowl, toss together the cucumbers, vinegar, SPLENDA® Granulated Sweetener and salt. Let stand at room temperature for an hour, stirring occasionally.
2. Add tomatoes, onion, mint and oil to cucumbers and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.               

*Watermelon, Feta & Cashew Salad*

Feta cheese is traditionally made from goat's or sheep's milk. To make feta, milk is heated until the curds and the whey separate. The curd is then hung and allowed to dry for several hours. After that, it is cut into cubes, salted, and packed in brine in large curing barrels. It is cured in brine for at least three months, often longer. Feta is an off-white color, is slightly salty, and can range in taste from somewhat mild to tangy. Since 2002, feta is a protected designation of Greece, similar to France's Champagne and Cognac designations. Although similar cheeses are made in Bulgaria, France, and Romania, among other places, any cheese called feta must be made in Greece. This government control also set standards for feta production and has gone a long way to standardizing quality.Ingredients:
1 small ripe watermelon
4 oz feta cheese
1/2 cup toasted cashews
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
*optional garnish: some fresh mint or basil

*Marinated Beet Salad*

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) can whole beets
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup diced red onion

Directions

1. Drain beets, reserving 1/4 cup liquid, and slice into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slivers. Add onions and toss.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, mustard and reserved 1/4 cup liquid until dissolved. Add vinegar and bring to boil; remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Pour over the beet slices and onions, toss and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Remove from refrigerator and serve at room temperature.

*Summertime Tropical Fruit Salad*

Ingredients

• 1 mango - peeled, seeded and cubed
• 1 papaya - peeled, seeded and cubed
• 2 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
• 2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 fresh pineapple - peeled, cored and cubed
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow fluff
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large bowl, gently toss together the mango, papaya, oranges, kiwis and pineapple.
2. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, marshmallow and vanilla extract on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Topping can be poured over fruit or left in a separate bowl for dipping.

*Succotash Salad*

Succotash is a food dish consisting primarily of corn and lima beans or other shell beans.Other ingredients may be added including tomatoes and green or sweet red peppers. Because of the relatively inexpensive and more readily available ingredients, the dish was popular during the Great Depression in the United States. It was sometimes cooked in a casserole form, often with a light pie crust on top as in a traditional pot pie. Succotash is a traditional dish of many Thanksgiving celebrations in New England as well as in Pennsylvania and other states. In some parts of the American South, any mixture of vegetables prepared with lima beans and topped with lard or butter is called succotash.

Ingredients:

2 ears fresh sweet corn

1 large red bell pepper, small dice

4 green onions, chopped fine

1 can white beans, rinsed, drained

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Dressing:

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

*Caprese Salad*

Ingredients

• 4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• fine sea salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. On a large platter, alternate and overlap the tomato slices, mozzarella cheese slices, and basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper.