Ah summer. When I was a kid summer was THE BEST. School was out, the weather was great, there were more things to do and everyone had plenty of time. I grew up in Michigan, and summer was definitely my favorite time of year. I remember swimming and bonfires and camping and FOOD. It was magical. We even ate differently in the summer. Fresh fruits and vegetables were plentiful, whereas they really weren't even available throughout the rest of the year.

As I grew older I somehow lost that summer magic. I moved to southern California with my husband and 3 kids, and summer became just another season, so much like the other seasons. I did my best to create the magic while my kids were young, but by the time they were grown it was gone.

Last year I caught myself dreading summer, and actually heard myself saying the words, "I hate summer." I realized it was time for an intervention. I made a "Summer To Do List" and forced myself to get out there and have fun. I went to the beach, enjoyed Shakespeare in the park, picnicked, swam, watched movies under the stars and ate homemade lavender ice cream AND recruited lots of friends and family to do it all with me. Summer was back! It was such a valuable lesson, as I learned that I have to continue to create my life, my fun.

So as June 21st approaches I've started my new Summer To Do List. I really don't need it anymore, but I'll keep it there as a reminder to create, to enjoy, to have fun.

This blog is part of that. Those of you who know me know that I love good food, and I love to share it with people I love. In an effort to try new things and eat healthily, I've challenged myself to make and share 60 Salads of Summer. My daughter Danica, who is a very creative cook, is helping me. And we're looking forward to sharing the fruits of our labor. I can't promise they'll all be healthy, but I can promise they'll all be delicious. Enjoy!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

51. Grilled Fiesta Salad

















Honestly, I wrestled with whether this is a “salad.”  I mean, it’s cooked.  But then again, potato salad is cooked; pasta salads are cooked.  I finally settled the matter with a resounding, YES!  This is an awesome salad.  

It’s also a great summer recipe.  It has tons of flavor, with sweet summer corn, a little spice from the Poblano pepper, and tart from the limes and tomatillos.  You throw the veggies on the grill, whole, and pull them off as soon as they’re nicely charred with some righteous grill marks.  That’s about it.  Set them aside while you’re grilling up your chicken or steaks.  Then throw in some cool avocado, toss, and voila!  Delish.

Incidentally, it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free and vegan...just in case you wanted to know.


Ingredients

2 ears of white corn, husks removed
1 large red bell pepper
1 large orange bell pepper
1 Poblano pepper
1 medium red onion, cut into 4 wedges
3 tomatillos, husks removed and halved
1 lime, cut in half widthwise
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil


Heat a grill, and lightly brush with oil.  Place the corn, peppers, onions, tomatillos and limes on the grill.  You’re looking for some nice char and grill marks.  The limes and tomatillos will cook very quickly; pull them off as soon as they’re done (about 3-5 minutes).  Rotate the corn, peppers and onions until they’re nicely grilled.  Pull them off the grill and set aside to cool.  

Once they’re cool enough to handle, cut the corn off the cob and add to a large bowl.  Slice the peppers open, removing stems, seeds and any white membrane.  Chop into small pieces.  Cut up the onions, and tomatillos.  Add the avocado and cilantro, salt and pepper.  Squeeze the grilled limes and add the olive oil.  Toss and serve

Serves 4-6


Adapted from Catching Seeds at www.catchingseeds.com

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