Greens and Grains Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

With Easter just around the corner and the official day of spring on the horizon, my mind has been on all things fresh, green and vibrant. And, since I am hosting our family dinner this Easter, I've been contemplating the menu. We pretty much always serve a baked ham with traditional side dishes - sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, etc. But, coming up with unique vegetable side dishes seems like a challenge most years. With all of the heavier, carb-laden dishes being served, I always like to offer a dish or two that's a little lighter and has some fresh elements. This salad totally fits the bill and will look stunning on the holiday table.

What I love most about this salad is the contrast between the roasted asparagus and the fresh, crisp raw vegetables. I, also, super love the texture and chewiness of the cooked grains scattered throughout the salad. And, the simple vinaigrette is such a great compliment to all of the elements in the salad.

NOTES:

Use whatever grains you desire. {I utilized a small bag of a barley, rice, wholegrain oats, wheat berries and spelt blend.} Quinoa would work great. Barley or all wheat berries would be good.

I used baby spinach as the base of the salad, but any style of lettuce or mixed greens can be used.

Frozen peas {that have been thawed} can be substituted in place of the sugar snap peas if desired. And, any other green vegetable{s} of your choice can be incorporated into the salad as desired.

Peach and Gorgonzola Salad with Maple Pecans and Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette

I'm gonna keep this short and sweet {just like this recipe} ... this salad rocks. Like, seriously rocks. And, besides being totally delicious, it can be whipped up in a matter of minutes. {I timed myself the last go-round that I made this and it took all of twelve minutes.} It's so ideal for hot summer days when we just want something light, refreshing and quick for lunch or dinner - without having to heat up the house or fret too much.

With peach season kickin' right now, this salad really is a celebration of my favorite summer fruit. {Fresh strawberries, sliced apples or sliced pears could be swapped in if peaches aren't in season as you read this post.}

All it takes to whip this up is spending four minutes making the maple pecans, then allowing them to cool while the quick dressing is assembled and the salad is put together. {The only real knife work required is the slicing of one peach and a red onion.}

If you wanted to invest the time, topping with some sliced, grilled chicken would make this a more-hearty salad if desired.

This recipe yields two servings, but you could easily adapt the recipe to make several servings or even make one large salad for sharing.

Yields 2 servings.

Summer Quinoa and Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette

The heat and humidity have really kicked in just in the past week or so here in Southern Michigan. We've had quite the mild summer up until now (pretty much ideal weather for this girl). It has been around seventy degrees during the day and has cooled down to the high-fifties at night. We've had enough rain to keep everything green and watered. And, have enjoyed just perfect weather conditions overall. Bliss.

Up until now. The heat index has been close to 100 degrees over the past week or so. Blah!

(Can you tell that I don't do well with high temps and lots of humidity?)

Much of our summer meals are centered around salads, grilling and sandwiches (like, my Sonoma Chicken Salad Sandwich). You probably won't find me slaving away over a big pot of chicken and dumplings very often this time of year. Instead, I serve a lot of salads - all sorts of fresh, beautiful salads. They may be big, loaded salad bowls served family-style (such as my Berry "Peachy Keen" Grilled Chicken Salad Bowl) or some version of a taco salad.

This salad is light and chocked full of fresh ingredients. It is incredibly simple and quick to whip up. The vinaigrette is super flavorful and couldn't be easier to make.

You will regularly find brown rice, quinoa, farro and/or wheat berries on-hand in my fridge. I like to cook up batches to have ready to use in salads or for side dishes. And, since I always have lots of fresh fruits and veggies stocked up each week throughout the summer, salads such as this one come together in a matter of minutes. The recipe can easily be adapted to serve more people if needed as a side dish for a party or gathering. Or, it can be prepared as shown to serve as a simple summer lunch or dinner option for a couple of people.

Serves 2.