Summer is the perfect time to indulge in fresh, vibrant, and healthy dishes, and nothing screams summer more than a refreshing fruit salad. Add a pop of bold color to your table with a red fruit salad, made up of the summer’s best season – watermelon, strawberries, cherries and raspberries.
Not only is a salad of red fruit visually stunning, it’s also packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and a burst of natural sweetness. The easy Lime-Honey-Mint Dressing enhances the sweetness with a bright tang of citrus – no need to dirty another dish, I just mix it up in the bottom of my serving dish and then toss around after adding fruit before serving.
A fun way to prep the salad is in a large, wide-mouth mason jar – keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Then dump into a bowl before serving, the dressing on the bottom ends up on top!! Perfect for a summer patio meal, pool party or pot luck!
This beautiful fruit salad — featuring red raspberries, strawberries, watermelon and cherries – will be the star of your summer celebration. Super easy to make, so also perfect for lazy days or busy night meals.
Course:
Dessert, entree salad, Side Dish, Snack
Keyword:
cherries, fruit salad, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon
Servings: 4servings
Ingredients
Dressing:
2Tbsp.honey
1 ½Tbsplime juice
2tspchopped fresh mint leaves
Fruit4 cups total, can vary a bit
¾cupraspberries
¾cuphalved and pitted cherries
1cupsliced strawberries
1 ½cupwatermelon cubes1/2” cut
Instructions
In bottom of glass jar that holds 4 cups or a medium serving bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice and chopping fresh mint.
When ready to add raspberries, halved and pitted cherries, sliced strawberries, and chopped watermelon to bowl and gently toss to coat with dressing.
Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to two days.
There’s no time like summer to enjoy fresh salads that are not only exploding with flavor but also bring fabulous color to the table – like this Red, White and Blue Caprese Salad.
Who doesn’t love a Caprese salad with juicy tomatoes, aromatic sweet basil and creamy mozzarella cheese all drizzled in a balsamic dressing or syrup? This is my patriotic version of the classic favorite summer salad that adds blueberries in honor of the Red, White and Blue. This beautiful salad can be tossed together in two minutes and is a delicious and easy way to celebrate the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, or any warm-weather gathering. This is a must-make for berry season and summer entertaining by the pool, patio or a potluck!
TIPS FOR MAKING BLUEBERRY CAPRESE SALAD
Mozzarella: This creamy, mild cheese is the cornerstone of a Caprese salad and I like that it brings a little protein to the party. I used mozzarella pearls (so cute and perfect for a salad) but you can also use a bigger ball of mozzarella and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Balsamic Syrup: To keep life easy, I used a prepared balsamic syrup rather than make my own by reducing balsamic vinegar in a saucepot until thickened. The particular prepared balsamic syrup I used was infused with ginger, it was SO DELICIOUS. Also, as an alternative, you can use the balsamic salad dressing of your choice or simply olive oil for a less sweet effect on this tomato cheese salad.
Basil: You can’t skip the fresh basil in a Caprese salad! I like to grow a pot of my own sweet basil in the summer, to have in abundance for my recipes as inspired. But you can also grab fresh sprigs in the market. To store your clipped basil sprigs, place stem ends in a cup with a bit of water and store on the countertop to use within a few days – in the fridge, leaves will turn black-brown quickly.
Everyone loves a Caprese salad with juicy tomatoes, aromatic sweet basil and creamy mozzarella cheese all drizzled in balsamic syrup. My patriotic version of the classic favorite summer salad that adds blueberries in honor of the USA and Red, White and Blue. Perfect for summer entertaining.
Cuisine:
Italian
Keyword:
balsamic, blue cheese, blueberry, mozzarella, salad, tomato
Servings: 4servings
Ingredients
4oz.mozzarella pearlsdrain if packed water
4oz.grape or cherry tomatoeshalved
4oz.fresh blueberriesor thawed frozen berries
¼cupcoarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
2tbsp(+/-) balsamic syrupor balsamic dressing
Optional: slices of mozzarella to punch out star shapes with a cookie cutter
Instructions
Toss mozzarella pearls, tomatoes, blueberries and basic in a serving bowl. Drizzle with balsamic syrup.
If desired, used cookie cutter to punch out star shapes from slices of mozzarella cheese.
Best served when made, but leftovers stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days (although basil may oxidize a bit, it’s still fine to eat).
We were all so quinoa crazy a few years about and I’m bringing back the love! Check out these beautiful, nutritious and amazingly nutritious fruit and quinoa salads. Most have enough protein to make a balanced and satisfying meal, but you can also add your favorite protein — like shrimp, salmon, or beef – to the toss!
Actually, I’ve never given up my love for this ancient grain (which is actually a seed) that boosts your diet with nutrients like B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, vitamin E, and fiber. Additionally, quinoa is also one of only a few plant foods considered a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids.
Pomegranate Orange Quinoa Salad: This festive quinoa salad featuring pomegranate and orange is lovely for seasonal celebrations but can be made year-round for weeknight dinners thanks to those little tubs of pomegranate arils. The simple creamy dressing has a vinaigrette vibe but with Greek yogurt and date syrup for even more flavor.
Watermelon Raspberry Quinoa Salad with Ginger Mint Dressing: This fully-loaded watermelon quinoa salad is made hearty enough for a full meal with quinoa, sunflower seeds, feta cheese, loads of greens, juicy watermelon and raspberries. The Ginger Mint Dressing is so aromatic and invigorating, and easy to make in a personal blender.
Clementine Quinoa Kale Salad with Minty Poppy Seed Dressing: Clementines or any other type of “easy-peeler” tangerines (like Halos, Cuties, etc.) are fun to eat – even in a fruit quinoa salad! Get your boost of vitamin C (from the citrus + kale) in this fiber-loaded salad.
Maple, Pecan, Raisin Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad: While this quinoa salad might be screaming fall, it’s a taste sensation to make year-round. If you can’t source butternut squash, you can usually find a bag of cubed quash in the freezer aisle. If you’re not a fan of raisins (but trust me, that add so much YUM to this recipe), they can be left out.
Super Clean Strawberry Spinach Quinoa Salad with Zingy Vinaigrette: This strawberry quinoa salad is crave-worthy with baby spinach tossed into nutty quinoa and walnuts. It’s all balanced with a subtle sweet-tart flavor thanks to juicy berries and crispy Granny Smith apples and zingy vinaigrette
Deck your plate for the holidays with this festive quinoa salad featuring pomegranate and orange. it’s a beautiful, healthy, delicious recipe elegant enough for the season’s celebrations and simple enough for a simple weeknight dinner.
A simple creamy dressing made with a vinaigrette base along with Greek yogurt and date syrup adds even more flavor to this simple holiday quinoa salad that comes together with just a handful of healthy ingredients.
This pomegranate orange quinoa recipes makes 4 servings, each with 146 calories, 26g carbs, 3.1g fat and 4.8g protein.
I pair this cold quinoa salad with a quality protein to make sure I’m hitting my 25-30g per meal goal. Tonight, I made cod that was simply seasoned and air-fried.
TIPS FOR FESTIVE QUINOA SALAD:
Quinoa: You can use any color quinoa (eg: white, red, black, mixed). Also, consider batch-cooking quinoa and keeping in the freezer in 1-cup portions. This makes creating quick recipes with this healthy whole grain (really a seed), even easier – you can read my quinoa prep post HERE.
Pomegranate & Oranges: Use fresh or pre-packaged, it really only comes down to your preference and time to prep. If using either from a jar, tub, or can, choose “no sugar added” and drain off the juice so the quinoa isn’t soggy later. However, do reserve about 1 tablespoon of pomegranate juice for the dressing (or if fresh, drain it from the bowl after getting the arils out).
Dressing: This recipe makes just enough for the salad, and I prefer underdressed salads. If you think it needs more, double the dressing recipe and pour it on a little at a time – going by taste. Also, if you’d like to turn this from a vegetarian quinoa recipe into a vegan quinoa recipe, then use a substitute for the Greek yogurt, such as a plant-based yogurt, tahini or a natural nut butter.
Optional Ideas: You can swap out the pistachios for a chopped nut of choice like almonds, pecans – or none at all. Also, I love to sprinkle mine with feta cheese for a salty contrast with the sweet.
Make Ahead & Storing: This recipe will get a little soggy if you make the day before. To save time, it’s best to prep the ingredients (cook quinoa, chop spinach, peel/seed fruit, etc) the day before. Then simply toss everything together and shake up the dressing – it will literally just take 2 minutes! You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Still tastes yummy, but the crunch of the nuts and crisp of the spinach will be gone.
This is one of my favorite creative quinoa salad ideas – for it’s flavor, fast-fixing, and festive appearance! Enjoy!
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Transform plain quinoa into something to celebrate for theholiday season! Pomegranate, orange segments and pistachios bejewel this quick,easy and nourishing vegetarian salad that is equally beautiful for a dinnerparty or quick lunch!
Course:
entree salad, Side Dish
Cuisine:
holiday
Keyword:
holiday, orange, pomegranate, quinoa
Servings: 4servings
Calories: 162kcal
Ingredients
1cupcooked quinoa
1cupchopped fresh baby spinach
¾cuppomegranate arilsjuice drained & reserved if packaged container
¾cupmandarin orange segments packed in water or juiceor fresh
¼cupshelled pistachio kernelscoarsely chopped
Dressing:
1tablespoonolive oil
1tablespoonjuice reserved from pomegranate or orange segments
1tablespoonwhite wine vinegar
2tablespoonsGreek yogurt
1tablespoondate syrup
1/8teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Add quinoa, spinach, pomegranate and orange segments (cut in half crosswise) into medium bowl.
In small mason jar, shake together dressing ingredients until emulsified.
Pour dressing over salad and gently stir.
Before serving, stir in pistachios.
Best eaten right after making to keep the texture of the lettuce and pistachios. But you can store leftovers in fridge for up to 3 days and it’s still good.
Does my life need yet another zucchini recipe? YES! Yes, in fact, it does! Even though this squash cultivates joke after joke in the summer about its seemingly inexhaustible, high-volume production (lock the door and turn off the porch lights), I personally can’t get enough of this good-for-me and versatile staple of the season.
Fun & Interesting Facts About Zucchini:
What’s to love about zucchini? Here are some reasons to add more zucchini to your life (along with a few fun facts).
A medium zucchini (about 200g) has just 33 calories, 6g carbs (2 of which are dietary fiber), 0g fat and 2g protein which make it a good choice for low-carb, keto and diabetic diets.
Zucchini is a culinary chameleon. It’s mild flavor allows it to take on the flavor profile of the dish it’s cook in.
Zucchini is actually a fruit, botanically speaking. That is harvested while immature from the flowering part of a zucchini plant.
In addition to being a great source of dietary fiber, zucchini is also rich in potassium and vitamin C.
The world’s largest zucchini was 69.5” long and weight 65 pounds!
But bigger isn’t better when it comes to zucchini squash. Zucchini experts say the best-tasting ones are small- to medium-sized. And, the darker the skin, the richer the zucchini is in nutrients.
Grilled Salmon Zucchini Quinoa Burgersare totally off the hook with fresh flavor and will make a splash at your next backyard cookout, pool party or seaside soiree. Plus, they are a sneaky way to add a little veggie to the meal, thanks to grated zucchini – and we all know zucchini is prolific this time of year. GET RECIPE
Mushroom Pizza-stuffed Zucchini Boats are an easy, cheesy, vegetarian meal with a lower-carb profile. Plenty of protein to make this a balanced meal thanks to a satisfying cottage cheese filling. Feel free to customize the toppings if you don’t love mushrooms. GET RECIPE
Chipotle-Lime Code with Summer Veggie Saute is a delicious fish dinner you can make up in a single skillet, no sweat! Fresh and flavorful with a southwestern-inspired medley of veggies that includes corn and zucchini. Also a fast fix – in only 10 minutes you’ll be feasting. GET RECIPE:
Zoodles Marinara with Three-Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms is an easy zucchini noodle for your low-carb, gluten-free, vegetarian dinners and meal preps. So simple with steamed, spiralized zoodles and the bottled marinara of your choice (I like a no-sugar added sauce) – and the cheesy stuffed mushrooms on top make this zucchini pasta next level. GET RECIPE
12-Minute Zoodle AND Noodle Toss is for those who want both their veggies and their pasta! It’s a great compromise and the secret ingredient is salty preserved lemons which make this dish so vibrant and tasty. A perfect pairing for the chicken, seafood or meat paring of your choice! GET RECIPE
Green Glow Chilled Zucchini Salad with Lemon Gremolata Dressing is more than just another “zoodle” recipe, this salad made of spiralized zucchini also boast loads of other green goodness – like edamame beans, avocados, pistachios, and more. Plus, the lemon gremolata dressing adds lot of citrusy zing! GET RECIPE
Pork Verde Zucchini Enchiladas are missing just one thing – tortillas! But who needs tortillas anyway, when ribbon-cut strips of zucchini can substitute quite nicely! Creamy and cheesy, this low-carb enchiladas and filled with delicious morsels of shredded pork and mildly spicy green chiles. GET RECIPE
