Taco Salad

Approximate quantities: About 1/2 cup seasoned ground turkey, about a cup of cooked brown rice, and 1 14 ounce can of black beans, mixed together and warmed; 1 head of green lettuce, roughly chopped; kernels of 1–2 ears of grilled corn; 2–3 medium carrots, cut into thin disks; 2 grilled bell pepper, roughly chopped; 1 avocado, thinly sliced; 2–3 Kirby cucumbers, sliced into thin disks; 6 or so radishes sliced into thin disks; and 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese drizzled olive oil, the juice of 1 lime, and hot sauce

Serves 4 as a main.

Summer Chef Salad

Approximate quantities: 1 head of red romaine lettuce, roughly chopped; 1/2 pint yellow pear tomatoes, quartered; 2 medium carrots, sliced into thin disks; kernels of two ears of butter and sugar corn; 2 Kirby cucumbers, cut lengthwise cut lengthwise into thin spears, then into 1-inch segments; 1/4 of a head of purple cabbage, finely chopped; 3 jammy eggs, quartered; and 3 slices of ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, layered, rolled, and sliced, drizzled with Brianna’s Buttermilk Ranch dressing

Serves two as a main.

An End-of-the-Week Odds and Ends Salad

Approximate quantites: 1 head of Green leaf lettuce, roughly chopped; 6–8 ounces, sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut lengthwise; 1/2 pint of heirloom cherry tomatoes, quartered; 4 small Kirby cucumbers, cut lengthwise cut lengthwise into thin spears, then into 1-inch segments; grilled green and wax beans; grilled red onions, roughly chopped; about 1/4 of a loaf of slightly stale fig-fennel bread, cubed, tossed with olive oil and salt, and crisped in a sauté pan, or grilled

Serves two as a main, four as a starter or side.

Niçoise Salad

Approximate quantities: 3–4 cups baby lettuce, roughly chopped; 3 Kirby cucumbers, cut lengthwise into thin spears, then into 1-inch segments; 4 radishes, cut into thin crescents; 1 1/2–2 cups grilled wax beans, roughly chopped; 1 pint of grape tomatoes, quartered; 1 grilled bell pepper, roughly chopped; 3 medium or 2 large carrots, sliced into thin discs; 1 can of olive oil packed tuna; and 2 jammy soft boiled eggs drizzled with with dill-and-lemon-infused-mustard vinaigrette

Serves two as a main, four as a starter or side.

I Also ❤ Links

Unrelated to salads, but related to juggling a full-time job, a part-time salad obsession, and planning a wedding, I discovered super cute Seltzer Notebooks this week and my To-Do list has never looked better

Now that it’s almost tomato season, I’ve bookmarked this tomato tart with a chevre crust from Vermont Creamery and this one from Food and Wine

A great lettuce guide on Food 52

Super sad to see that Bombay Bread Bar is going to close in September, I’m one of the food obsessed New Yorkers who still talks longingly about Tabla and I just really liked Bombay Bread Bar (and Paowalla)

Can’t stop bookmarking no-bake desserts!

Mediterranean Salad with Halloumi Croutons

Approximate quantities: 1 head of lettuce, roughly chopped; 2 large carrots, sliced into thin discs; 3 Persian cucumber, sliced into thin discs; 2 large marinated artichokes, sliced cross-wise; roasted red peppers, roughly chopped; and 6-8 sliced of pan-fried halloumi a la Nigella drizzled with Tuscan herb olive oil, citrus vinegar, lemon, salt, and pepper

Serves four as a side and two as a main.

A These-Are-A-Few-of-My-Favorite-Things Salad

Approximate quantities: 1 head of leafy green lettuce, roughly chopped; 1 Japanese burpless cucumber, sliced into thin discs; 4 carrots, sliced into thin discs; 2 large marinated artichokes, cut into quarters or eighths; 6 French breakfast radishes, cut lengthwise; 8 ounces of sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut lengthwise; olive oil, balsamic, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste

Serves four as a side and two as a main.

I Also ❤ Links

I hope you all have a wonderful long weekend and are able to enjoy fireworks! I'll be making salad for my family's celebration, duh, and also probably a potato salad and another blueberry rhubarb pie. Here's what I've been reading & eating this week:

Two Older Salad Recipes I Love and Cycle Back To: Watermelon Radishes with Burrata and Nancy's Chopped Salad

A Delicious New Sweetgreen Salad: Mexican Corn Elote Bowl

Curious what's in season where you are?: Food Geeks' have a great database

Martha Stewart posted a great summer lettuce guide: There's So Much You Can Do with Lettuce! and a great article on Cindy Daniel and Doug Lipton, the owners of Shed, A Locavore Mecca in beautiful and amazing Healdsberg, CA, and of course check out their recipe for Charred Cucumber and Radish Salad with Yogurt t

And on a slightly off-topic note: The New York Times Food Department did a blind, hot dog taste-test which stuck a chord for me because last weekend, my brother and I grilled hot dogs out of nostalgia and in memory of our grandfather who loved them and made them for us when we were kids