Kara's Sights & Bites: Spring/summer survival food: salads, of course

By: Kara Kimbrough

Spaghetti salad, full of chopped vegetables and tangy dressing, is the perfect hot-weather meal or side dish.

    When I say “salads are spring/summer survival food,” I’m not referring to pale leaves of iceberg lettuce topped with a few shakes of tasteless low or no-fat dressing. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think a top-heavy salad of rich ranch dressing, oil-laden croutons and salty bacon pieces on a miniscule layer of lettuce constitutes a healthy meal. But at the same time, there has to be “just a little” substance to my salads. And there’s no time like the present to begin compiling a list of some of my go-to salads as spring and soon, summer, requires lighter meals and side dishes without turning on the oven.

     First, I absolutely love pasta, so finding a new way to transform my favorite carb into a salad always makes my day. I jotted down the ingredients for Spaghetti Salad. A quick trip to the supermarket yielded the ingredients for the easy dish that turned out even better than expected. The tasty, satisfying dish will be a staple in my refrigerator for a quick meal or to take to gatherings when a side dish is required. Due to the oil-based dressing, this salad will hold up well outdoors at backyard cookouts and on summer picnics and beach trips.

    Following this discovery, I watched an online demonstration of a busy mom creating easy lunches to take to work to save money. First, I was intrigued by her salad prep work. Using her grandmother’s recipe, she pickled sliced red onions to serve as crunchy toppings. For protein, she bakes or grills several chicken breasts and slices 1-2 daily to top the salad. And the creamy dressing looked easy and delicious. Because the salad is so tasty, she claims to never tire of it, bringing it or a variation to work every few days.

   Here are two of the spring/summer salads I tried this week, along with my new find, a way to pickle red onions…the old-fashioned way, of course.

Spaghetti Salad

1 pound spaghetti (heavier than angel hair)

1-2 large tomatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 green pepper, sliced

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced thin

½ cup sliced black or green olives

½ cup pickled onions (more to taste)

16-ounce bottle Italian dressing (I like Wish-Bone)

8 ounces fresh mozzarella

½ cup grated parmesan

2-3 tablespoons Salad Supreme

  Boil pasta until al dente. When done, drain in colander and run under cold water until cooled. Pour into a large serving bowl and add chopped vegetables, stirring well to combine. Pour in dressing and additional toppings; stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour; preferable overnight, before serving.

Pickled Onions

2 small red onions

2 cups white vinegar

2 cups water

⅓ cup sugar

2 tablespoons salt

     Thinly slice onions and divide the onions between 2 (16-ounce) jars or 3 (10-ounce) jars. Heat the vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minute. Let cool and pour over the onions. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. The onions will be ready to eat once they're bright pink and tender - about 1 hour for very thinly sliced onions, or overnight for thicker sliced onions. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Everyday Salad

Salad:

2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce

2 cups chopped green leaf lettuce

4 ounces sliced cooked chicken

Pickled onions

Slices of avocado, tomato or other favorite vegetable

Dressing:

¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon mayonnaise (I used olive oil-based)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

   Add dressing ingredients to bottom of mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add chopped lettuce and toss well to combine. Top with diced chicken, pickled onions and sliced vegetables.

Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.