This salad is one of my favorite to enjoy during the summer months because I feel like it has it all; juicy tomatoes, sweet grilled corn, caramelized peaches, chewy fibrous green beans, herbaceous basil, and a great balance of fresh to cooked ingredients. It’s wholesome and feels like the essence of summer cooking.

I also love that most (if not all) of the fresh ingredients used here can be found at a summer farmer’s market! It’s a true farm-to-table treat that’s satisfies in flavor and fullness. It’s a perfect addition to a summer barbecue to use as a side or the main dish.

I was never a fan of salads growing up but that really shifted when I started experimenting with creating my own dressings. A lot of store bought dressings feel goopy, under seasoned, and overly sweetened for my taste. They definitely have a place in my diet from a convenience standpoint but from a satisfaction standpoint, I prefer to make my own.

Caesar dressing always felt unapproachable to me because it usually requires ingredients that I don’t often have on hand — like Worcestershire sauce. I decided to make some tweaks and substitute…

My go-to summer dishes usually include a mix of fresh and cooked foods. I find that although fully raw dishes satisfy my desire for cool foods in the heat, they don’t really digest as well for me. I add a few cooked elements to give my gut a break, balance out the crunchy texture of raw veggies, and help keep me satisfied overall. To keep my kitchen and house cool, I tend to use my oven for as little time as possible. Enter: broiled salmon…

This bright, tangy, and earthy salad is an ideal winter meal combo for when you want to get some fresh veggies in but still want something warm and comforting. Enter: Sweet, caramelized roasted beets over fresh mixed greens paired with citrus, candied pecans, and drizzled with 3 ingredient dill-yogurt dressing.

This recipe was inspired by a delicious side salad that I had at Tusk, a local Mediterranean restaurant here in Portland. It was one of the first times that a side salad dish was the highlight of an all-around amazing meal. They paired fresh herbs with roasted beets and blood oranges. I’d never had this sweet-tart, earthy-citrus combination before and was instantly hooked!

It’s so simple that I usually just post the recipe in my Instagram captions and call it a day! But

In the fall and winter months, salads tend to take the back-burner. We shift our focus to richer, warmer, and heartier dishes and we leave the fresh greens in the rearview. But what if we could have a medley of warm roasted veggies, seasonal flavors, AND still get our raw greens in?

I present to you: The Hearty Autumn Kale Salad. It’s the perfect balance of cooked to raw, sweet to savory, and crunchy to creamy. It’s got enough going on that it satisfies our energy and comfort needs in the cooler months, while also feeling light enough not to bog us down like many richer dishes on the menu.

Few things scream cool weather to me than a roasted Brussels sprout and squash combo. By the end of fall, I estimate that I am about 95% pumpkin and squash. My skin loves the vitamin A and my tastebuds love the sweet and savory flavor and creamy texture. That’s a win-win in my book! Another nutritious highlight in cold weather crops, although severely underrated, are Brussels sprouts. They are packed with fiber and vitamin C, and when prepared the right way can be a hit with your tastebuds, too!

In this recipe, roasted shaved Brussels pair with sweet squash and juicy grapes. It’s the sweet-savory combo of the century, trust me.

I honestly haven’t been a fan of chicken salad until I made it myself. I always thought it had too much mayonnaise and not enough of the good stuff — the nutty pecans, crunchy celery, juicy grapes, and tart, chewy cranberries.

My loaded chicken salad made with shredded rotisserie chicken has about as much of the “extras” as it does chicken and is much lighter on the mayo. The perfect ratio, if you ask me!

For me, the ideal summer 30 minute meal has fresh greens, seasonal produce, and a grilled protein. This salad checks all those boxes: Delicious sweet and tangy barbecue chicken breast paired with sweet, juicy peaches, creamy burrata cheese, crunchy greens, and drizzled with a light oil and vinegar dressing. It perfectly combines my need for a light yet nutrient dense dinner when it’s too hot to spend more than a half hour in the kitchen.

If you asked me for a fool-proof, crowd pleasing appetizer for all your summer adventures (BBQ, picnic, lazy pool day, etc)… this would be it! A perfect blend of tangy-salty-sweetness paired with bright mint and a hint of spice, this summer salad hits the spot every time!

It’s so easy to make, I’d barely even call this a recipe. It can also easily be adjusted to suit any serving size and palate.