Baby it’s hot outside! It’s Summertime in Kansas City and we know you don’t want to waste time in the kitchen, much less turn that stove on! So delight in the season’s best offerings and serve up any of these delicious meals in less than 20 minutes! You’ll have more time for coming to Bootcamp and doing all the other fitness activities you enjoy so much! Thanks to Cooking Light for these healthy recipes….
Creole Tomato Salad
This simple no-cook salad is one of the best ways to highlight heirloom tomatoes, with its counterpoint of pungent raw onion and a light Dijon vinaigrette. You can also make this salad the spotlight of a great BLT (use the dressing in place of mayo), or add sliced mozzarella cheese for a Creole Caprese Salad.
Tomatoes are an important ingredient in the Creole cooking of New Orleans. This composed salad is easy to put together yet yields abundant, fresh flavor.
Ingredients
* 3 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 2 pounds)
* 1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh mint
* 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
Vinaigrette:
* 4 teaspoons olive oil
* 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
Preparation
To prepare salad, alternate tomato and onion slices on a platter. Sprinkle with salt. Top with mint and chives. To prepare vinaigrette, combine oil, vinegar, mustard, and garlic in a jar. Cover tightly; shake vigorously. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad, and serve at room temperature. Makes 4 servings.
Asparagus Ribbons with Lemon and Goat Cheese
The fun ribbons created by shaving asparagus with a vegetable peeler are easy to make, and don’t have to be cooked, so they retain their crunch and flavor. This fast salad makes a great light, fresh side for just about any summer dish, from burgers to grilled fish to barbecue.
Creamy goat cheese crowns a refreshingly bracing salad. Because the asparagus is shaved, it does not have to be cooked. Thick asparagus spears work best when it comes to making ribbons like these.
Ingredients
* 1 pound large asparagus spears, trimmed
* 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1/4 teaspoon sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
Preparation
Hold each asparagus spear by the tip end. Shave asparagus into ribbons with a vegetable peeler to measure 3 cups. Reserve asparagus tips for another use. Combine asparagus and tomatoes in a medium bowl. Combine chives and next 6 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon salt), stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over the asparagus mixture, tossing gently to coat. Top with goat cheese. Makes 8 1/2 cup servings.
Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
The pairing of fresh strawberries and a thick-and-sweet poppy seed dressing is a classic everybody loves. We add a bit of white wine vinegar to the dressing for a little zing, and top the salad with almonds for crunch as well as healthy unsaturated fats. Pair this salad with grilled chicken or fish, and add any other berries you like―blueberries are especially good.
Ingredients
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
* 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
* 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
* 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
* 1 (10-ounce) bag romaine lettuce
* 1 cup sliced strawberries
* 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
Preparation
Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place lettuce in a large bowl; add strawberries and almonds, tossing to combine. Divide salad evenly among 6 plates. Drizzle 1 tablespoon dressing over each serving. Makes 6 servings.
Haricots Verts and Grape Tomato Salad with Crème Fraîche Dressing
This dish turns your table into a fancy French bistro, but it requires exactly two minutes of cooking. Seek out real crème fraîche―it’s thicker and a bit less tangy than sour cream―though sour cream will do in a pinch. This dressing is excellent on any kind of salad, and you can leave out the shallots to use it on fruit salads, too, especially those with melon.
Haricots verts are tender, young French green beans. If not labeled as such in your market, look for slim, petite green beans. Crème fraîche adds a nutty flavor and rich texture to the dressing; look for it near the gourmet cheeses in your supermarket. Substitute whole sour cream, if you prefer.
Ingredients
* 1 pound haricots verts, trimmed
* 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
* 2 tablespoons minced shallots
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
* 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
Preparation
Cook haricots verts in boiling water 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Combine basil and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add haricots verts and tomatoes; toss gently to coat. Divide mixture evenly among 6 plates; sprinkle with nuts.
Crab, Corn, and Tomato Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing
This dish looks super-summery: It’s just a heaping helping of fresh vegetables mixed with delectable crabmeat in a lovely light dressing. Show off your own garden by adding other fresh veggies like zucchini or green beans. If you don’t like crab, try chopped chicken or canned tuna or salmon instead.
The tart dressing contrasts with the sweet corn, tomatoes, and crab. Serve with a lemon wedge, if desired. Pair it with cucumber soup or a grilled sandwich.
Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
* 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
* 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon honey
* 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves
* 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
* 1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
* 8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices ripe beefsteak tomato
* 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
Preparation
Combine rind, 3 tablespoons juice, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons juice mixture. Add remaining 2 tablespoons juice, corn, and next 4 ingredients (through crab) to remaining juice mixture; toss gently to coat. Arrange 2 tomato slices and 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes on each of 4 plates. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon reserved juice mixture over each serving. Top each serving with 1 cup corn and crab mixture.
Fresh English Pea Salad with Mint and Pecorino
English peas and mint are a classic combination, given extra depth of flavor here with the addition of savory pecorino and bitter arugula. Fresh lemon juice (always better than bottled) in the dressing brightens all the flavors. Crumbled feta or goat cheese make excellent substitutes for pecorino, and if you can’t find fresh English peas, try green beans or sugar snap peas, or use frozen.
This simple salad boasts plenty of early summer flavor. You can substitute crumbled feta cheese for the pecorino. If you can’t find fresh peas, use frozen thawed petite green peas.
Ingredients
* 2 cups water
* 1 cup shelled green peas (about 1 pound unshelled)
* 6 cups trimmed arugula
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
* 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved fresh pecorino Romano cheese
Preparation
Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add peas; cook 1 minute. Drain and plunge peas into ice water; drain. Combine peas, arugula, and mint in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.
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