These, my friends, are salad days. In honor of this hot and sweaty time, we're bringing you a couple of weeks of inspired salad recipes that involve little to no cooking time. Keeping it cool, refreshing, and nutritious is what it's all about!
This clever side salad does a lot of heavy lifting on a plate by pairing fresh and lightly cooked in a single salad that brightens every meal, brings a lot of nutritious items to your table, and makes it all delicious while it does it. Sometimes I offer tweaks, but aside from being able to swap asparagus for fresh, crisp green beans, I'd leave the rest of it as is since the textures and flavors are what really make this dish shine. It's a salad I serve in my home from mid-May to mid-September every year.
I serve this alongside anything grilled, sandwiches, roasts, pasta, or more. My favorite it to grill fish or chicken - both quick items to prepare on the grill - and serve the entree alongside this salad for a stunning pop of color, flavor, and nutrition. Quick, cool, good for you, and downright delicious. What more could you ask for?
Tomato-Asparagus Salad
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 lb. green asparagus
- 2 oz. sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
- 8 oz. cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Heat a large pan over medium heat with the olive oil. Meanwhile, peal and mince the garlic, and wash and chop the asparagus into slightly larger than bite-sized pieces. Add to the pan along with the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until the asparagus and garlic are softened and tender; set aside.
In a large, shallow salad bowl, combine the halved cherry tomatoes and chopped avocado. Add the contents of the pan with the asparagus and toss well to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve alongside everything from grilled foods to sandwiches to pasta dishes.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes