We don't know about you, but this summer weather makes us dread the heat and humidity that comes with cooking in the kitchen. Whether you live in a house with central A/C or a studio apartment with a feeble window unit, a Sacramento summer is no joke and we're looking for every way to stay cool this season!
In an attempt to stay away from baking, roasting, and any sort of frying, we've whipped up some cool-as-a-cucumber salads that work as a workday lunch or for a family dinner - just adjust the measurements to fit your group.
Keep an eye on our story every Wednesday from now until the 27th for new salad ideas and how-to's. First up? A kale salad that's as simple as it's delicious.
Oh Kale Yeah!
Salad:
1 bunch of kale
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1 medium-boiled egg
Dressing:
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 pinch of salt
1 tbsp red chili flakes
lemon juice to taste
Instructions:
This salad is delish and is best prepped in advance so the kale can soak up the dressing. Kale is a tougher green and can hold a heavier dressing than lettuce, making it an ideal make-ahead work lunch.
Make the dressing and boil the egg the night before if time allows! This will save you time the next day and allow the dressing flavors to meld and intensify.
To make the dressing, peel and smash 3 garlic cloves and toss into a mason jar. If you like a heavier garlic flavor, add more! Combine the olive oil, balsamic, salt, red chili flakes and lemon juice to taste in the same mason jar. Shake to combine and set aside.
For the medium-boiled egg, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the egg (or eggs, if you want more than one). Cover and boil for 2 minutes. At the 2-minute
mark, turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for 7-8 minutes. This should leave you with an easy-to-peel, perfectly done medium-boiled egg. If you prefer a hard-boiled egg, leave covered for 9-10 minutes.
Cut the kale off of the rib, chop roughly and rinse. We use a salad spinner, but you can rinse and dry the kale in a colander if you don't have a spinner. Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut in half. Combine kale and tomatoes. If you want to get creative with toppings, we recommend avocado, sun dried tomatoes or Parmesan shavings. This salad is a great base to work off of, so have fun with it!
Add the dressing, toss and serve. Enjoy!
This is Rad...ish
Salad:
2 handfuls of mixed greens
1/2 avocado, sliced
1 radish, sliced
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 chicken breast, sliced
Dressing:
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
4 small garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Instructions:
This salad couldn't be more simple and delicious. The crisp radishes and creamy avocado add levels of flavor to a simple green salad. To save time, purchase pre-cooked chicken from the deli section of your favorite grocery store, use rotisserie chicken or use left over chicken from last nights dinner! For even more of a protein punch, use leftover flank steak.
First, prep your dressing! Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth. Adjust the seasonings to taste. I like my dressing super garlicky, so I always up the amount of garlic. This recipe makes 1 cup of dressing which can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container until necessary.
Rinse your greens and place in a bowl. Add toppings, protein, and drizzle with dressing. Toss, and enjoy!
All the Fun Without the Bun
Salad:
2 handfuls of spring mix
1/4 lb cooked ground beef
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup of pickles, diced
shredded cheese (as much as your heart desires)
Dressing:
1/2 cup of ranch dressing
1 teaspoon sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1 tablespoon of No Sugar Added Ketchup
Instructions:
This salad is a delicious go to when I am eating keto! Cheeseburgers are a favorite of mine and fortunately, the bread is not what makes them delicious, it just happens to be a vehicle to eat them. This salad gives all the tasty goodness of a cheeseburger without all the carbs and heaviness of the bun, it is also SUPER filling. You won't be missing the bun or the fries.
First, cook up your ground beef. I season mine with a garlic salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Once that is fully cooked, leave it to cool a bit and prep you're dressing.
Here is where the salad gets personal. Whether you're a Big Mac lover, a BBQ burger type of person, prefer heavy mustard or take your burger a different way there is likely a Keto friendly dressing that will meet your needs. I'm pretty simple when it comes to my burgers, I like a little bit of ketchup and a little bit of spice. I use a classic ranch as a base and mix the no sugar added ketchup with paprika and crushed red pepper flakes. Its the perfect amount of spicy for me and the ranch and ketchup give it that classic burger flavor.
Once the dressing is done and the ground beef has cooled a bit, chop your tomatoes and pickles and gather any other keto friendly burger toppings (BACON!), toss, sprinkle with a little (or a lot, in my case) cheese and enjoy!
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