Make healthy salads out of the summer’s fresh produce

Greek Salad

3 large ripe tomatoes, chopped 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped

1 small red onion

1/4 cup olive oil 4 teaspoons lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano salt and pepper to taste 1 cup crumbled feta cheese 6 black Greek olives, pitted and sliced

In shallow salad bowl, or on serving platter, combine tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Sprinkle with oil, lemon juice, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle feta cheese and olives over salad. Serve.

Layered Salmon Cobb Salad

¾ cup buttermilk

1/4 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

½ clove garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill salt and ground black pepper to taste

3 cups fresh green beans, trimmed

1 pound salmon fillets ½ teaspoon vegetable oil 4 cups chopped green leaf lettuce

1 pound tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 (15 oz) can corn, drained 2 cucumbers, halved and sliced 5 hard-boiled eggs, halved 4 slices cooked bacon, cut into thin strips

4 spring onions, thinly sliced

Combine buttermilk, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, and garlic in a jar. Seal and shake well. Stir in dill, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate dressing.

Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add green beans, cover, and steam until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and let cool.

Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Brush salmon with vegetable oil; season with salt and pepper.

Cook salmon on the preheated grill until flesh flakes easily with a fork, 6 to 8 minutes per side.

Layer lettuce, tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, green beans, and hard-boiled eggs in a large glass trifle bowl. Place salmon on top. Garnish with bacon and spring onions. Serve dressing alongside.

Blueberry Walnut Salad

1 (10 oz) package mixed salad greens

1 pint fresh blueberries 1/4 cup walnuts

½ cup raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a large bowl, toss the salad greens with the blueberries, walnuts, and raspberry vinaigrette. Top with feta cheese to serve.

Mexican Bean Salad

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained

1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 (10 oz) package frozen corn kernels

1 red onion, chopped ½ cup olive oil

½ cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons white sugar 1 tablespoon salt

1 clove crushed garlic 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro ½ tablespoon ground cumin ½ tablespoon ground black pepper

1 dash hot pepper sauce

½ teaspoon chili powder

In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar,

lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder.

Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

2 bunches spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces 4 cups sliced strawberries ½ cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup white wine vinegar ½ cup white sugar 1/4 teaspoon paprika 2 tablespoons sesame seeds 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

In a large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.