I love everything about summer in Iowa. I love the hot temperatures, all the fun activities that come in the summer season (swimming, baseball games, bike rides, and picnics), and of course the wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables that are available. I also have to admit something to you guys that I haven't told many people before but I AM...... a seasonal eater. Whew! That's feels better to get off my chest. Now it's out in the open! So when we have unseasonable weather my stomach gets confused and sends signals to my brains that starts craving foods that don't go with the season. To explain further, because now you might think I'm the "crazy" one, this week for dinners we have had oven roasted chicken wings, thanksgiving turkey dinner with mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole, and meatball subs. Not my typical summer menu, yet you could find it in my kitchen during the fall time when I'm thinking of warming up and eating more hearty meals. I mean I should be eating salad, and grilling every meal or even eating corn on the cob because it is so delicious right now but my stomach is so confused it's not even craving that.
What does this all even mean? It means that I'm super excited that Mother Nature bounced back from her fall vacation and is giving summer back to Iowa. Bring on the hot weather and all that is wonderful about summer in Iowa. I'm even going to celebrate by making the best seasonal salad with the freshest tomatoes, cucumbers, and green peppers that I can find. I might even pair it with a grilled chicken breast and have an amazing dinner? So long turkey and green bean casserole, I'll see you in November!
Let's get this summer party started right!
So we have the ingredients together for the salad so let's get cutting!
So start with your red onions and cut off the ends and take the outside layer off. You will be only using half of the onion for the recipe unless you are doubling it, so set the other half aside
Cut the half into half giving you fourths.
Now slice as thin as possible.
Now this is a little trick that I do for most salad that use fresh onions. I am not a huge fan of raw onions because I feel like they have a strong taste. If you are like me, add your raw onions to an ice bath for about 10 minutes after they have been sliced. This will take the "bite" out of the onion.
While the onions are hanging out in the bath, start cutting the cherry tomatoes in half.
and throw them into the bowl
Next we cut the green peppers in thin slices that will be small enough to fit in our mouth, but big enough to still get the crunch. Cut the top and bottom off the green pepper, open it up, cutting the seeds out. We are using only half of the green pepper so set the other aside.
When you are done cutting the peppers, add to the bowl of tomatoes.
Now we are on to the cucumber. You are more than welcome to just take the seeds out of the cucumber and keep the skins on if you would like. I prefer to remove most of the skin, since it can be waxy. It's your call, it's your food, your salad.
Cutting the top and bottom off the cucumber to create a nice flat surface to cut the skin off. You can use a vegetable peeler as well. I just don't like to dirty a lot of dishes if I don't need to. My knife's already out and it's convenient.
Cut open the cucumber and get ready to remove the seeds. Again you can keep them in there but I feel like it adds too much moisture to the dressing when it sits so I remove them.
All you need is a spoon to scrap the seeds out.
Now just cut the cucumbers into thin slices and add them to the party.
After the 10 minutes are when I'm done cutting all the vegetables, I add the onions that have been soaking in the cold water bath.
Add your Kalamata olives and set aside to make your dressing. Don't worry you are almost done.
Gather your dressing ingredients.
First we add the olive oil to a medium bowl.
Next we add the lemon juice. I use a half of a lemon and it usually give me 2-3 tbsp. of liquid. I just use a fine mesh sieve place over the olive oil bowl and juice it right over. The sieve will catch the seeds.
As you can see I just use the same technique as with limes and use a fork to assist me in getting all the liquid out. After the
After the lemon juice, add the red wine vinegar. Now we take one clove of garlic and smash it, then mince it. Getting ready to pound it out to release all the delicious flavor and aroma that garlic is good for.
Take a pinch of the dried oregano and rub them between your fingers when adding to the bowl of dressing. This is break up the herbs into smaller pieces, exposing more of the herb making it more fragrant and flavorful.
Finally add a little kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and start whisking it, just a little bit.
I said whisking it, just a little bit.
Look what you made, a delicious dressing to add to a wonderful salad.
Pour that dressing over the fresh vegetables and mix it up.
Look how colorful this salad is. How could this not make you feel better and get back into the summer feeling?
Top if off with a little crumbled feta cheese and now it looks like summer on a plate!
Fresh, light, and delicious!
Maybe add a little protein to this salad and you have yourself one meal that will keep you full and busy doing what you love to do in summer.
Greek Vegetable Salad
1 pkg of cherry tomatoes, cut in 1/2
1 cucumber, peeled sliced and deseeded
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 c. Kalamata olives, pitted
1/4 c. olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Crumbled feta cheese, to garnish
In a large bowl add the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, pepper, and olives. In a smaller bowl add the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and mix until all incorporated. Pour the dressing over the fresh vegetables and mix until all incorporated. Best to refrigerate 1 hour before serving. Before serving garnish with feta cheese.
-Cool
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