10 Summer Perfect Salads

It's Monday again. Hard to believe I've been away from the blog for a whole week. You would think a week was enough time to prepare a post, but then you would discover the reason school and I didn't get along. And the reason for that would be procrastination. I was lazy all weekend, so lazy I couldn't bother to point and shoot with that camera thingy. So here it is, Monday morning. I'm bright-eyed and bushy-tailed with no material to write on. The great thing about being a food blogger is that I've got troves of recipes to bring forth from the archives. Well, maybe not troves, but you get the idea. So I'll slink off into the shadows with my camera, to practice with my photography light. With any luck, I'll have new material for tomorrow. Without further adieu, lets jump right in!

Tomato Cucumber Mozzarella Salad- This is one of my favorite summer salads. It's a great way to use those summer bounties of tomatoes and cucumbers. Fresh mozzarella gives this salad a creamy twist, and you'd never know the dressing is simply lime juice and olive oil. This salad is a house favorite around here.

Buffalo Chicken Salad- Why wouldn't you want to eat this salad? Crispy, pan-fried chicken, brushed with spicy buffalo sauce. Paired with a creamy blue cheese dressing, this main-dish salad is also man-friendly. 

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad- A combination of 2 of my favorite food items- pasta and Caesar salad. Making your own Caesar dressing out of Greek yogurt makes for a flavorful salad minus the calories and heavy-handed preservatives. Adding chewy pasta to this salad makes it unforgettable. 

SW Chopped Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing- Let me make this clear- I heart cilantro. I love it! There's something so magical about that first chop into a bunch of freshly picked cilantro. The smell that's released is fresh, delicious, and decidedly Latin. This creamy dressing really ties together this colorful, crunchy salad.

Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad- Do you like chicken? Bacon? Avocado? Blue cheese? Raspberry vinaigrette? Put all of these ingredients together, and you have a salad you'll be thinking about for days. Did I say thinking? I meant craving :)

California Cobb Salad- There's no reason not to make this main-dish salad. It's full of of the good stuff. Lots of protein from lean chicken breast and hard-boiled egg. Good fats from the avocado. Plenty of tomato and lettuce. And just enough bacon bits to make life interesting. Tie all of this together with a tangy Italian dressing, and I'll guarantee you won't be hungry after dinner. 

Mediterranean Falafel Salad- Break out of the box. Falafel is healthy, flavorful, and extremely affordable. Pair falafel patties with this Mediterranean salad for a meal-time adventure. Once you're a falafel convert, try it in pitas as a sandwich!

Chicken and Black Bean Salad- This is my Taco Salad without ground beef. This salad has a decidedly Mexican flair with its lime vinaigrette flavored with coriander, chili powder, and cumin. Flavorful chicken, creamy black beans, crunchy peppers and lettuce... I'm starting to get hungry :)

Greek Salad with Shrimp- What's a salad list without Greek salad? The hubby often asks if I could visit anywhere in Europe, where would I like to go? I often reply Greece. Gorgeous beach views, Mediterranean-inspired weather, a plethora of history, and Greek food? Yes, please!  Cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives, pepperoncinis, feta, and succulent shrimp- only the best combination ever. I'll keep making this until I can experience true Greek food for myself.

Apple Walnut Salad with Poppyseed Dressing- This will become your go-to salad dressing if you make it. I promise you it will. We consistently have a bottle of this in our fridge at all times. It's the most amazing and flavorful homemade dressing I've ever made. I can't talk this dressing up enough, you must try it for yourself. Pair the dressing with this salad, or heck, pair it with any salad. The dressing is extremely versatile, it works with almost any ingredient you can think of to throw on a salad. Just trust me on this one. 

Hopefully I've given everyone some salad ideas. In the meantime, I'll be channeling my energy towards producing some new photographs. In between making cookies,  of course, since that's on my agenda as well. My house, cookie-less, just doesn't feel the same.

Happy Monday friends! Have a great week!

Linked to: Treasure Box Tuesdays