• It’s a Cookbook
    It’s a Philosophy
    It’s a Resource
logologologologo
  • FoodTrients 101 –
  • News –
      • Age Gracefully with Grace O
      • Ginger Hultin, Nutrition
      • Mark Rosenberg, MD
      • Robert Tostado, MD
      • Anti-Aging –
      • Beauty –
      • Food –
      • Health –
      • Exercise –
      • Celiac –
      • Life Extension
      • Books We Love –
      • FoodTrients Guides –
      • Newsletter –
      • capsule full of good foodAre Supplements Safe for You?
      • woman doing yogaSecrets of the Lymphatic System
      • woman fanning herselfWomen, Food, and Hormones: A Plan
      • "collagen" written on a chalkboardSave Your Eyes with Collagen
  • Recipes –
    • SEARCH BY:

      • Category:

      • Starters –
      • Soups –
      • Salads –
      • Main Dishes –
      • Sides –
      • Desserts –
      • Drinks –
      • Extras –
      • Spice Mixes –
      • All Recipes –
      • Or Search By:

      • Anti-inflammatory –
      • Antioxidant –
      • Beauty –
      • Detox –
      • Disease Prevention –
      • Gut Health –
      • Immunity Booster –
      • Mind –
      • Strength –
      • buffalo meat slidersBuffalo Sliders with Cranberries
      • exotic fruit and granolaExotic Fruit Salad with Granola
      • chocolate mousseDark Chocolate Mousse
      • Green Tea NoodlesGreen Tea Noodles with Edamame
  • Resources –
  • About –
  • Shop –
  • Media –
  • Home Page
  • News
    • Age Gracefully
    • Anti-Aging
    • Beauty
    • Food
    • Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO
    • Health
    • Newsletter
  • Recipes
    • Starters
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Main Dishes
    • Sides
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Extras
    • Spice Mixes
  • Resources
    • Anti-Aging Resources
    • Health
    • Eating Well
    • Books We Love
  • About
    • About Grace O
    • Experts and Advisors
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest
  • Shop
  • Media
    • In the Media
    • Press Releases
    • Videos
            No results See all results
            ✕
                      No results See all results

                      Summertime and It’s International Salad Time

                      Published by Grace O

                      As the summer heats up, I’m less inclined to cook hot meals. Plus, go to any supermarket and it’s clear that produce is in full bloom. Colorful fruits and vegetables inspire me to whip up delicious and healthful salads.

                      When you go to Italy in the summer, you can’t believe how luscious the produce is. That’s because much of it is local or grown not far from where it’s consumed. Our own grocery stores are stocking much more local produce. Check out all the delicious produce at your nearby farmers market.

                      A few weeks ago, I wrote about international dressings and marinades. One was a Garlic/Lemon dressing to go on a Lebanese Fatoush Salad made with pita bread, cucumbers and tomatoes. It’s perfect for a lazy summer lunch. Another recent post featured a Turkish Salad with Herbs and Pomegranate-Sumac Dressing that will expand your ideas for salad greens.

                      Here’s another salad from the Mediterranean that takes advantage of melon season.

                      Melon and Arugula salad

                      Sardinian Melon and Walnut Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

                      Serves 4-6

                      In Southern Italy, the bounty of Mediterranean fruits often winds up in otherwise savory salads. Why not? You can use cantaloupe, Tuscan melon, Galia melon or even watermelon because they are all at their prime this time of year. If you can find Sugar Kiss melons, you’re in for a real treat. They are larger than a cantaloupe and have ‘netted’ skin. The flesh is cantaloupe color, soft and sweet. These melons are loaded with potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C.

                      The walnuts are rich in antioxidants, are a good source of Omega3 fatty acids, may decrease inflammation, and have compounds that may help prevent certain cancers.

                      Ingredients

                      For the vinaigrette:

                      ½ cup fresh orange juice
                      1 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
                      1 ½ Tbs. raspberry or red wine vinegar
                      3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
                      Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

                      For the salad:

                      3 lb. of Sugar Kiss melon cut into 1” cubes
                      2 shallots, thinly sliced
                      1 cup chopped walnuts
                      2 cups baby arugula
                      ¼ cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

                      Instructions

                      1. For the vinaigrette, combine the orange juice, lemon juice and vinegar in a small bowl.

                      2. Add the olive oil slowly and whisk until smooth; salt and pepper to taste.

                      3. For the salad, combine the melon, arugula, shallots and half the walnuts in a large salad bowl. Toss with the dressing.

                      4. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts and the Gorgonzola on top.

                      Black beans corn avocado red onion tomato salad with lime dressing

                      Cuban Corn, Avocado, Tomato and Jicama Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

                      Serves 4-6

                      Corn and tomatoes were discovered in the New World and summer is the time they are at their best. This salad, with its Latin flavors, is the perfect showcase. Buy your produce ingredients at a local farmers market if you can. The taste is magical! The black beans provide protein and fiber while the combination of the tomatoes and the olive oil has cancer-prevention properties. The cilantro, which you see in recipes from all over the world, is a superfood all on its own; high in vitamins and fiber, helps rid the body of toxic metals, protects against cell damage from oxidative stress, and can help regulate blood sugar, among other properties.

                      Ingredients

                      For Salad

                      1 large avocado, firm but with some give
                      2 ears of fresh corn
                      ½ medium jicama, peeled
                      12 mini heirloom cherry tomatoes in various colors, halved
                      ½ can black beans, rinsed
                      ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
                      2 tsp. lemon juice
                      1 Tbs. pepitas (optional)

                      For Dressing

                      4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
                      4 Tbs. fresh lime juice
                      Dash sea salt
                      Freshly ground pepper to taste
                      1/8 tsp. ground coriander
                      1/8 tsp. ground cumin

                      Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk together vigorously. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

                      Instructions

                      1. Put all the ingredients into a large glass or ceramic bowl. Cut the avocado in half, remove the seed, then cut the pulp into ½” chunks.

                      2. Scrape the kernels off the corn cobs; add to the bowl.

                      3. Cut the peeled jicama into matchsticks, about ¼”x1 ¼”.

                      4. Add in the rinsed black beans, the cilantro leaves and the lemon juice; toss well.

                      5. Pour in the dressing and toss thoroughly.

                      6. Serve on mixed greens or on top of toasted flat bread.

                      7. Top with pepitas, if desired.

                      soba noodle salad

                      Sweet/Spicy Soba Rainbow Salad

                      Serves 4-6

                      This recipe features soba noodles, which are made with buckwheat flour and contain 8 grams of protein per serving. The vegetables add lots of vitamins, minerals and make this salad filling and satisfying. Toss in some cooked, shredded chicken breast or cooked shrimp to make it even more substantial.

                      Ingredients

                      12 oz. package soba buckwheat noodles
                      ¾ cup peeled, shredded carrots
                      5 scallions, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal, halfway up the green stalk
                      1 cup baby Bok Choi, leaves torn
                      ¾ cup diced red bell pepper
                      1 cup Chinese pea pods or sugar snap peas
                      ½ cup shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
                      3 Tbs. fresh cilantro leaves
                      1 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds

                      For Dressing

                      ¼ cup smooth (natural) peanut butter
                      ¼ cup hot water
                      1 Tbs. honey
                      4 Tbs. fresh lime juice
                      2 cloves garlic, minced
                      1 Tbs. mirin or seasoned rice vinegar
                      2 tsp. soy sauce
                      2 tsp. hot sauce such as sriracha
                      3 Tbs. sesame or avocado oil (sesame oil has a distinctive, nutty flavor; avocado oil is more neutral)

                      Instructions

                      1. Cook the soba noodles in salted water according to package directions, about 3-4 minutes. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water. Noodles should be al dente. Set aside.

                      2. Prepare the dressing in a medium bowl; whisk together the peanut butter, hot water, honey, mirin and soy sauce. Blend in the lime juice, garlic, hot sauce and sesame oil; whisk all to combine thoroughly.

                      3. In a large bowl, combine the soba noodles, carrots, green onions, baby bok choi, pea pods (or sugar snap peas), red bell pepper, mushrooms and cilantro. Add in the dressing and toss well.

                      4. Sprinkle in the toasted sesame seeds and serve.

                       

                      Share
                      Grace O
                      Grace O
                      GRACE O is the creator of FoodTrients, a unique program for optimizing wellness and longevity. She is the author of three award-winning cookbooks – The Age Gracefully Cookbook, The Age Beautifully Cookbook, and Anti-Aging Dishes From Around the World. She is a fusion chef with a mission to deliver delicious recipes built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 20 years in the healthcare industry.

                      Sign Up to get our
                      NEWSLETTER FREE

                      Select list(s) to subscribe to


                      By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: FoodTrients, 14011 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA, 91423, http://www.foodtrients.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

                      Grace O Blog

                      • It’s Citrus Season and the Squeeze Is On!
                        January 18, 2023
                      • 0
                        Discover the Many-Splendored Foods of Malta
                        January 15, 2023
                      • beet orange juice
                        Holiday Recovery! Detox With This Juice
                        January 14, 2023
                      • Ring in the New Year with FoodTrients!
                        January 14, 2023
                      • detox tea
                        Want to Detox? Try These Top 10 Cleansing Foods!
                        January 14, 2023

                      Latest Articles

                      • 0
                        Shrimp and Grapefruit Salad
                        January 27, 2023
                      • 0
                        Feeling Down? It May Not Be Just The Winter Blues…
                        January 25, 2023
                      • 0
                        Centenarians Abound in Isolated Nicoya
                        January 19, 2023
                      • It’s Citrus Season and the Squeeze Is On!
                        January 18, 2023
                      • 0
                        Discover the Many-Splendored Foods of Malta
                        January 15, 2023

                      SEE MORE

                      SEE MORE

                      ABOUT

                      • Grace O
                      • Our Experts
                      • FoodTrients
                      • Board of Advisors
                      • FAQs

                      EXPLORE

                      • Age Gracefully by Grace O
                      • News
                      • Recipes
                      • Our Guides
                      • Resources
                      • Shop
                      • Media

                      CONNECT

                      • Contact Us
                      • Subscribe
                      • Facebook
                      • Pinterest
                      • Instagram
                      • Twitter
                      • YouTube

                      SIGN UP for our NEWSLETTER

                      Nourish your week! Get the latest wellness news and delicious recipes to help you age better.

                      Select list(s) to subscribe to


                      By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: FoodTrients, 14011 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA, 91423, http://www.foodtrients.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

                      FoodTrients Trademark™ and copyright © 2011-2022 Triple G Enterprises. I Terms and Conditions I Privacy

                      This website is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. FoodTrients – A Recipe for Aging Beautifully Grace O, author and creator of FoodTrients® -- a philosophy, a cookbook and a resource -- has a new cookbook dedicated to age-defying and delicious recipes, The Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World, which provides one hundred-plus recipes that promote health and well-being. The recipes are built on foundations of modern scientific research and ancient knowledge of medicinal herbs and natural ingredients from around the world. Since the publication of her first anti-aging book, The Age GRACEfully Cookbook, Grace O has identified eight categories of FoodTrients benefits (Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Immune Booster, Disease Prevention, Beauty, Strength, Mind, and Weight Loss) that are essential to fighting aging, which show how specific foods, herbs, and spices in the recipes help keep skin looking younger, prevent the diseases of aging, and increase energy and vitality. Grace O combines more exotic ingredients that add age-fighting benefits to familiar recipe favorites.

                                No results See all results