Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Tomato Avocado & Grilled Corn Salad

Tomatoes, avocado, and grilled corn combine into a salad side dish that tastes just like summer!

Can you believe it's almost the end of August?  I don't know where the time has gone, but it is sure flying by.  We're having a heat wave here in L.A. so that means we are grilling a lot and making dishes that don't require much effort or cook time.  The best way to do that is using fresh summer produce to create your side dishes.

Today I'm bringing you another outstanding side dish that is super fresh!  As the 16th installment of my Summer Fresh Recipe Series this dish focus's on summer tomatoes, corn, avocado, and basil.  

TOMATO AVOCADO & GRILLED CORN SALAD

Fresh colorful and ripe tomatoes combine with grilled sweet corn and buttery avocado to form a side salad.  Sprinkle on some tangy feta cheese and fresh basil, along with an easy vinaigrette and you have a stunning side dish that tastes like summertime!

I found this recipe in my Taste of Home American Summer Cookbook.  What a fabulous book.  There are so many recipes I want to try that I highly suggest getting this book and cooking from it until fall really hits.

The only cooking in this recipe is grilling the corn on the cob.  We did this along side some our Sumac Chicken we were grilling.  Once that is done you just remove the corn from the cob and assemble the salad.  Prep the other ingredients ahead of time, or while the items are grilling and you have a quick and easy side dish.

Kitchen Note:  This dish is spectacular with fresh heirloom tomatoes. Bonus: The amped-up flavor means you can cut back on the salt. I used red and orange heirloom tomatoes.

Summer Fresh Recipe Series

• Spinach Orzo Salad with Chickpeas 
• Cherry Almond Muffins
• Watermelon Salad Mediterranean Style
• Chicken Fajita Kabobs
• Refreshing Melon Salad
• Peach Blueberry & Ginger Crisp
• Grilled Sirloin Steak with Garlic Herb Vinaigrette
• Grilled Vegetable Platter
• Sirloin Steak topped with Herb Salsa with Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Grilled Honey Ginger Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Apricots & Brocollini
• Lemon Raspberry Dutch Baby
• Simple Mediterranean Salad
• Grilled Chicken Kofta
• Greek Cobb Salad

Tomato Avocado & Grilled Corn Salad 

Serves 8

1 medium ear sweet corn, husks removed
3 large red tomatoes, sliced
3 large yellow tomatoes, sliced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese


Grill corn, covered, over medium heat 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and tender, turning occasionally. Cool slightly. Cut corn from cob.

Arrange tomato slices on a large serving platter. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Top with avocado slices. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, basil and remaining salt and pepper; drizzle half over the tomatoes and avocado. Top with grilled corn and feta; drizzle remaining dressing over top. Garnish with additional chopped basil.

Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Spinach Orzo Salad with Chickpeas

A healthy and delicious salad that is perfect for warm 

weather days!

Everyone loves a good pasta salad, and everyone needs a few in their go-to recipes to make quickly for weekend cookouts, potlucks, family gatherings, and picnics.  This is one of those recipes!  Simple, quick, and very tasty.  This is why this is my 15th installment of my Summer Fresh Recipe Series.  We all need items that use fresh summer produce and are quick and easy to make.  

SPINACH ORZO SALAD WITH CHICKPEAS

Today's pasta salad recipe highlights some great produce that makes this one extra fresh.   The pasta is kept on the small side by using orzo, then we add in some baby spinach, parsley, and green onions for texture and flavor, and then some wonderful grape tomatoes that are at their peak right now. The additional of chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) add protein and give this salad a little more heartiness.  I've also included a great little dressing for you that's simple and quick and give some zip to the salad with the addition of some lemon and hot sauce.  

This is the perfect side dish because it goes with everything from grilled meats, burgers and hot dogs, to sandwiches.  This will hold up well in the heat since there is no dairy.  You can also prepare this ahead and just leave off the dressing until you are ready to serve.  It's best served at room temperature but any leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (if they last that long!). 

This salad was a complete hit and is definitely on my "repeat list" for side dishes this summer.  

 

Enjoy!

Additional pasta salads you may enjoy:

Orzo Black Bean Salad

Summer Bounty Vegetable Pasta Salad

The BEST Broccoli Pasta Salad

Fresh Italian Pesto Pasta Salad

Lynn's Chicken Pasta Salad

Summer Fresh Recipe Series

• Cherry Almond Muffins
• Watermelon Salad Mediterranean Style
• Chicken Fajita Kabobs
• Refreshing Melon Salad
• Peach Blueberry & Ginger Crisp
• Grilled Sirloin Steak with Garlic Herb Vinaigrette
• Grilled Vegetable Platter
• Sirloin Steak topped with Herb Salsa with Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Grilled Honey Ginger Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Apricots & Brocollini
• Lemon Raspberry Dutch Baby
• Simple Mediterranean Salad
• Grilled Chicken Kofta
• Greek Cobb Salad

Spinach Orzo Salad with Chickpeas

serves: 6

1 cup chicken broth, low sodium
3/4 cup orzo pasta
2 cup fresh baby spinach
1 cup grape tomatoes, havled
1 can (15oz) chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 green onion, sliced

Dressing:
2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp lemon zest
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
pinch garlic powder
a dash or hot pepper sauce
pinch pepper

In a medium saucepan bring broth to a boil.  Add the orzo, stir and return to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer covered.  Cook 8 minutes until al dente.  Drain if needed.

In a large bowl toss spinach and warm orzo, to allow spinach to wilt slightly.  Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, parsley and green onions.

In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.  Toss with salad and serve at room temperature.  Leftovers may be kept in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Cherry Almond Muffins

Hot from the oven, tender muffins bursting with tart cherries and sweet earthy almonds is a flavor combination that will have you going back for seconds!

Time for some more baked goods!  As the 14th installment of my Summer Fresh Recipe Series of easy summer meals using the abundance of produce available we are going to highlight Cherries today!  I love cherries, and buy them every week throughout cherry season (which is so dang short!).  Sometimes it's hard to cook with them because we eat them like candy.  I serve them sitting in a bowl of ice during the summer months.  When I do get a chance to hide some away for cooking I'm bursting with joy, and today's recipe is bursting with cherries!

CHERRY ALMOND MUFFINS

One bite and you will experience pure summer bliss.  There's something about cherries that scream summer whether it is a cherry pie, cherry ice cream, or these cherry muffins.  So get them while they are still around and make these muffins pronto.

Enjoy!

Some additional cherry recipes:

• Cherry Garcia Scone
• Cherryade
• Cherry Berry Smoothie
• Chocolate Cherry Banana Bread

Summer Fresh Recipe Series

• Watermelon Salad Mediterranean Style
• Chicken Fajita Kabobs
• Refreshing Melon Salad
• Peach Blueberry & Ginger Crisp
• Grilled Sirloin Steak with Garlic Herb Vinaigrette
• Grilled Vegetable Platter
• Sirloin Steak topped with Herb Salsa with Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Grilled Honey Ginger Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Apricots & Brocollini
• Lemon Raspberry Dutch Baby
• Simple Mediterranean Salad
• Grilled Chicken Kofta
• Greek Cobb Salad

Cherry Almond Muffins

serves: 6 muffins

1 egg
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cherries, pitted and rough chopped

1/3 cup almonds, rough chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl add the egg, milk, canola oil, and almond extract and whisk until light. Add in all the dry ingredients with the exception of the cherries and almonds. Mix batter just until incorporated.  Do not over mix. Batter should be thick.  Fold in the cherries and almonds lightly until mixed throughout.

Using a large ice cream scoop, divide batter among the wells of a muffin pan sprayed with cooking spray. Top with extra sliced almonds.

Bake for 16-18 minutes until tops are light brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm.