It’s that time of year when the outdoors are a little unbearable. Your hair plasters itself to the back of your neck, you’re constantly sweating, and it seems as if every time you try to cool down with ice cream, it melts before you can even get a bite in. We get it, it’s hot out. To enjoy what you can of the dog days of summer, follow our lead. This is the time to be enjoying the sudden influx of beautiful summer produce, in all their raw, crunchy glory. Here are 6 recipes to celebrate the crisp veggies while they last.
Recipe: Radish Couscous opens in a new tab
Lovely, fresh, delicious and quick. The dark arugula, edamame and spring greens mix prettily on our white salad plate beside the magenta radishes and glistening little pearls of couscous. Each bite has bounce, crunch and creaminess, and is mixed with flavors that nicely balance between savory, sweet, bitter, spicy and cucumber cool.
Recipe: Collard Wraps with Herbed Cashew Spread and Roast Peppers opens in a new tab
A perfect way to start your journey into using greens as wrappers, this savory wrap is bursting with the flavor of basil, sun-dried tomato and sweet roasted peppers. Crunchy, satisfying and quick to make (and pack) for a green lunch. Literally.
Recipe: Plum Avocado Summer Salad opens in a new tab
A study in contrasts, this salad blew us away with its unexpected combination of flavors and textures. It's as if the marriage of tart-sweet plum and buttery avocado was always meant to be—and the fragrant cilantro garlic dressing brings just the right amount of heat to the party, in the form of a dried chili.
Recipe: Crunchy Celery, Radish and Turnip Salad-Slaw in Blue Cheese Sauce opens in a new tab
A summer salad that combines a tangy, creamy dressing with a who's who list of crispy vegetables: radishes, young turnips, celery and scallions. Sturdy enough to be picnic-ready, yet classy enough for the fanciest of picnics, we'll be toting this salad along to outdoor fetes all summer long.
Recipe: Dilled, Crunchy Sweet-Corn Salad with Buttermilk Dressing opens in a new tab
We love the hit of herbs (dill and parsley) and the zip of onion and garlic in the dressing; the creamy crumbles of salty feta are a perfect counterpoint to the sweet corn and peppers.
Recipe: Shades of Green Chopped Salad opens in a new tab
This salad delivers a cool palette of greens—crisp cucumber, tart Granny Smith, crunchy pistachio, sweet golden raisin and a sparkly crème fraîche and chive dressing to hold it all together—all while cleverly sidestepping the distraction of the classic salad green: lettuce.
What cool dishes will you be making as the temperature rises? Share your tips and suggestions in the comments section below.
