As temperatures climb, my desire to turn on the oven plummets. Still eat we must, so I find myself turning to salads regularly. I'm not talking any skimpy salads or the stuff of diets, I'm talking hearty, substantial salads that are as delicious as they are filling.
With all of the fresh vegetables in season, and farmers' markets brimming over with their colorful bounty, summer is a perfect time to start spinning salad into your weekly dinner rotation. Even your biggest eaters will concur that these hearty salads are no mere rabbit food, but rather wonderful, filling meals. Here are six sensational summer salad recipes to try.
What are your favorite dinner salads?
Image via arnold | inuyaki/Flickr
California Pizza Kitchen's Thai Crunch Salad With Chicken
This recipe comes pretty close to the original from CPK. It's a fantastic mix of Asian flavors, complete with crunchy won tons, creamy avocados, and the incredible Thai peanut dressing.
Bread Salad
Also known as Panzanella, this is a hearty yet vegetarian dish. With day-old bread, tomatoes, and lots of extras thrown in, this recipe is a winner for sure.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This recipe takes all the goodness of a chicken Caesar salad, but bulks it up with some pasta. And just so you know, there's bacon in there too.
Turkey Taco Salad
Give taco night a twist with this delicious taco salad using ground turkey. The recipe calls for a fantastic assortment of vegetables and other goodies, but you can modify it to fit the taste of whoever you may be feeding.
Steak & Blue Cheese Salad With Fried Onions
This is one big salad. With steak, blue cheese, tomatoes, and crispy fried onions, this recipe from The Pioneer Woman is one of the best I've ever had. If your man likes steak, it's a great one for Father's Day too.
Chopped Italian Salad
Chopped salads are a favorite in my family, maybe because we're lazy and the cutting is already done, but also because they're just delicious. This recipe uses a host of Italian ingredients including salami, cheese, and other goodies to make for one irresistible salad.
