Howdy y'all! I know it's been a while since I've last posted. I have no excuses for not writing, except that life just got busier and time got away from me. Working long hours on my dissertation leaves me exhausted and brain dead at the end of the day -- but that doesn't mean I don't ache to write! The three people that actually read my food blog have all commented on the dearth of posts as of late; it made me both sad and happy -- sad that I don't have as much time to write and happy that people actually read this blog. :)
All I can think about these days, aside from my dissertation and how I'm going to finish it in a reasonable amount of time, is how I can stay cool in this summer heat. Atlanta recently experienced one of the worst heat waves in its history -- temperatures soared to nearly 110 for a whole week straight. As miserable as that was, the heat lately has been somewhat manageable, thanks to nearly daily thunderstorms that have cooled the air. Despite this <perhaps temporary> relief from the heat, I still crave juicy, fresh fruit, cool, crisp salads, and sweet, refreshing homemade smoothies.
As such, I dedicate this post to the celebration of the salad. Salads are incredibly versatile -- they can be prepared for virtually any meal, as a side or an entree, and come in sorts of varieties. They cut through the summer heat, making those long, hot months bearable, and even enjoyable. They can be enjoyed at weekend barbeques, during an afternoon at the pool, or as an appetizer for an fancy meal indoors. Whatever the occasion or event, salads are refreshing -- they allow us to enjoy and appreciate the flavor of each component of the dish.
Here are a few simple salads that I make routinely in the summer time:
1. Corn and black bean salad: Folks, it makes ALL the difference in the world to use fresh ingredients.* The combination of the hearty, smoky black beans with the sweetness of summer corn is both refreshing and filling. I usually add some salt, lime, and fresh cilantro to add more flavor and bring out the flavors of the corn and black beans. You can also add tomatoes and avocados to make a fresh, chunky 'salsa,' or a heartier summer salad.
2. Garbanzo, tomato, and cucumber salad: This is a salad I sort of grew up eating -- it has garbanzo beans (you can used canned or fresh, as long as they are cooked), tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and cilantro. I usually season generously with salt, pepper, and fresh lime. This refreshing salad is always a hit at barbeques!
3. Berry salad: You can never go wrong with this one; it's quick and easy, cheap in the summer time, and always refreshing and delicious. You can add virtually any type of berry to this salad, as well as grapes, fresh pineapples (!!), peaches, or kiwis (or really, any other fresh fruit). Add some fresh, chopped mint to accentuate the sweetness of the fruit, and chopped pecans or walnuts to bring some texture to the salad.
4. Peaches and basil salad: It's just what it sounds like. Georgia peaches are incredibly juicy and rich in flavor. I crave them so much in the peak of summer. Adding fresh basil adds an aromatic punch to the sweet, floral scent of the peaches. This combination also works great as a popsicle, as I discovered at the local King of Pops stand!
*In case you are wondering (I was asked this just the other day), there is a trick to making fresh black beans in a minimal amount of time (i.e. about 30-45 minutes) without the hassle of remembering to soak them the night before. That's RIGHT! You CAN still make fresh beans if you forget to soak them -- you read correctly. All you do is put the dry beans in a large, oven-safe pot with a dash of salt and some water (add enough to cover the beans by an inch or two) and bake with the lid on at 350 for about 30-45 minutes. I imagine you'd have to try pretty hard to burn them, so you can always leave them in a little longer if you're worried about interior crunchiness. Oh! And don't throw away the residual liquid in the pot! It's chock-full of flavor, trust me.
In case you're wondering about the fresh corn, making it off the cob is also relatively simple, and takes even less time. All you do is remove the ears of the corn and the silky 'stuff' on the inside, rinse the cob, and remove the corn kernels using a knife (I generally do this into a wide-necked bowl in the sink). Sautee the corn for about 2-3 minutes with a pinch of salt and a sliver of butter, and voila! Sweet corn off the cob.
All I can think about these days, aside from my dissertation and how I'm going to finish it in a reasonable amount of time, is how I can stay cool in this summer heat. Atlanta recently experienced one of the worst heat waves in its history -- temperatures soared to nearly 110 for a whole week straight. As miserable as that was, the heat lately has been somewhat manageable, thanks to nearly daily thunderstorms that have cooled the air. Despite this <perhaps temporary> relief from the heat, I still crave juicy, fresh fruit, cool, crisp salads, and sweet, refreshing homemade smoothies.
As such, I dedicate this post to the celebration of the salad. Salads are incredibly versatile -- they can be prepared for virtually any meal, as a side or an entree, and come in sorts of varieties. They cut through the summer heat, making those long, hot months bearable, and even enjoyable. They can be enjoyed at weekend barbeques, during an afternoon at the pool, or as an appetizer for an fancy meal indoors. Whatever the occasion or event, salads are refreshing -- they allow us to enjoy and appreciate the flavor of each component of the dish.
Here are a few simple salads that I make routinely in the summer time:
1. Corn and black bean salad: Folks, it makes ALL the difference in the world to use fresh ingredients.* The combination of the hearty, smoky black beans with the sweetness of summer corn is both refreshing and filling. I usually add some salt, lime, and fresh cilantro to add more flavor and bring out the flavors of the corn and black beans. You can also add tomatoes and avocados to make a fresh, chunky 'salsa,' or a heartier summer salad.
2. Garbanzo, tomato, and cucumber salad: This is a salad I sort of grew up eating -- it has garbanzo beans (you can used canned or fresh, as long as they are cooked), tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and cilantro. I usually season generously with salt, pepper, and fresh lime. This refreshing salad is always a hit at barbeques!
3. Berry salad: You can never go wrong with this one; it's quick and easy, cheap in the summer time, and always refreshing and delicious. You can add virtually any type of berry to this salad, as well as grapes, fresh pineapples (!!), peaches, or kiwis (or really, any other fresh fruit). Add some fresh, chopped mint to accentuate the sweetness of the fruit, and chopped pecans or walnuts to bring some texture to the salad.
4. Peaches and basil salad: It's just what it sounds like. Georgia peaches are incredibly juicy and rich in flavor. I crave them so much in the peak of summer. Adding fresh basil adds an aromatic punch to the sweet, floral scent of the peaches. This combination also works great as a popsicle, as I discovered at the local King of Pops stand!
*In case you are wondering (I was asked this just the other day), there is a trick to making fresh black beans in a minimal amount of time (i.e. about 30-45 minutes) without the hassle of remembering to soak them the night before. That's RIGHT! You CAN still make fresh beans if you forget to soak them -- you read correctly. All you do is put the dry beans in a large, oven-safe pot with a dash of salt and some water (add enough to cover the beans by an inch or two) and bake with the lid on at 350 for about 30-45 minutes. I imagine you'd have to try pretty hard to burn them, so you can always leave them in a little longer if you're worried about interior crunchiness. Oh! And don't throw away the residual liquid in the pot! It's chock-full of flavor, trust me.
In case you're wondering about the fresh corn, making it off the cob is also relatively simple, and takes even less time. All you do is remove the ears of the corn and the silky 'stuff' on the inside, rinse the cob, and remove the corn kernels using a knife (I generally do this into a wide-necked bowl in the sink). Sautee the corn for about 2-3 minutes with a pinch of salt and a sliver of butter, and voila! Sweet corn off the cob.
