When I think back to when I was growing up, I remember that we did not eat any differently during the summer months than we did during the winter months. When it was hot and my mother did not like the heat, she often fixed the meal ingredients as much as she could in the morning. Still, there was the cooking to do to put it all together during those hot evenings. The meals were not lighter, nor did they vary in content. It was never too hot for Sunday’s pasta dinner or veal scaloppine with mashed potatoes during the week. Salad was always served along side the dinner entree. Occasionally my father would grill steaks or sausage on a hot summer night because that was the time of year one could grill in NJ. Many a time, though, I did not feel like eating those meals in the heat.
As times have changed and society has gotten away from big, formal dinners due to hectic lifestyles and the growth of a multitude of convenience foods, meals of the present generation are more spur of the moment. The old conventions of what constitutes a meal has also relaxed, and if, we want a grilled cheese sandwich or a salad for dinner, we just do it. When it is hot, as it has been much earlier than usual this year, salad for dinner seems just right. I have put together a collection of some salad recipes than can be a great dinner meal on their own or paired with a grilled protein of your choice.
Avocado, Tomato, and Mozzarella Salad 
Add grilled shrimp for a complete meal.
4 servings
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4 small plum tomatoes, halved
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1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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2 garlic cloves, minced
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2 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
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6 oz small buffalo mozzarella balls, torn in half
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2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, plus more for serving
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2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
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Basil leaves, roughly chopped
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2 ripe Hass avocados, pitted, skinned, and quartered
Directions
Position a rack 5-6 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler. Arrange the tomatoes, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the garlic and scallions. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil over the tomatoes.
Broil the tomatoes for 4–5 minutes, or until they just begin to soften and the garlic is golden brown.
Place the hot tomatoes, garlic, scallions, and all cooking juices in a bowl. Add the mozzarella, remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, vinegar, capers, and basil and toss gently.
Place 2 avocado quarters on each of 4 plates. Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the avocados and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Penne and Vegetable Salad
4–6 servings
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1 lb. penne
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3 cups broccoli florets
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2 cups asparagus tips
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1 cup snow peas, trimmed
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2 large carrots, cut into julienne
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2 tablespoons chopped basil or oregano
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1/3 cup red wine vinegar
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1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
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1 garlic clove, minced
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Cook the penne in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, according to the package instructions, until al dente.
Meanwhile, steam or microwave the broccoli and asparagus for 4 minutes. Add the snow peas and carrots and steam about 3 minutes more, until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from the heat.
Whisk the vinegar, mustard, and garlic in a large bowl, then gradually whisk in the oil. Drain the pasta well and add to the bowl. Toss in the vegetables and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Roasted Zucchini and Mint Salad
Add grilled chicken breast for a complete meal.
Serves 4
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8 zucchini, halved lengthwise
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4 sprigs fresh mint leaves, chopped
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About 2/3 cup croutons, see recipe below
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About ½ cup toasted almonds
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½ cup extra virgin olive oil
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Juice of 3 lemons
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Lay the zucchini on a baking sheet, skin side up, and bake for about 8 minutes, or until the zucchini are golden brown on the flat, fleshy side. Let the zucchini cool slightly and then slice into half moons. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F and make croutons.
In a bowl, mix the zucchini, mint sprigs, croutons, and almonds. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, toss, and then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Arrange on a serving platter and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Homemade Croutons 
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 oz. (about 2 cups) bread cubes; (Italian or French bread), diced into 3/4-inch cubes.
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Toss bread cubes with garlic and olive oil to coat. Sprinkle lightly with salt and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake approximately 10 to 15 minutes or until just golden brown. Halfway through the baking time, give the pan a shake to make sure the croutons toast evenly. Remove from oven and completely cool croutons. Store in an airtight container.
Shellfish Salad with Oranges and Fennel
Serves 8
Orange paired with anise-scented fennel is a traditional Sicilian flavor combination. This recipe adds shrimp and scallops, but you can use any fish you like in this recipe. Thinly sliced celery is a nice alternative if your market does not have fennel.
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1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
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½ cup fresh orange juice
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¼ cup fresh lemon juice
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1 tablespoon freshly ground coarse black pepper
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Salt
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3 navel oranges
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2 large fennel bulbs, cored, trimmed, and thinly sliced lengthwise
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2 cups dry white wine
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1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
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1 lb. sea scallops, foot muscle remove and cut in half
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Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or fennel leaves for garnish
Directions
To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and the citrus juices. Whisk in the pepper and the salt to taste, Set aside.
Working with 1 orange at a time, cut a thin slice off the top and bottom to reveal the flesh, Stand the orange upright and remove the peel in wide strips, cutting downward and following the contour of the fruit. Holding the orange, cut along both sides of each segment to release the segments from the membrane. Using the knife tip, pry out any seeds from the segments. Squeeze the membrane over the bowl to collect extra juice that you can add it to the vinaigrette at serving time.
Place the fennel in a bowl, add half of the vinaigrette, and toss to coat evenly. Divide the fennel evenly among 8 salad plates, forming a bed on each one, or arrange the fennel in a bed on a large platter.
In a saucepan, bring the wine to a simmer over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook gently until they turn pink and are cooked through, about 4 minutes. Do not overcook or they will be tough. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Add the scallops to the pan and simmer gently until just opaque throughout, about 2 minutes. Transfer with the slotted spoon to the bowl holding the shrimp. Drizzle about one-third of the remaining vinaigrette over the seafood and toss to coat evenly.
Place the orange segments evenly over the fennel. Then distribute the warm seafood evenly over the oranges. Add the orange juice from the bowl to the remaining vinaigrette and drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad. Top with the parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Artichoke Salad
Makes 4 servings
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1 lemon
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1-10 oz.package frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
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1 large bunch of arugula
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¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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Freshly ground pepper
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions
Add the juice and rind of the lemon to a small saucepan and place the artichoke hearts in the pan with enough cold water to just cover the artichoke hearts.
Add a pinch of salt to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook the artichokes for 5 minutes. Drain well and let cool.
Divide the arugula and artichokes among 4 plates. Sprinkle with cheese and pepper, and drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Salad of Roasted Peppers, Olives and Fontina – Piedmont Style
4 Servings
The cuisine of Piedmont includes numerous, interesting cooked vegetable salads that are served as appetizers. This dish is often served as a first course, but you can add a grilled beef tenderloin steak or sirloin steak to complete the meal.
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1 each large, yellow, red and orange bell peppers
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
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1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
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Salt
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Freshly milled white pepper
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2 tablespoons sliced, pitted imported green olives
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¼ pound fontina, cut into long, thin strips
Directions
Arrange the peppers on a grill rack above a charcoal fire, or 2 to 3 inches under a preheated broiler, or in an oven preheated to 400 degrees F.
Roast them until they are charred all over and tender inside, turning them frequently to insure they blacken evenly. Set aside to cool.
When the peppers are cool enough to handle, using your fingertips, peel off the skins. Cut the peppers in half and remove and discard the stems, ribs, and seeds. (Do not do this under running water; it will wash away some of the smoky flavor.) Cut the peppers lengthwise into ½-inch-wide strips and place in a bowl. Add the oil, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, olives, and cheese and toss gently to mix well. Serve at room temperature.
Cannellini Beans and Tuna 
Serves 8 or more
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2 cups (1 pound) dried cannellini (white kidney) or Great Northern beans
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1 small onion, peeled and halved
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2 whole cloves
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3 garlic cloves, crushed
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1 sprig fresh thyme
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1 sprig fresh sage
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
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¼ cup olive oil
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1 (6-ounce) can Italian-style tuna fish packed in oil, drained and flaked
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¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Rinse the beans and place in a bowl of cold water to cover. Set aside for 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 275°F. Drain the beans and place them in an ovenproof casserole. Stud the onion halves with the whole cloves and bury them in the casserole with the garlic, thyme, and sage. Add enough cold water to cover by ½ inch and cover the casserole.
Place casserole over low heat and bring contents to a simmer. Remove from the heat and place in oven. Bake until the beans are tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes. (Check after 15 minutes to be sure that the liquid is simmering and is still above the level of the beans, adding boiling water if necessary.) Season with the salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Set aside, uncovered, until cooled.
Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
When ready to serve, remove the onion, garlic, and herbs. Fold in the oil and drained tuna. Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with parsley.
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- Is your salad as healthy as it seems? (dynamicfitnessuk.wordpress.com)
- How to Eat Hass Avocados (avocadocentral.com)
- http://jovinacooksitalian.com/2012/04/23/how-to-use-beans-in-italian-cooking/
- http://jovinacooksitalian.com/2012/04/24/the-italian-way-with-red-peppers/
