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BRIGHT SALAD RECIPES MADE FOR SUNNY DAYS
BY JENNIFER BAJSEL
CHILI LIME GRILLED PEACH & SHRIMP SALAD
SERVINGS: 4 - 6 | PREP: 1 HR. | COOK: 25 MIN. | TOTAL: 1 HR. 25 MIN.
INGREDIENTS: 4 peaches | 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined | 2 Tbsp. Sambal chili paste | 1 lime, zested, juiced | 5 oz. spring mix salad greens | 1 head romaine | ½ red onion | 2 ears corn, shucked | 1 avocado Chili Lime Vinaigrette: ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil | ½ cup lime juice | 2 oz. Sambal chili paste | 1 Tbsp. honey | ½ Tbsp. garlic powder | ½ tsp. salt
DIRECTIONS: RINSE and pat dry shrimp. MARINATE shrimp with chili paste, the zest of one lime, and its juice. LET sit refrigerated for 30 min. up to two hours. HUSK the corn and remove the silk, then soak the corn in water for 15 min. PREP salad ingredients. CHOP romaine lettuce, slice red onion, peel and dice avocado, and set aside. MIX all the vinaigrette ingredients in a separate container and shake or whisk until well blended. PREHEAT a lightly oiled grill to medium-high heat. BRUSH corn with vinaigrette. QUARTER the peaches, remove the pits, and brush with the vinaigrette. GRILL the corn, turning occasionally for 10-15 min. LET cool, then cut into 1-2” slices. GRILL the peaches, cut side down, until softened and the skin begins to peel off, 2 to 4 min. REMOVE from grill and set aside. PL ACE shrimp on
presoaked skewers or in a grill basket (to keep from falling through the grates). GRILL shrimp for 2 min. on each side. COMPOSE the salad using the mixed salad greens, romaine, corn, peaches, shrimp, onion, and avocado. TOSS with vinaigrette and serve.
TIPS & TRICKS: When purchasing shrimp, fresh or frozen, look for the count per pound. The count per pound: smaller numbers indicate larger shrimp
SUMMER ANTIPASTO SALAD
SERVINGS: 8 | PREP: 20 MIN. | COOK: 0 | TOTAL: 20 MIN.
INGREDIENTS: 3 heads romaine, chopped | ½ cup Castelvetrano green olives, pitted, halved | ½ cup
Kalamata olives, pitted | ½ red onion, diced | 10 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved | 4 oz. pepperoni slices,
quartered | 4 oz. Genoa salami, quartered | ¼ cup pepperoncini, sliced | 16 oz. jar giardiniera | ½ cup mozzarella cheese pearls Italian Vinaigrette: ¼ cup| red wine vinegar | ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil | ¼ cup water | 1 packet Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix
DIRECTIONS: WASH, dry, and cut the bottom core off each romaine head. CHOP the lettuce heads and place them in a large bowl. CUT the green olives in half. SLICE cherry tomatoes in half. DICE the red onion. QUARTER the pepperoni and salami slices. ADD both green olives, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, red onion, pepperoni, and salami slices to the lettuce bowl. DRAIN the sliced pepperoncini, giardiniera, and mozzarella balls. ADD to the salad. MAKE the vinaigrette. COMBINE the vinegar, olive oil, water, and seasoning packet. SHAKE or whisk until blended; use immediately. POUR dressing over the salad until well coated, then toss. SERVE in a large salad bowl or individually.
TIPS & TRICKS: Add ingredients you like and remove the ones you don’t. You could substitute pickled red onions, mushrooms, prosciutto, garbanzo beans, cucumbers, and or bell peppers. Try different cheeses, too.
GRILLED ROMAINE SALAD WITH TAHINI DRESSING
SERVINGS: 6 | PREP: 25 MIN . | COOK: 2 MIN | TOTAL: 27 MIN.
INGREDIENTS: 3 heads romaine hearts, cut in half lengthwise | 10 oz. heirloom cherry tomato,
cut in half | 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed | ½ red onion, sliced | 1 English cucumber, half-moon slices
| 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil Tahini Salad Dressing: ¼ cup smooth tahini | 3 Tbsp. ice water, plus
more if needed | 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice | 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil | 1 Tbsp. honey | 1 tsp. garlic
powder | ¼ tsp. sea salt
DIRECTIONS: PREHEAT a lightly oiled grill to medium-high heat. CUT romaine hearts in half from
top to bottom, keeping the core intact. SLICE cherry tomatoes in half. CUT red onion into slices. CUT the
cucumber in half lengthwise, then cut each half into half-moon slices. RINSE the chickpeas and set aside.
Brush the romaine pieces with olive oil. PL ACE on the grill, cut side down, for 1 min.; turn over and grill
the other side for 1 more min., until slightly wilted. PL ACE on a platter. MAKE the salad dressing. WHISK
together the tahini, ice water, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, garlic powder, and salt until smooth. If the
dressing is too thick, add more water, ½ Tbsp. at a time, until it can be drizzled. TOP the romaine with
the cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber slices, and chickpeas. DRIZZLE with tahini dressing and serve.
TIPS & TRICKS: Use ice-cold water in tahini dressing for a smoother consistency. Slowly whisk it in while stirring
ABOUT OUR CHEF
Jennifer is a private chef in Dallas, TX, with a passion for home-cooked meals with a global influence.
In addition to cooking, she hosts an Italian cooking show on national streaming television. To follow
her, go to JenniferBajsel.com or find her on Instagram @JENNIFER_BAJSEL
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