Bathing suit season is upon us, and you know what that means – time to swap out those cheeseburgers for more healthy options this summer. Chef Lynn Michelle and Cassandra Shultz prepared some of their seasonal favorites using fresh garden herbs and vegetables for an afternoon on the water.
Spinach & Bacon Salad
by Chef Lynn Michelle
1 bag fresh spinach, rinsed, stems removed
2 cups strawberries, sliced into bite-size pieces
¼ cup sweet onion, finely sliced
1 tablespoon red onion, finely sliced
1 pound bacon, cooked crisp, cooled and roughly chopped (reserve half the bacon for top of salad(
Feta cheese, crumbled
Sweet & Sour Salad Dressing
3/4 cup ketchup
1 cup olive oil
½ cup water
1 small sweet onion, peeled and cut in 4 pieces
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Blend above items in a high-speed blender for 1 minute. Season to taste. Place all salad ingredients into a large bowl. Mix in dressing a little at a time, to desired amount. Place on plates and top with reserved chopped bacon and crumbled feta cheese.
Cassandra Shultz, owner of Cassandra’s Kitchen in Bluffton
Israeli Vegetable Salad
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten
1 (1 pound, 13-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup tahini (ground sesame paste)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sriracha
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, halved, seeded, and 1/2-inch diced
2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 large Holland red bell pepper, diced, 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup red onion, diced 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup julienned fresh mint leaves for garnish
Toasted pita bread, for serving
For the hummus, place the chickpeas, tahini, 3/4 cup of the lemon juice, garlic, cumin, sriracha, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until the mixture is completely smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add a few tablespoons of warm water until it is creamy but still thick and spreadable.
In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onion. Add 1/3 cup olive oil, the remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper and combine. Spoon the hummus onto a large (12-by-16-inch) serving platter, spreading it out with a raised edge.
With a slotted spoon, mound the vegetable salad on the hummus, leaving the edges of the hummus visible. Sprinkle the vegetables and hummus with the mint and extra salt. Drizzle with olive oil and serve at room temperature with pita bread.
Jason Bullock and his Bernedoodle Gracie.
Lowcountry Shrimp Salad by Chef Lynn Michelle
1½ pounds local shrimp, cooked and peeled (whole or cut into small pieces)
½ cup celery, small chopped
¾ cup sweet onion, medium chopped
½ cup peppers – red, yellow, orange, finely chopped
¾ cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
2½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¾ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2-3 drops tabasco
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons dill weed
Salt & black pepper to season
In a large bowl, using a rubber scraper, blend all ingredients together, mixing gently. Place in the refrigerator for an hour to blend flavors. Season to taste.
Mozzarella, Cucumber, Red Onion, and Tomato Salad with Balsamic Glaze
½ pound red cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, sliced n half
2 avocados, diced
1 cucumber, sliced
1/3 cup of red onion, diced
8 ounces of fresh mozzarella balls
Combine all ingredients and top with balsamic glaze. For a lighter option, a squeeze of fresh lemon and olive oil.
Balsamic Glaze Dressing
3 tablespoons balsamic glaze
¼ cup olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pinch black pepper
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Add all ingredients to a small bowl. Mix well and drizzle on top of salad.