Summer is close. Can you feel it? I think it’s hiding just beyond the gray clouds that have been dampening my spirits for days. Go away, clouds! I’m ready for sunshine and long days by the pool. Margaritas and late walks with Cookie. Potlucks full of fresh salads. Since I often pull up my own salad archives to find a simple recipe and then kick myself for making my salads so involved, I thought I’d share a simple, summery dressing today. It’s inspired by classic basil pesto (basil, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic and lemon) and comes together in just a few minutes in your food processor. I typed up a list of mix-and-match ingredients that should go well with it, too. It’s a build-your-own summer salad extravaganza!
I’m inevitably in a hurry when I make salads for potlucks and girls’ nights, so I’m pretty excited about a new-to-me option offered by DeLallo Foods. They are my favorite source of sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes and olives, not to mention whole wheat pasta. DeLallo packages up salad-sized portions of themed complementary flavors called SaladSavors, so you can just combine them with fresh greens and a dressing of your choice. Boom! Salad’s ready. I threw together the salad you see here in about five minutes flat, thanks to DeLallo’s SaladSavors in Sharp Asiago. I say thumbs-up to making salads easy and eating more greens!
Mix-and-match flavors that pair well with this basil dressing:
DeLallo SaladSavors in Sharp Asiago: shredded Asiago cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and marinated artichoke DeLallo SaladSavors in Zesty Feta: crumbled feta, Kalamata olives and roasted red peppers Almonds Artichoke Asparagus Bell peppers Chickpeas Corn Couscous Feta Fresh leafy greens Goat cheese Green beans Mozzarella Nectarines Olives Parmesan Pasta Peaches Peas Roasted eggplant Summer squash (zucchini and yellow squash) Tomatoes! White beans Whole grains, etc. (farro, millet, quinoa, wheat berries…)
Let me know what you pair with this dressing! Be sure to snap a picture and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #cookieandkate. I can’t wait to see all of your summer salads!
Disclaimer: This post was created in partnership with DeLallo Foods and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
