Our Favorite Fresh & Easy Summer Salads and Side Dishes

"... the wind changed into a softer quarter;

the clouds were carried off;

the sun appeared; it was summer again."

~ Jane Austen, Emma

Summer is on the way for those in the northern hemisphere and there is nothing I like better than recipes which don't include heating up the kitchen! Here are our favorite salads and side dishes. All fresh and healthy and bursting with flavor!

Avocado Salad Salsa and Side Dish {aka pico del gallo}

We serve this with tortilla chips and as a side salad/salsa to all our Mexican dishes.



Caprese Salad

This makes for a nice light lunch, appetizer and side dish to serve with grilled meats.

Confetti Cabbage Salad

We prepare a large bowl of this coleslaw at the beginning of the week and

serve as a convenient side dish during the week.

Marinated Vegetables

We prepare a large batch of these vegetables for convenient snacking,

as a healthy side salad and for on-the-go picnics and BBQ's.

This will last for at least a week in the fridge.

Though not pictured, we also love the black bean salad recipe shared here, and this is our favorite pasta salad recipe (you can use the blanched broccoli version or the grilled zucchini as the "main" vegetable version). You may also like to make some Quick and Easy Deli Style Refrigerator Pickles to go along with your summer sandwiches. Enjoy your seasonal homemaking! The changes in the weather make for a lovely pattern of life when we embrace each time and appreciate what each season graciously offers.

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