Grilled Summer Salads
Summer salads are my go-to meals this time of year. There's so much to choose from for fresh local produce and I love adding grilled elements to my salads. The combinations are endless! I have an intuitive way of meal planning... I pop into Pete's Fine Foods to see what is fresh and seasonal, and choose ingredients that go well together. I pick up everything I need in one shopping trip: veggies, cheeses, salad dressings... anything you can think of for the perfect salad!
These are two of my favourite summer salads: Grilled Halloumi, Tomato & Basil and Grilled Mushroom & Asparagus with Arugula. These salads make great vegetarian meals on their own, or pair well with grilled meat or seafood.
Grilled Halloumi, Tomato & Basil Salad
The salty flavour of Halloumi is a great match for fresh tomatoes and basil. This cheese is fantastic for grilling because it holds its shape and softens when heated for a rich chewy texture. I love choosing from all the different shapes, sizes and colours of tomatoes at Pete's Fine Foods, particularly the heirloom tomatoes. They have an earthy sweetness that works well in this salad.
Salad Ingredients:
• 1 cup fresh basil (roughly torn into smaller pieces)
• 2 cups greens (I used Good Leaf Farms broccoli sprouts)
• 3-4 tomatoes, sliced (I used a mixture of heirloom, kumato and yellow tomatoes)
• one package of halloumi, sliced into 1/2” thick slices
• 1 cup croutons or crostini (I used Pete's Fine Foods brand)
Dressing:
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• pinch of salt and pepper
Whisk ingredients together.
Grill the halloumi slices over medium heat on a greased BBQ grill, turning once until grill lines appear, about 1 minute on each side. Layer the tomatoes, grilled halloumi and crostini over a the mixture of fresh basil and greens. Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Drizzle the salad dressing on top and serve while the halloumi is warm.
Grilled Mushroom, Asparagus & Arugula Salad
Salad Ingredients:
• a mixture of sliced mushrooms (I used portobello, oyster and shitake mushrooms)
• 1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed
• 3 cups arugula
• 1/4 cup shaved pecorino romano cheese or parmesan
• 1 tbsp italian parsley, chopped
Dressing:
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (I used Pete's Fine Foods brand)
• 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• pinch of salt and pepper
Whisk ingredients together.
Toss the mushrooms in half of the salad dressing. Grill them over medium heat on a greased BBQ grill, turning once until tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Toss the asparagus in olive oil and grill for about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool. Arrange the mushrooms and asparagus over a bed of arugula and drizzle the dressing on top. Garnish with shaved cheese and chopped parsley.
Give these salads a try, or stop by Pete's Fine Foods and see what inspires you to create your own summer salad. Try something different for your greens, like sprouted broccoli or a cheese you haven't tried before. Take advantage of all the lovely produce summer has to offer. Enjoy!
This post is sponsored by Pete's Fine Foods.
