COOL SALADS FOR HOT DAYS September 6, 2006 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

As tinges of red creep into our leaves, I'm still seeing way too much red on the thermometer. It's hot with a capital H. Try beating the heat with these cool salads.

Two of the salads feature dried white beans, a great source of fiber. Dried beans are also low in fat, inexpensive, and can be kept on hand for whipping up last-minute meals. That's a pretty good list of culinary virtues.

Most dried bean salads call for using canned beans rather than cooking dry beans from scratch. I like to cook, but some steps really are not necessary, and this is a perfect example. Use canned beans, but do drain off the liquid in the can and rinse the beans with fresh water. This will remove not only the metallic flavor of the can but also some sodium.

When you visit the bean aisle of your grocery store, you'll find several choices of white beans. I typically use cannellini beans. These are large, white Italian kidney beans that make me think I'm in Italy. Plain ole American Great Northern beans are also a good choice for bean salads.

The first recipe combines the beans with shrimp. I think this is the best shrimp salad I've ever had. The lemony sauce is terrific.

I keep deveined raw shrimp in the freezer for a variety of dishes and find they work great for this salad. I just peel and toss them in a skillet with a little cooking spray; they cook in just a few minutes.

Chopped, cooked chicken can be substituted for the shrimp to save money and reduce cholesterol. Try a rotisserie chicken from the deli to save time and energy on these hot days.

The second bean salad includes tuna, a good source of omega-three fatty acids that are good for our hearts. This recipe has replaced my typical mayo-based version of tuna salad. Maybe it's the Italian in me.

You may be surprised that the recipe for the tuna-bean salad calls for tuna packed in oil instead of water. Just consider the oil of the tuna as a substitute for adding oil to the vinegar to create a vinaigrette for the salad. However, I do not use all of the oil in the can. I start by adding just a bit of the oil and add more as needed if the salad seems too dry or tart.

The BLT Salad is a slimmed down version of panzanella, an Italian bread salad. The original version features lots of fried croutons mixed with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and vinegar. It's wonderful tasting but heavy on the fried bread. This lighter version uses baked croutons and the vegetable/crouton mixture tops lettuce which helps to "dilute" the fat and calories while still maintaining the flavor of the original salad. A little fresh basil pumps up the Italian flavor of the salad.

There is a plus for these last hot days. If you're growing your own basil, harvest it on a sunny day. Herbs cut on cloudy days don't have as strong a flavor, because the sun has not had a chance to bring out the essential oils that give herbs their flavor.

It appears I have an Italian theme going with these salads. Whatever your choice in salads, do try a cool one and dream of fall.

Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, dill, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add carrot, onion, shrimp, and beans, tossing well to combine. Combine oil, spinach, remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in large bowl; toss to gently coat leaves. Divide spinach mixture among 4 plates; top each with 1/4 of the shrimp mixture.

Yields 4 servings.

Adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

In large bowl, combine tuna with its oil, salt, and pepper, using a fork to break tuna into bite-sized pieces. Gently mix in beans and onions. Drizzle with red wine vinegar. (Add basil if using.)

Yields 4 main-course servings.

Adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Add tomato, onion, basil, and bacon; toss together well and set aside. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet; lightly coat bread with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes or till toasted; cool enough to handle. Add bread and lettuce to tomato mixture; toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe from Cooking Light magazine.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

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Date Created 09/22/06