8 Interesting End of Summer Salads

We love to eat salads especially in the summer and there are so many ways to eat them.  I never tire of creating interesting combinations. Today I decided to collect photos of 8 different salads that I have made at home in the past or enjoyed in a restaurant. 

I loved this incredible salad made with cooked sweet red beets served over a bed of pungent baby arugula, soft candied walnuts, and topped with fresh orange slices. I ate in an Italian restaurant at the Jersey Shore. It came with a creamy blue cheese dressing which I did not indulge. 

Cherry Tomato and Artichoke Salad (recipe link)

This next tasty salad is made with cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and chopped red onion. You could mix in a salad green such as spring mix too. It is delicious without dressing. Sometimes I add some sliced olives (green or black).

Kale is so good for us and tasty too. This salad also contains fresh blueberries- another powerhouse antioxidant food. It's mixed with sesame seeds and topped with wonderful creamy orange dressing. 

Recipe link : blueberry kale salad and dressing. 

 This next salad uses raw (uncooked) corn kernels cut directly off the corn on the cob. Raw corn kernels are usually very sweet and juicy and I think taste better than when they are cooked. Combined with jumbo black olives, red onion, and celery, this creation adds variety to your salads. Corn and Olive Salad (recipe link)

A fresh fruit salad is always delicious and welcome too. I use whatever is on hand. In the summer I might include watermelon or cantaloupe to a fruit salad or make a berry salad with fresh mint (recipe link)

Hearts of Palm Salad (recipe link)

Hearts of palm is always a nice tasty addition to any salad. This salad  features radicchio, cucumber, spring mix and artichoke quarters along with the hearts of palm which I sliced. I also sprinkled in some raw walnuts. 

Middle Eastern Mezze Salads - I had this in a Middle Eastern restaurant in Florida about 8 years ago. It was amazing. Red cabbage salad, coleslaw, beet salad, Israeli chopped salad, eggplant salad, hummus, and baba ganooj, all surrounded by falafel and some little side dishes of Moroccan carrot salad, pickled beets, pickled turnips, cucumber salad, etc. 

Watermelon and cucumber salad (recipe link)

Watermelon, cucumber, mint, and tomato salad is an interesting and tasty combination. The flavors of the cucumber go great with watermelon. After all cucumbers and watermelon are both members of the same agricultural family -The Cucurbitaceae family! It makes sense that the flavors would be compatible. 

I hope I've given you a little inspiration to jazz up your salads and use a greater variety of salad ingredients. It is always nice to add fresh herbs such as mint, parsley, and fresh basil to your salads or add the herbs to a homemade salad dressing. 

What are you favorite salads and which interesting ingredients to you add to your salads. ?