Here’s the world’s easiest (and most satisfying) summer salad for when you’re short on time but need something to go with that barbecue or potluck. Use top-quality produce here for a salad that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
Ingredients:
2 large heirloom tomatoes, washed and cored
1 large avocado, halved, pit removed, and peeled
3 Persian cucumbers
1/2 small red onion
1 garlic clove, grated
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Quarter the heirloom tomatoes and cut them into thin slices, then place in a large bowl. Thinly slice avocado halves and gently add to the bowl. Thinly slice cucmbers and red onion and add to the salad bowl.
Top vegetables with grated garlic, vinegar, parsley, and olive oil, then gently toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
We’re continuing this summer’s basic millennial avocado toast theme with ponzu-salmon avocado toast. Adapted from Bon Appetit, this simple meal is as if sushi met avocado toast and became dinner. It’s easy, it’s delicious, it’s genius.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice, plus more
1 Armenian or 3 Persian cucumbers, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled ginger
Salt
4 ounces cold-smoked salmon, torn into bite-size pieces
4 slices sourdough bread, toasted
Toasted sesame seeds and toasted nori seaweed snacks, for serving
Mix mayonnaise and chili-garlic sauce in a small bowl; set aside.
Mix soy sauce, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in another small bowl; set ponzu sauce aside.
Place cucumbers, avocado, and pickled ginger in a medium bowl; season with salt. Squeeze a little lemon juice and toss gently to combine.
Dip each piece of reserved salmon in ponzu sauce and add to bowl with cucumber mixture; toss gently until just distributed.
Spread some spicy mayonnaise over each piece of toast. Top with salmon mixture and drizzle a small amount of remaining ponzu over. Sprinkle toast with sesame seeds, then crumble seaweed snacks on top.
I’ve been on a make-head breakfast bender, mostly because mornings are hectic and I only have a few minutes to spare. Lately my favorite are these overnight oats, sweetened with bananas and topped with shavings of dark chocolate. A healthy breakfast masquerading as a decadent dessert. Not a bad way to start the day.
This recipe makes enough for two servings, but can easily be doubled (or tripled).
Ingredients:
1 ripe banana
1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tablespoon shaved salted dark chocolate, for topping
In a bowl, mash together the banana, maple syrup, and chia seeds with a fork, then stir in the yogurt, milk, and vanilla. Add the oats and mix again. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, spoon into two bowls and sprinkle half the shaved chocolate on top of each bowl.
I am the most basic millennial in that I will never, ever tire of avocado toast. Avocado toast with an egg? Check. Avocado toast with chili crisp? Yes. Loaded avocado toast? Always. This version uses sourdough bread topped with radishes, pepitas, and queso fresco, for a Cali-Mex-inspired version of our beloved avocado toast. This makes one toast, so double or triple your quantities depending on how many you’re making.
Ingredients:
1 slice sourdough bread
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 avocado
1/2 teaspoon Meyer lemon juice
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons sunflower microgreens or similar sprouts
1 radish, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon crumbled queso fresco
Toast the bread until lightly golden brown. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub it all over the toast.
In a bowl, mash the avocado with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Spread the mashed avocado onto the toast. Top with the microgreens, radish, pumpkin seeds, and queso fresco.
Remember a few years ago where fast-casual poke spots were opening up in what seemed like every other corner? I liked that. It was a food trend I could get behind. I love poke bowls, especially in the summer, but I’ve started making them at home more often because a lot of those poke restaurants aren’t around anymore (come back please!).
This gingery tuna poke gets its creaminess from the addition of macadamia nuts and an unmistakable herbaceousness from shiso leaves. You can use salmon just as easily as tuna here.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice (preferably Meyer) ponzu
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon finely sliced fresh shiso (Japanese or Vietnamese), plus more to taste
1 tablespoon crushed unsalted roasted macadamia nuts, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons sesame oil, plus more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger, plus more to taste
1 pound skinless sushi-grade tuna
Sea salt, to taste
Toasted white sesame seeds
Cooked short-grain white rice and nori seaweed, for serving
Directions
Stir together soy sauce, lemon juice, green onions, shiso, macadamia nuts, sesame oil, and ginger in a medium bowl. (Mixture should be slightly creamy.)
Cut tuna into bite-size (about 3/4-inch) cubes. Add tuna to ponzu mixture in bowl; gently stir together until well coated.
Season with salt to taste. Adjust flavors with additional ponzu, green onions (pungency), shiso, macadamia nuts, sesame oil (velvety richness), ginger, and/or salt to taste. Serve atop individual bowls of rice and garnish with sesame seeds, more shiso leaves, and nori seaweed; serve immediately. (Poke itself can be made up to 1 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.)
