When summer comes a-knocking, what do you say? The season asks of us our all, baring every emotional and physical cobweb in the glaring light of long days and warm nights. Summer is an intense season for me, inclined as I am to cooler climes and shade. Funny, I know, for an island-loving Maui girl. But red hair and pale skin die hard.
So in summer, I’m constantly seeking balance—I find ways to keep my system cool from within even as the exterior thermometer rises. Cooling foods are one critical element of this approach. This is why, for example, we are more inclined to drink juices, eat fruits like watermelon, and feast on salads. Our bodies need the inner cool to maintain equilibrium.
As many of you know, I tend to have one salad I eat each season on repeat, like that Ke$ha song you play again and again until it’s just, well, dead and you can never listen to it again. THAT SHALL NOT HAPPEN WITH THY SALADS, THOUGH. I promise. Because this salad transcends even the thrumming addictiveness of Ke$ha. It is on fleek, my children.
Packed with crisp and tender butter lettuce, the sweetest fresh corn right off the cob, vibrant pea shoots, and finished with a creamy yogurt herb dressing. This dressing is lemony, minty, chive-y, and parsley-y. It is brimming with probiotics and protein. It’s rich with olive oil. It is light with green. It is everything you want for your summer salad.
Last week, I had the chance to visit with the brilliant Cheryl Sternman-Rule, whose book Yogurt Culture has since remained on my dining table because I can’t bear to leave it on the shelf. Cheryl’s thrilling (SERIOUSLY, guys) take on yogurt transcends food category and genre, and inspired me to douse all things with the glory of this probiotic treasure.
Welcome to summer salad heaven, courtesy your friends yogurt, herbs, greens, corn, and lemon. And a big thanks to Mircenza, for the gorgeous brushed gold Mepra serving and flatware used in today’s blog post.
Get the recipe this week on Intuitive Eating with Kale & Caramel at Sonima.com!
SUMMER GREENS WITH LEMON HERB YOGURT DRESSING.
Ingredients
salad
- 4 cups loosely packed butter lettuce leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels cut from the cob
- 1/2 large or 1 small avocado
- 1/2 cup pea shoots or other sprouts
dressing
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt whole milk or as desired
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Place lettuce, pea shoots, and corn in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and herbs. Whisk thoroughly.
- Top salad with avocado slices of desired width and drizzle generously with yogurt dressing. Enjoy summer refreshment!
