Scrumptious Summer Salads

For the veggie-loving crowd, the word “salad” makes us salivate. We know our way around the salad bowl, and just how much variety and diversity salads offer. From fruit salads to pasta salads, were mixed greens always so loved?

It is said that the first salad ever plated was during Roman times [1]. It was served with a basic vinegar, oil, and salt dressing—still loved by many now. The lettuce greens used in this original salad was known as “Cos” because of the Greek Island where it originated. However, as it was the Romans who introduced the dish to other regions, the lettuce eventually became known as “Romaine lettuce.”

As salt was a main ingredient in the Roman’s dressing, the word “salad” came from the Latin root “sal” meaning salt. As salads spread across Europe and beyond, the dressing flavors and components changed according to local regions. This is why there are so many different types of salads—way more than just your garden lettuce variety!

Along with being tasty and offering great variety, we would be remiss to not mention the nutritional value of a fresh salad chock-full of raw (or cooked) fruits and veggies! You may have heard the nutritional slogan, “Eat the rainbow,” encouraging you to consume fruits and veggies of all different colors, ensuring complete nutritional intake of various vitamins and minerals. Salads allow you to do just that—and deliciously.

Orange fruits and vegetables offer vitamin C, A, and B6; while red fruits and veggies are rich in vitamin A and beta carotene; dark leafy greens provide folate and iron; and blue/purple fruits and vegetables reward you with powerful antioxidants.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do and eat salad—then when you get home, continue the tradition! Here are 5 delicious, unique, and colorful summer salads:

1. Asian-Inspired Broccoli-Grape Salad
[2]2. Cool Cucumber Salad
[3]3. Orange and Raw Beet Salad
[4]4. Wild Rice & Cranberry Salad
[5]5. Quinoa Tabouli Salad [6]