I’m not one a goal keeper. I don’t make 5 year plans, 10 year plans and I even find myself scrambling to plan the week ahead. But the other day, I found a list on my computer that I had called 101 things. It was part of a meme that was floating back around the interwebs in 2005 and involved writing down personal and professional things that you’d like to accomplish. I managed to write down 97 goals – I couldn’t get myself to 101, I guess, but when I went over this list from 2005, I realized that I could cross off 67 things! Buy a home. Done! Bike ride the Galloping Goose trail on Vancouver Island. Done! Become debt-free. Done! Bake bread. Done! Sell something I make. Done! Finish watching the 1953 movie Wages of Fear. Done! See, not all of them are major goals, but I did ’em and it feels good looking at that list 8 years later. I think now is a good time to make a new list and then take a peek at in in another 8 years. It’s fun to look back and feel like you’ve actually done something. It’s a good reminder to see just how far you’ve come.
This salad is an easy one to cross off your list. Especially if summer is winding down and you want to hold on a little longer. The sun is shining just as strongly as it was in July. The heat and humidity is sure up there. And you’ve got cold beer in the fridge. I’m sure that a trip to the farmer’s market is on your list, so go pick up some of the last bumpy and ugly looking heirloom tomatoes. Grab a few ears of sweet, sweet corn on the cob. Cucumbers, jalepenos and sweet peppers are everywhere! Add some green onions and dill to your list. This is a bright and colourful salad that embraces the last bits of summer to the fullest….even if the sun sets a little earlier and the evenings have that distinct chill. It’s a time of transition and you’ve got to just roll with it.
For this salad, I was originally thinking of a ranch dressing, like this one. But I had no buttermilk and no sour cream. No worries. I had Greek yogurt and some good mayonnaise on hand to make all things right. Add in lemon juice and white wine vinegar for that bit of tartness and I was seriously on to something good. You want a little bit of creaminess to this salad….it coats and hugs the chopped vegetables just right. And in a season of transition, we need all the hugs we can get.
So chop up your vegetables, whisk up a dressing and embrace what’s left!
crunchy & creamy late summer salad
2 cobs of corn, husks & silk removed
2 small-ish sweet peppers, red & orange works nicely, diced
1 large heirloom tomato (seeds & goo discarded), diced
1/2 English cucumber, diced
2 green onions, diced
1 jalepeno pepper, small dice
a few large sprigs of fresh dill, stems discarded & fronds chopped
1 heaping T mayonnaise
1 heaping T greek yogurt
1 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1 T white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t agave syrup (or honey)
1/2 t aleppo pepper (or 1/4 t crushed red chili flakes)
kosher saltSet your cob of corn into a large deep bowl and use a sharp knife to cut off the corn kernels, slicing downwards, turning until the cob is free of all kernels. Repeat with remaining cob. Add in the diced sweet peppers, jalepeno, tomato, cucumber, green onions and dill and toss.
In a small jar, whisk together the remaining ingredients (I use a very small whisk which works perfectly as I don’t think shaking the jar emulsifies the mixture enough) – use a small pinch of salt, taste & adjust seasoning if necessary. Pour dressing over salad and toss. I found that I had extra dressing – it keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.
I love everything about this salad! So perfect for the produce we have right now!
I love making my own dressings at home! I love the simplicity of this – can’t wait to try it out!
This looks gorgeous! I have everything except for the tomatoes and dill. No problem because my neighbor has a full garden & super ripe tomatoes on standing offer! I might substitute basil instead – that I have a lot of. I’m sure this will go well with the chicken I’m planning on making (your greek lemon version, by the way) and the last of my peaches for dessert! Thank you for making easy & healthy recipes for all of us.
This. Looks. Perfect. I am so making it tomorrow !
This is the best produce of summer all in one bowl! I’m so sad at this time of year for the season to be over, but summer does really save some of it’s best veggies for last!
This sounds so good! I almost made the same sort of corn salad last night, but my post-vacation fridge is pretty empty. Thank goodness for our CSA. I ended up making BLT’s and poured a little bacon grease on the corn kernels with salt, pepper and chopped fresh basil. Not too shabby. Jealous of your salad, though!
Your salad looks amazing! I prefer this creamy dressing over a vinaigrette, although I’ll happily eat both kinds. Sadly, I never made it to the local farmer’s markets this summer for fresh Ontario corn. Maybe it’s not too late?
I’m not a list maker either but I can see how exciting it would be to look back and see how far you’ve come! I propose a toast to accomplishments…and the versatility of Greek yogurt 😉
Thanks Katrina!
Maria, I’m all about homemade dressings – enjoy!
M. Katya – thank you! Lucky you to have such a wonderful tomato resource 🙂 Hope you had a wonderful dinner!
Aw thanks, Julie!
Joanne, it’s a good mix of vegetables – the corn makes it so sweet and tasty!
Not too shabby indeed, Nicole! Sounds pretty tasty to go alongside a BLT.
Thanks Joanne. It shouldn’t be too late for corn, not here anyway! Thanks for the toast 🙂
LOVE finding lists like that. : )
I made this salad last night, but realized I didn’t have any corn. So I chopped up a sweet potato and roasted it in the oven, and I mixed it in with the rest of the ingredients. It was AWESOME! I bet the salad is even better with the corn!
Yeah, me too, Sheena 🙂
Joanna, I like the sound of it with roasted sweet potato – I think it would be go great with corn 🙂 Next time I’ll try both!