The kitchen is the last place you want to spend your summer days. Between it being too hot to cook and wanting to be outside soaking up some rays, quick and easy is the order of the day when it comes to food.
Salads are great because there’s no cooking involved and they lend themselves to a lot of variety. Summer also means an abundance of fresh, seasonal produce, so why not take advantage? If you can, visit your local Farmer’s market. Not only are you supporting local agriculture, but you’re getting high quality fruits and vegetables at their freshest.
While salads can be simple to make, a little imagination can take it from blah to bravo. Resist the urge to go with tried and true iceberg (save that for the grilled burgers instead). Take advantage of the myriad of lettuces on the market including Romaine, Butter, Arugula and Bibb.   Sprinkle your salad with a few capfuls of olive oil for greater depth of flavor and add ingredients that will lend texture and taste such as paprika, French Fried onions, chives, olives, avocado, peppers, chopped nuts, goat cheese, chopped nuts and dried fruit. To ensure everything is properly incorporated, toss your salad 30 times – no more, no less.
 Try this cool and tangy salad for a new twist:
 Watercress and Belgian Endive Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Dash sugar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup olive oil
6 cups washed and torn watercress
3 heads halved Belgian endive
Whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, mustard, and sugar in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until well blended. Toss the greens in a large bowl or arrange on a platter or individual salad plates. Top with the dressing and toss gently or serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
 Recipe courtesy of http://www.perfectentertaining.com/summersalads.html
Culinary Escapes, LLC - Unique Food Tours of Metro Detroit