Things We Heart: Yummies: We heart Summer salads!

Woooo hoooooo...the count down has begun. Can you feel it? Can you? It's almost our fav time of the year.....SUMMER!

Tans (the faux kind of course!), beach (with lots o' suncreen we might add), pool parties, bikinis (uuggghhh I am not ready yet!!!) and our fav foods!

There is really nothing better than the foods of Summer. Soooo light and clean...sooo fresh and healthy (well not Ice Cream so much)...soooo yummers and vibrant.

And one of the foods we heart so uber much in the summer time? Salads... yuppers...salads.

No, these are not the run of the mill, boring..blah blah mixed green..blah blah. These are fun, tastebud-a-licious! These are bright, crisp and healthy...they are sooo good, they can even be the main course! And hey... they will even help you (me) lose a few lbs. Count me in!

With out further adieu here are 4 of our most favoritist Summer Salads...and the recipies!

You're welcome ;)

OK...first up is gonna sound like an odd one. Watermelon and Feta Salad. Trust me, I was suuuper hesitant to try it too. A. Since I am allergic to melons and B. It just sounds off. But Queen Nigella Lawson told me (well not me persay, but her viewers...hey one can dream right?) it was worth every bite. And ya know what? It was. There is something about the mix of a sweet melon and tangy feta that just works.

Watermelon and Feta Salad

1 fat wedge of watermelon, de-seeded and cut into chunks
1/2- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 small red onion, finely sliced
Kalamata olives (10 or so)
Half a cucumber, de-seeded and cut into slices
Small handful mint or basil leaves hand torn
Juice of 1 lime
Extra virgin olive oil (about 2 tablespoons)
Black pepper
Salt and Poppy seads to taste

Cut the melon wedge into chunks and add to a bowl with the onion, olives, herbs, cheese and cucumber.
Whisk the lime juice and olive oil together with the poppy seeds and some black pepper and add to the salad. Stir to combine and serve....Voila! Easy Peasy and it will look uber shmancy.

This next one is my personal fav to make at backyard BBQs...not the best traveler so I suggest either hosting your own party and making it or bring the liquid part in a separate container and mix at your destination. I adapeted this one from Ms. Martha... Bean and avocado tomato salad. It's like a meal in itself!

Bean Salad

1 can of yellow corn, drained and washed

1 can of black beans, drained and washed

1 can of white beans drained and washed

1 can of kidney beans, drained and washed

1 can of garbanzo beans drained and washed

1 small red onion (optional, if you leave out use a bit more lime)

4 medium-large ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped

2 medium avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into medium dice

1 cup of feta cheese (optional)

Freshly ground black pepper

5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more for brushing

Kosher salt

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tsp. minced fresh jalapeño

Throw all beans, cheese, tomato, avocado, and corn in a large serving bowl.

Mix pepper, salt, oil, jalepeno and lime juice together using a whisk in a small bowl. Toss into bean bowl. Toss in cilantro. Done! and Yum!

I became crazy obsessed with this one at a cafe near my old apartment years ago. It seems so sophisticated and chic yet super casual and unfussy. Everyone will luuurrrve it and think you are quite the hostess with the mostest. It's Tuscan Bread Salad. Doesn't it just sound fantasmic and mouth watering?

Tuscan Bread Salad

Small box of cherry tomatoes- Quartered

Small container of Bocconcini (bite-size fresh mozzarella)- halved

4 Diced golden and green Heirloom tomatoes (the same size pieces as the cherry tomatoes)

1 avocado, diced

Roughly torn basil

Croûtons - Made from torn Sour Dough Bread toasted a bit in a 350* oven for 5-10 min.

Toss all of that with a little olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar.

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Put in your serving bowl, drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar and toss in some S & P. Hello, domestic Goddess!!!

And last but most certainly and definitly never last and never to be out done...the Belle of the Ball... the salad that can do no wrong (unless you use all melon)...the one who can be a side salad or dessert... Fruit Salad.

How amazing is Summer fruit salad?!?!?! Ahhhh! I am drooling...

So easy, so customizable, so great!

Summer Fruit Salad

1 Box of Strawberries

1 Box of Blueberries

2 Nectarines

2 Peaches

3 Kiwi

1 Grannie Smith Apple

1 Pineapple

1 Mango

Cut and toss!!!! Mix your own...just don't go too normal and use melons and grapes and think that's gonna cut it! Use Summer fruits in all their glory!