dinner salad and dressing master recipe

The summer season has started - if you haven't listened to Dave Van Ronk's Green Green Rocky Road recently - it's time. It will put you in the mood for the bounty of June - especially all the different greens that are so fresh and juicy they squeek!

Of course it's salad days - and I've been getting into making improvised salads that are satisfying and balanced enough to be a delicious meal. It's surprisingly easy, because fresh produce is itself incredibly delicious - it only needs a bit of cleaning and carving up and the simplest of dressings.

In fact, the world salad comes from the same root word as "salt," the most critical, yet completely simple ingredient to fully enjoy most any vegetable - as any dipper knows. It takes just two more ingredients, oil and vinegar, to make a quick, savory drizzle to complement and harmonize all the flavors in the bowl. There are endless variations that include herbs, creams and more, and they are a scrumptious way to gild the lily.

You can include so many types of produce in your salad! Here are some categories to think about:

• tender leafy greens like lettuce and spinach

• hearty leafy greens like arugula and kale

• raw or cooked vegetables

• fruit

• protein like toasted nuts, beans, cheese, meats

• extras like flowers, herbs

• whole grains, pasta or croutons

And you can rest assured that a salad made of seasonal produce is low carbon - changing what we eat is the biggest indie step we can take to reduce climate change!

Our illustrated recipe includes a master salad dressing from which you can create your own custom favorite. Try it and share your photos here or on our Facebook page! We'd love to see where you take it!