Grilled zucchini and corn mixed with crunchy roasted chickpeas, goat cheese, sprouts, and greens, along with a light lemon basil dressing make for a simple and healthy addition to your next summer gathering or weeknight dinner.
We are going to a friends house for a Memorial Day party. There is nothing better than being surrounded by good friends, good food, and good weather! Wouldn't you agree? They'll be grilling, of course, and everyone is bringing either an appetizer or a side to share.
While my phone was blowing up with text messages about the party, I had to chime in a say what I was going to bring. While the usual fare had been spoken for, I decided to suggest a salad or baked beans. To me, baked beans and barbecue go together. My mother used to make the best ones with barbecue sauce and brown sugar in them. The beans cooked low and slow for hours, and they became like candy. Yum!! Sadly, no takers on the beans. So, I decided to bring a leafy salad. But, I didn't want to bring lettuce in a bowl with the basic salad toppings.
I thought of this salad and felt that it hit all the buttons; healthy, easy, and transportable. Here was my thought process. Zucchini is available right now, so let's build a salad using them. I love the color and flavor of corn, I think it will add brightness and sweetness, so in it goes. I know I have goat cheese fans at this party, and that is another ingredient I can add in. This salad needs a little crunch, so I'll add some roasted, sea salt chickpeas. Now for texture, let's add some sprouts or pea shoots. All I need is a dressing. Let's do something with lemon and basil. Voila! My salad is complete! That was easy, right?
Putting it all together is easy too. I grilled the zucchini and corn ahead of time, and made the dressing too. The rest is just layering it all together. Simple, yes? Definitely!
For this recipe I used store-bought roasted chickpeas with sea salt. If you can't find roasted chickpeas you can roast them yourself. Click here for a great recipe. I thought the roasted chickpeas would add a nice little crunch to the salad. Of course, you can add plain chickpeas if you prefer.
Unfortunately, the picture I had taken at the party of the salad with the roasted chickpeas didn't come out. I recommend adding them.
Until next time, friends. XO!
Grilled Zucchini and Corn Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing
Serves 6 to 8
For salad:
2 5 ounce container mixed greens
3 ears of corn, roasted, corn cut off cob
3 medium zucchini, cut on an angle, about 1/2 inch thick
1 teaspoon oregano, Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper (for seasoning zucchini)
1 4 ounce goat cheese, crumbled
1 5 oz bag roasted, chickpeas with sea salt (add amount you like)
1/2 container of sprouts
For dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Season zucchini with Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, oregano, and drizzle with olive oil. Lightly oil corn cobs and grill along with zucchini. Cook until you have some color and grill marks on each side of the zucchini and corn. Set zucchini and corn aside to cool. After corn is cool enough to handle, cut kernels off of cob. Set aside or you can refrigerate until ready to use.
For dressing, add all the ingredients in a mason jar, or bottle and shake until combined. Whisking ingredients in a bowl or using a small food processor works well too. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Put mixed greens in a large bowl or on a platter. Add corn, zucchini, and chickpeas. Scatter goat cheese on top. Then, tuck some sprouts in here and there. Pour dressing on top, reserving some on the side.
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