A Different Side of Summer
Switch up your side dishes and bring more flavor, texture and color to the table BY ROBIN ASBELL
W
e all know you can grill a steak with the best of them. But how is your side dish game? Have you been serving the same old salads for years? There is more to life than basic potato
salad and steamed vegetables. It’s time to freshen up your repertoire with a few new offerings and show a different side to summer. Whether you are making a dish to serve with burgers on a weeknight or taking a contribution to a picnic or party, the sides are where you can jazz things up and add flavors, colors and textures to the meal. The sides are also where the vegetables, fruits and grains are represented, so you’re doing everyone a favor by enticing them to eat more plants. If you’re still in love with the classics, keep their same spirit but shake them up. Take potato salad. Mayonnaise is nice, but why not dress those tender potatoes with savory, herby pesto instead? For a twist on pasta salad, you’ll find that Creamy Cavatappi with Veggies goes well with so many meals, it will become a regular in your rotation—you can also make it a main dish with the option to add chicken. If fruit salad is your go-to, jazz it up with Cantaloupe Caprese on a Stick. Skewers of melon balls, mozzarella balls and sweet basil leaves make an irresistible picnic treat. Try grain salads such as this easy Lemony Quinoa Kale Salad, plus get a side lesson in how to tenderize shredded kale in a tangy dressing. If you are making a Mexican meal, you can’t go wrong with a bright yellow Elotes Rice Salad, which puts the sweet corn of the season on display. Slide in a fun side with Zucchini Stuffed with Cheesy Rice, a pretty presentation that will have the kids—and grownups—eating their veggies and loving it.
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