The May Gray and June Gloom have mostly burned away; the Fourth of July is almost upon us and summer is in full swing. I don’t know how it happened so fast, but there you go.
Summer brings with it a slew of weekend cookouts loaded up with burgers, dogs, ice cream, potato salad–I could go on–suffice to say, with so many irresistible delicacies of the season, during the week, I like to cook pretty light and healthy to balance things out.
One of my favorite side dishes is potato salad, especially in the summer. Too often potato salad is bland and gloppy with too much mayonnaise and mushy, without enough crunch. This simple, lightened up potato salad is made with tangy Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. A zesty reimagining of a classic summer side, this potato salad is full of fresh herbs for flavor that’s perfect for adding some unexpected zing to your next cookout.
Rice or potatoes, rice or potatoes. That’s the question that often dogs me during the late afternoon when I’m trying to figure out what to make for dinner, and which starch would better complement it. I happen to be a big fan of wild rice – the chewy texture, the nutty flavor – but sometimes it’s nice to mix it up a little. So, one night when I was whipping up a Mediterranean style dinner, I threw together this cool and flavorful wild rice salad. Simple to assemble and easy to prepare ahead of time, it’s filling and delicious on its own, but makes an excellent side dish, too. It’s a perfect accompaniment to lighter summertime cooking.