Salad Dressings

Pasta salad made with whole-wheat penne or fusilli is considerably more nutritious than a salad with regular pasta. De Cecco brand whole-wheat has a particularly good taste. This salad is tossed with grilled zucchini and roasted peppers, along with red onion, yellow or red cherry tomatoes, and crumbled feta. Add other cooked or raw vegetables (zucchini, broccoli, fennel), chopped green or black olives, or shredded Parmesan instead of feta.

Say the word barbecue and coleslaw immediately comes to mind, usually with a mayonnaise dressing. This is not your typical slaw. Greek yogurt forms the base of the dressing, with a touch of toasted curry powder (heating the spice brings out the flavor) and fresh ginger. Instead of using sugar, add raisins (or mangos) as a sweet note for the tart yogurt.

This summer salad of red or golden beets is cool and creamy. If you use red beets, their juices will stain the horseradish mixture a faint pink color. The salad is a fine match with grilled meats and fish.