Refresh Your Summer Menu

Need a break from burgers and dogs? This cool-as-a-cucumber salad is a perfect side dish—though it’s hearty enough for a main course!
Cheryl De Leon,
4 Summer Menu

We can’t get enough of juicy burgers and delicious chicken this time of year—barbecue fare and summer go hand in hand. But even the strictest carnivore can feel full of grilled meats and crave something that’s garden fresh. BERGEN has the answer!

Below is an easy-to-follow recipe for a filling blueberry cucumber salad with a creamy balsamic vinaigrette. Not only is it tasty, but it’s healthy for you too. “It’s bursting with flavors and packed with nutrition,” notes Corale Naor, a registered dietitian at Fair Lawn-based Rooted Living Nutrition. Though the ingredients already do the body good, Naor has a couple of suggestions that’ll make it even better.

“Consider swapping the heavy cream in the dressing with Greek yogurt,” she says. “This will reduce saturated fat while still maintaining the creaminess. You can also boost the nutritional value by adding other nutrient-rich ingredients such as walnuts or pumpkin seeds for extra crunch and heart-healthy fats.”

Blueberry Cucumber Salad with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Yields 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup sliced almonds
  • 3 Tbs. sugar
  • 8 cups spring greens, baby spinach or your greens of choice
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 baby seedless cucumbers, thinly sliced
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated

For the vinaigrette

  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 Tbs. heavy cream
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbs. fresh chives

Directions

For the vinaigrette

Whisk together the vinegar, garlic, cream, mustard, honey and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stream in the olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Stir in the chives. This dressing stays great in the fridge. Just shake or whisk it to combine before serving.

For the salad

Place the almonds in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and cook, stirring often, until the sugar melts and is caramely, coating all of the almonds—about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a piece of parchment paper to let them cool. Break them into pieces if they are clumped.

In a large bowl, toss the greens with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sprinkle on the blueberries, cucumbers, green onions and Parmesan cheese. Add the almonds on top. Serve immediately with the balsamic dressing.

For more salad recipes, flip to “Tastes” on page 48 in the August issue of BERGEN.

Categories: Bergen Health & Life