End of Summer Salad

I will be so sad when we don't have garden fresh veggies any more. . .it won't be too much longer. We have had an abundance of yummy, organic veggies from our garden this year: green beans, peas, zucchini, cucumbers, some okra, green peppers, jalepenos, thai chili, hungarian peppers, eggplant, spaghetti squash, tomatoes, herbs (Basil, oregano, chives, mint). I especially love garden fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil and will be super sad when these are finished.

On tonight's menu: chicken or lamb gyros with toppings and this salad!

End of Summer Salad
(1) can Northern beans, drained (can also use chickpeas/garbanzo beans)
(1) large jar pimentos, drained
(2) roma tomatoes, chopped
(1) medium-sized pickling cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 small green pepper, chopped
(1) small zucchini, chopped (skin-on)
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
(1) small red onion, chopped
salt/pepper/dried oregano to taste
3-4 T olive oil
juice of (1) lemon

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, toss. Serve chilled, either as a side dish or as a meal on chopped greens. Yummy with pita crisps, too! **As a side note, you can also add some crumbled feta to this salad!**

Thai Waterfall Beef Salad

Thai Waterfall Beef Salad with Sauce

1 lb. top sirloin beef, grilled to your liking, cooled, thinly sliced and cut into bite-sized pieces

(we typically grill "too much" sirloin the night we grill steaks to purposely have leftover

sirloin so we can make this salad the next day!)

1/4 cup sliced red onions

3-5 Thai chili peppers, thinly sliced (or chopped), depending on how spicy you like it!

Sauce

1/4 cup fish sauce (can be found at an Asian market)

1/4 cup fresh sqeezed lime juice (approx two medium limes)

1 T sweet dark soy sauce (can be found at an Asian market)

3 T finely chopped fresh garlic

3 T minced fresh ginger

3-5 T combination of chopped fresh mint/basil/cilantro

1/4 c chopped green onions

1 T sesame oil

1 T regular vegetable oil (can also use chili oil - spicy!)

Combine all ingredients. You can serve this with Jasmine rice, even though it's room temperature, which is our favorite way to eat it . . .or . . .you can serve on lettuce greens with 1/4 c chopped or sliced cucumbers and 2 roma tomatoes (chopped or wedges), just toss beef salad with these ingredients and sauce and enjoy!