Fresh Veggie Summer Salad

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This heat doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. September typically is a hot month and in my house it’s a month of salad making. September is also Cholesterol Awareness Month! What better time to make a Fresh Veggie Summer Salad, raise cholesterol awareness and ways to reduce it. Here’s a fun fact (according to a clinical study) Mazola® Corn Oil reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil! To learn more about this claim, visit Mazola.com.

I decided to make this fresh veggie summer salad using Mazola Corn Oil since it’s an all-purpose cooking oil that is heart-healthy* for me and my family. It’s super versatile and could be used for baking, grilling, sautéing, stir frying, mixing up a marinade or dressing. I used the oil to make a beautiful dressing for my salad, and as a coat on my homemade croutons. Instead of brushing my veggies with butter before grilling, I made a simple swap and brushed with Mazola Corn Oil instead for a reduced cholesterol meal.

This salad is super refreshing and a better for you meal during the summer season when produce is at it’s height in flavor. I like using a combination of textures and combine some grilled veggies with some fresh ones. I used arugula, avocado, grilled zucchini, tomato, grilled corn, snap peas, dill, and red onion as the base for my salad. Topped it with homemade croutons and a delicious cilantro – pumpkin seed dressing with a touch of lime. I hope you’ll try it! #HeartHealthyMazola

Visit Mazola for more recipe inspiration. 

Ingredients for Fresh Veggie Summer Salad:

For the croutons:

• 3 tablespoons Mazola Corn Oil
• a loaf of sourdough bread or french bread
• salt to taste
  

For grilled zucchini and corn:

• 2 teaspoon Mazola Corn Oil
• 2 zucchini (sliced 1/8 inch length wise)
• 1 corn on the cob
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• a pinch of crushed chile flakes

For the salad dressing:

• 1/3 cup Mazola Corn Oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• juice from an entire lime
• 1/2 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the summer salad:

• 2 cups arugula
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/4 cup red onion (sliced thin)
• 1/2 cup tomato (cut into wedges)
• 1 whole avocado (sliced)
• 10 sugar snap peas
• Dill

Directions:

For the croutons:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Cut a loaf of bread into 2- inch long rectangles.
3. Place all the bread pieces in a large bowl.
4. Drizzle with Mazola Corn Oil and then mix with hands.
5. Salt to taste, and mix again.
6. Spread bread evenly on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.
7. Bake for 7 minutes, remove from oven, mix crouton and rearrange them, and place back in oven for an additional 5 minutes or until crisp.
8. Set to the side until ready to use. This will make a big batch of croutons. Reserve any croutons not used in a ziplock bag until you are ready for next salad or as a topping in a bowl of soup.

For grilled zucchini and corn:

1. Place zucchini and corn on a baking sheet.
2. Coat Mazola Corn Oil with a pastry brush on both sides of zucchini and corn.
3. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chile flakes.
4. Grill for 10 minutes.
5. Remove corn and zucchini from the grill and shave corn off cob.
6. Set to the side until ready to use.

For the salad dressing:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until combined and smooth.

Assemble the salad:

1. Place arugula, and cabbage in a large mixing bowl.
2. Drizzle dressing over the top a little at a time, then mix. You only want to add enough dressing to lightly coat the lettuce, you don’t want to drench it. This is key to making a delicious salad.
3. Pour the dressed lettuce onto a serving platter.
4. Then sprinkle in corn and add in zucchini ribbons.
5. Decorate the greens with slices of onion, tomato, and avocado.
6. Add in some croutons, dill, sugar snap peas, and drizzle a little more salad dressing over the top.
7. Enjoy!

*See Mazola.com for more information on the relationship between corn oil and heart health.

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