Rustic Tabbouleh Salad

I grew up eating my Lebanese grandmother's delicate and lemony tabbouleh. She would finely chop the tomatoes, parsley and cucumbers then douse the salad with lots of fresh lemon juice. Tabbouleh was a staple on her dinner table, along with delicious Middle Eastern roasted chicken and rice pilaf.  I loved her home cooking. Middle Eastern food is my soul food. We enjoy this healthy cuisine at least three times a week. My husband is Polish but he loves Eastern Mediterranean food.

Chickpea & Herb Salad

This refreshing and filling salad has lots of parsley, which acts like lettuce does in regular garden salads. There's a bit of creamy tahini and some finely diced red onion for texture and flavor. A squeeze of lemon juice is a fresh finish. Dill shows up here too. I enjoy the salad with warm whole wheat pita. This dish packs well for picnic lunches. This lunch sustained me on my summer staycation bike rides near the marshes and beaches.

Lebanese Chopped Salad With Tahini Dressing

Winter is behind us and Boston has turned green. Lilacs are blooming. On the river path, the air smells like moss and honeysuckle. My beagle's nose twitches as she catches all the fresh scents. Seagulls are squawking. Summer is coming soon.

White Bean Salad For The Winter Weary

This Mediterranean salad relies on some canned ingredients and some fresh ones to make it work. Artichoke hearts give a sunny lift to the creamy white beans. It's tossed with a simple dressing of olive oil and lemon juice.

I make it in winter with either sun dried tomatoes or jarred red peppers.  In summer, fresh tomatoes are lovely. Olives are welcome here too. This is the kind of salad you prepare quickly with pantry staples you keep on hand. Mix it with pasta or serve with crusty bread. It’s a substantial sidekick for fish and chicken too.

Strawberry Mango Salsa With Thai Flavors

With two ripe mangoes, some Thai basil (or regular basil) a squeeze of fresh lime, a chili pepper for heat, a few strawberries for sweet, a red pepper for crunch, you can whip up this salsa.  It's a tropical and refreshing alongside a piece of locally caught and grilled bluefish. It's good on chicken or with tortilla chips too.

Lemony Salad with Chickpeas & Feta

Whipping up dishes like this lemony chickpea salad is a no brainer. Fresh mint adds sparkle. Feta gives it pleasant saltiness. Chickpeas lend protein, creaminess and substance. It's easy to prepare and anything but boring. Pair this salad with chicken or fish. Eat it with a crusty roll. It's also good packed for a work week lunch or a picnic because it transports well. Olives would be welcome here too.

Chopped Salad With Honey Lime Dressing

This chopped salad is crunchy and refreshing. The light dressing is spiked with lime, honey and mint. Diced avocado or chickpeas would be scrumptious in it too.

Mediterranean Toasted Quinoa Salad

This is a chopped salad that hits all the right flavors and textures: crunchy, creamy, toasty, tangy and bright . Lemony salads are wonderful year round. I particularly love them in winter, when most of us long for something lively, fresh and green. While tomatoes are tasteless in winter, red bell peppers, lemons and cucumbers are usually fine. Herbs seem to always be available on my supermarket shelves too.

Lemon Scallion Couscous Cakes

These lemony couscous cakes get their moisture and flavor from lots of scallions, the larger the better. If you can only find small scallions then just use more of them. I like to serve these cakes with my Moroccan Chickpea Tagine, my  Moroccan Eggplant Tagine or a Persian Salad (recipe below). But, they're equally good with salsa, chutney, yogurt or creme fraiche and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or lime juice. Sometimes I make them for lunch and serve them with lemon, creme fraiche and roasted veggies.

Harissa is a Moroccan spice blend that gives them a little heat. You can swap the harissa for sriracha sauce or ground red pepper with good results.