(Family Features) Whether you enjoy your spring meals al fresco or simply turn to warm-weather dishes at the comfort of your own dining table, the season brings with it a perfect excuse to shake up your menu.
Lighter fare is often the way to go as temperatures climb, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for a regular sandwich or a boring salad. Instead, enhance these springtime classics by rethinking tradition in tasty (yet easy) ways.
This Sabich recipe calls for a multitude of fresh flavors including Aunt Nellie’s Pickled Beets and Onions and hard-boiled eggs plus a variety of veggies, hummus and ethnic seasonings. Or, if a quick and easy salad calls your name for an outdoor meal, this Tossed Bean Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette requires only READ Bean Salad, mixed greens and a handful of other ingredients.
Find more easy springtime dishes at readsalads.com and auntnellies.com.
Tossed Bean Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Prep time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
1 can (15 ounces) READ 3 or 4 Bean Salad2 tablespoons lemon juice or white wine vinegar2 tablespoons olive oilcoarsely ground black pepper, to taste1 package (about 10 ounces) mixed salad greens with carrots4 slices bacon (about 1/4 cup), cooked crisp and crumbled (optional)shaved Parmesan or Asiago cheese (optional)Drain bean salad well; in small bowl, reserve 1/2 cup liquid.To make dressing: Whisk reserved bean liquid and lemon juice then whisk in oil. Add pepper, to taste.Place salad greens in bowl. Add bean salad and bacon. Add dressing, as desired. Toss gently to coat. Arrange on platter; top with shaved cheese, if desired.
Variation: Top salad with sliced grilled chicken then top with cheese.
Sabich
Recipe courtesy of eazypeazymealz.com
Prep time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
1 jar (16 ounces) Aunt Nellie’s Pickled Beets and Onions1 medium eggplant2 teaspoons salt, plus additional, to taste, divided1 cup vegetable oil4 hard-boiled eggs, slicedpepper, to taste1 1/2 teaspoons za’atar, plus additional for serving, divided (optional)1/2 teaspoon sumac, plus additional for serving, divided (optional)1 cucumber, diced3 Roma tomatoes, diced1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped1/2 lemon, juice only4 whole-grain pita breads with pockets1/2 cup hummus2 cups shredded red cabbage1 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced1/4 cup Amba pickled mango sauce (optional)1/4 cup tahiniDrain beets and onions; set aside.Wash eggplant. Slice into 3/8-inch-thick pieces. Place slices on cooling rack. Add 2 teaspoons salt to slices to draw out extra moisture. Let sit 10 minutes. Pat extra moisture off.In large 14-inch skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Once oil is hot, place eggplant slices in oil; fry until browned, about 3 minutes per side, in batches of four pieces. Place on paper towel-lined plate to absorb additional oil.Season hard-boiled egg slices with salt and pepper, to taste. Season with 1/2 teaspoon za’atar and sumac, if desired. Set aside.To make salad: In medium bowl, combine cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice and remaining za’atar. Set aside.Gently slice one end of each pita and open pocket. In microwave on high, heat pitas 10 seconds. Place equal amounts fried eggplant in each pita. Spread 2 tablespoons hummus in each pita. Gently layer one-fourth of egg slices, beets and onions, cabbage, Israeli salad and green peppers in each pita.Drizzle each sabich with about 1 tablespoon amba sauce, if desired, and 1 tablespoon tahini. Season with additional salt and pepper or sumac and Za’atar, if desired.