Zucchini Ribbon Summer Salad

With our California weather perpetually warm this last year, it's strange that I'm excited about summer. I should be sick of the heat, but I'm not. Especially since, as most people know, I'm a fall girl normally. I love fall. I live and breathe for autumn. In fact, I'm already planning my fall dishes and Halloween ideas. Yay! But for some reason I'm looking forward to the warm, long days of summer. Lazy, fun days spent with my kiddos. A much needed reprieve from a busy school year. Maybe my excitement is because I finally have some free time to cook again. And who wouldn't want to cook with the abundance of fresh veggies available in summer, right? Ahh yes. That must be the cause of my excitement...the veggies! :)

One veggie you see everywhere in the summertime is zucchini. It's cheap and abundant. My inspiration to cut the zucchini into ribbons came from this recipe from the Proud Italian Cook. Cutting the zucchini with a vegetable peeler into long ribbons is a clever, fun way to prepare the vegetable and it creates this delicious and beautiful salad. It's filling because of the corn, peas and edamame but it's still light and flavorful with a simple Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette. Plus, it's stunningly beautiful with all the colors of summer. Enjoy! 

Zucchini Ribbon Summer Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

2 small zucchini, cut into ribbons
1 yellow squash, cut into ribbons
1/2 c carrots, shredded
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
1 cucumber, sliced into rounds
1 ear of white corn
1/4 cup edamame
1/4 cup peas
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 T green onions, chopped
feta cheese, crumbled
 
Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 Meyer Lemon
1 pinch of dried oregano, crushed
2 pinches of Kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder

For the squash, use a vegetable peeler to shave off thin ribbons of the zucchini and yellow squash. Place ribbons in a large bowl. Prepare all vegetables and add to the bowl. 

Prepare Vinaigrette. Note: If you don't have Meyer Lemons, you can use regular lemons but you may have to add a few tablespoons of honey to your dressing to cut some of the acidity. Meyer lemons are less acidic and thereby sweeter. Their sweetness is due to the fact that Meyer Lemons are a cross between a lemon and an orange.  

Toss salad with vinaigrette and sprinkle with feta cheese. Enjoy!

Other Summer Salads to try:
Summer Fruit Salad with Ginger and Lime
Caprese Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Grilled Maui Onion and Zucchini