It's time for summer salads. I had some time off this week to cook, my favorite thing to do. I made salads, overnight oats, some really good shrimp dishes, blueberry crisp. I have a recipe for Pork Marbella marinating right now that I can't wait to try. Enjoy!

The first one is a Greek, pepper, cheese tortellini salad. The 2nd one is a Quinoa, chicken, green bean salad. I use a lemon vinaigrette with slightly different spices for each salad.

Greek Cheese Tortellini Salad

1 pkg fresh cheese tortellini

1 green pepper, 1 orange pepper, 1 red pepper, sliced thin

½ a red onion sliced thin

½ cup pitted kalamata olives

1 cup feta cheese

Fresh basil chopped or chiffonade

Instructions

Cook pasta according to directions, put a little dressing on the pasta, stir and refrigerate. Chop all veggies, mix all in a big bowl, add tortellini, feta, basil and olives. Add the dressing a little at a time until coated. You may not need all the dressing. Taste for need of salt and pepper.

Summertime Vinaigrette

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic minced

2 tsp honey or superfine sugar

1 tsp oregano

Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a mason jar, shake well. Shake well before serving.

Quinoa, Chicken, Green bean Salad

• 2 cups cooked quinoa

• 1 lb green beans clean and chopped into 2" pieces

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

• 1 orange or yellow pepper chopped

• 1/4 red onion, chopped

• 2 cups cooked chicken breast

Instructions

Cook quinoa according to directions. Place in refrigerator until cool. Steam green beans and cool. Brown sliced almonds a non stick skillet on meduim low heat until brown. Chop veggies.

When quinoa is cooled add green beans, veggies, chicken. I use the summertime vinaigrette above minus the greek seasoning. Taste for need of salt and pepper. Add the almonds before serving.