I’m not sure about where you live, but this week has been all about back-to-school in our household. This is a big year for my family, my youngest is starting kindergarten, my daughter in the middle is entering 7th grade and my oldest son is a freshman! I have no idea how we got here, but we are here now. It’s exciting, but also a bit of an adjustment having 3 kids in 3 different schools.

With back-to-school comes the need to plan for dinner. Summer break is so laid back for us that I basically wing it every week for the most part. I don’t know if I would necessarily recommend that but that’s typically how summer rolls for me. Right now though I’m in more of a meal planning mode, looking for simple dinners that everyone will eat (per the usual!).

Although it’s back-to-school, let’s be real. It’s still very much summer. It’s also still my favorite produce season.

#FRESHSUMMER 2019 PROJECT:

My dear friend Lora and I have teamed up this summer to share our love of summer produce with you – we came up with a theme for each month of our #FreshSummer recipes. August’s produce pick is tomatoes! I am sharing today’s super simple Chopped Tomato and Spinach Salad. This salad would pair up nicely with grilled chicken or seafood. Lora is sharing a recipe for her Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce, it is a beautiful dish and is making my mouth water.

In case you missed it, for the month of June we chose to share something we both made with cucumbers. Be sure to check out my Cucumber Avocado Salad  and Lora’s Sweet Summer Corn and Cucumber Salad. For July, we chose watermelon. Lora shared her recipe for Asian Watermelon Salad and I shared my daughter’s new favorite salad this Watermelon Feta Salad with Basil.

If you make a tomato recipe this month, be sure to tag us on Instagram with #FreshSummer. Follow us @aggieskitchen and @savoringitaly to see our stories and what we are dishing up!

If you make this tomato salad recipe or any of my summer side dish recipes please be sure to tag me on Instagram @aggieskitchen #aggieskitchen and #freshsummer!

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I don’t know about you, but I tend to consider watermelon a complete food group in the summer. It’s my absolute favorite and for good reason too. There is nothing like snacking on cold, refreshing watermelon on a hot summer day, period.

I remember the summers I was pregnant with both of my boys and how much watermelon I ate, it could possibly have been record breaking.

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We are officially in my favorite food season. All the fresh vegetables! I have to say, in Florida we are in this season most of the year, but when the weather is as hot as it is right now all I crave is cool, refreshing salads like this Cucumber Avocado Salad.

I have made this simple salad several times over the last few weeks and each time I make it my daughter and husband dish out the compliments. They are currently the only salad eaters in the family (in addition to me) although my oldest son does like his veggies, just served in a more deconstructed version and not in salad form. I’m good with it.

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This recipe and post were created in partnership with Shuman Farms’ Real Sweet Vidalia Onions.

This Three Bean and Vidalia Onion Salad has to be one of my favorite salads to make when we are barbecuing over the summer.  It’s a classic salad that you probably have seen more than once on a salad bar – but homemade is so much better! Wow, can you taste the freshness. I love to add sweet Vidalia onions for extra flavor, especially when they are in season mid-April to early August.

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I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get back in the salad again. Although soup really is one of my g0-to favorite ways to fill up (any time of the year), salads are high up on the list as well (if you’ve been reading my blog for a while then you probably know how much I love salad by now!).

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I’ve been slightly obsessed with avocados lately. I can’t get enough of them really. A couple of months ago my mom brought me a few of hers from her Costco haul and stuck them in my fridge…I was skeptical of how they would keep but I have to tell you, it has been a game changer. They keep well and longer in the fridge and I just try to remember to pull out my avocado at least a few hours before I’m going to use it to get it down to room temperature.

Another game changer? This green little gadget. I’m not one to collect gadgets unless they are super practical…this avocado cutter/pitter/slicer is amazing. (I won it in a giveaway years ago and just came across it unopened, so glad I did!!)

Is tuna good with avocado?

YES! I love using avocado as a healthier substitute for mayo in tuna salad. To make avocado tuna salad all you do is combine tuna, avocado and lemon juice in a small bowl and mash together with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Delicious.

I’ve been adding avocado to salad recipes like this Spinach and Arugula Citrus Salad and smeared on toast like this Avocado Feta Toast with Zaatar for a while, but recently I tried mixing it with tuna as a mayo replacement and for an extra nutritional protein boost. Yet, another game changer. If you love avocado and tuna you will love this recipe (or should I say “non-recipe”)! Throw it on a salad like this Avocado Tuna Salad with Spinach or on some multigrain bread or with some crackers. It’s a great (quick) protein packed lunch (or dinner) option.

Nutritional note: don’t be afraid of the fat in avocados. Avocados are full of MUFAS (monounsaturated fatty acids) and our bodies need and benefit from them in countless ways.

(More benefits of avocados found here.)

I’m always looking for ways to add more avocado to my life and this Avocado and Three Bean Salad and this Smoky Cucumber, Radish and Avocado Salad are high on my to-make list!

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Pin this Chicken Pear and Avocado Salad recipe for later!

Originally published October 27, 2014

Since summer, my husband and I have been really working hard at eating well and losing weight (using a Fitbit and tracking in My Fitness Pal). I can’t tell you how much easier and more motivating it is to accomplish this when you have a partner. Especially when your partner lives in your house and is your husband.

It’s one thing for me to make healthy choices just for myself…but when I know that my cooking and meal prep also helps my husband achieve his healthy living goals, well for some reason that pushes me a little more. I know he appreciates it too.

This salad. This chicken and pear salad with avocado and walnuts is a product of our healthy living partnership.

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Click Here to Pin this Broccoli Salad recipe.

Whenever we get together at my parent’s house with my family for a barbecue during the summer, you can usually count on my mom making this broccoli raisin salad. It’s one of our favorites. My mom’s friend Trish first brought it over years ago and since then my mom has made it several times for our family.

What I love about this dish is it’s simplicity. It’s filled with just a handful of wholesome ingredients and can be made ahead, which makes it great for summer picnics, barbecues or pool days. It’s the perfect combination of flavors from sweet carrots and raisins (have you tried the Jumbo Raisin Medley from Trader Joe’s? Game changer.) to crunchy walnuts – and of course, plenty of broccoli.

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This recipe was created in partnership with Genova Seafood.

Click Here to Pin this Kale Salad recipe!

This Lemony Tuna and White Bean Kale Salad with Avocado has been my go-to salad the last couple of weeks. I’ve made it for quick lunches and I’ve also packed leftovers to take with me to my daughter’s volleyball tournament over the weekend. You know I felt so much better eating this salad in the bleachers instead of concession stand food!

There is a lot of quality protein in this kale salad. Tuna, specifically this Genova Yellowfin Tuna, is one of my favorite proteins to salads each week. I have partnered up with Genova for this recipe but I discovered this tuna a few years back when my grocery store had it on sale (this is the salad I first made with this tuna!). I picked up a few cans back then and I have been hooked on its rich, savory taste ever since. You can find where Genova is sold near you here.

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If you are following a keto diet, this is a great keto salmon recipe to try, it is naturally low carb and high in good fat!

I’m slowly easing back into post-holiday life now that my kids are back in school. I hit the gym for a good hour-long cardio session this morning and am determined to drink a gazillion ounces of water today. I didn’t gain a million pounds over the holidays like I thought I would, but I did hit a level of feeling sluggish that I am not comfortable with, and I can attribute that to less sleep, less exercise and more of everything else if you know what I mean.

Like this salmon salad recipe? Pin It Here!

Instead of tuna salad for lunch this week, I put together this healthy salad with leftover cooked salmon and a few simple ingredients I had in the fridge. I have been obsessed with salmon salad ever since I had it in Oregon a couple of months ago – it was one of the best salmon salad recipes I’ve ever tasted.

This salad is so delicious and a nice change from your average tuna sandwich. It’s a great low carb recipe filled with protein and healthy fats too.

I like to cook up extra salmon whenever I am making it for dinner so I can use the leftovers on salad, or in a salmon salad like this one. Cooking salmon is easy and takes no time at all. You can bake your salmon or broil it, I typically broil it when I just use a rub (like this salmon with sweet and spicy rub I make often).

How to cook salmon:

1. Preheat your broiler.
2. Place salmon filets on lightly greased aluminum foil lined broiler pan or baking sheet. Pat salmon filets dry with a paper towel, then sprinkle liberally with your favorite lemon pepper seasoning, salt and pepper. Drizzle a little olive oil over each salmon filet. Place under broiler and cook for 8-10 minutes or until salmon is turns lighter pink and flakes with a fork (cooking time for fish always depends on how thick your fish is). Set aside.

What do you put in salmon salad?

• 1/2 lb cooked salmon, flaked
• 1 heaping teaspoon light mayo (more if you like mayo)
• squeeze of lemon
• big pinch of salt and pepper (or lemon pepper if you prefer)
• 1 celery stalk, chopped small
• 1 tablespoon green onion, chopped

So good!

What else can you make with leftover cooked salmon besides salmon salad?

Try these Cajun Baked Salmon Cakes,  Salmon & Avocado Stuffed Lettuce Wraps or this Farfalle with Salmon, Lemon and Peas.

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Salmon Salad Recipe

• Author: Aggies Kitchen
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings
• Category: Fish

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This Salmon Salad is a nice change from your everyday tuna. Bake up extra salmon at dinnertime & use up the leftovers to create this protein packed salad!

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Ingredients

• 1/2 lb cooked salmon, flaked
• 1 heaping teaspoon mayonnaise
• squeeze of lemon
• big pinch of salt and pepper (or lemon pepper if you prefer)
• 1 celery stalk, chopped small
• 1 tablespoon green onion, chopped

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Instructions

1. Add your leftover flaked salmon to a bowl. Season well with salt, pepper (or lemon pepper), mayo and a splash of fresh squeezed lemon. Add chopped celery and green onion and combine well.
2. Serve on whole grain bread or pita or over salad with crackers. Or just eat it on its own.

Love salmon? Check out my other salmon recipes:

Broiled Salmon with Sweet and Spicy Rub

Salmon and Veggie Stir Fry

Blackened Salmon with Citrus Salsa

Almond Crusted Honey Mandarin Salmon

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