During hot summer months salads make refreshing main courses. Grilled Zucchini, Rice & Herb Salad is main course material, with a with a nod (brown rice) and a wink (pimento stuffed olives) to the 70’s ‘health food’ heydey, a little jewel of a salad so good I did not leave it in the past.
Los Angeles likes to embrace all things new in food, so when ‘health food’ hit the scene as young girl, I jumped on board-cooking with yogurt, sprouts, whole-wheat everything and tons of steamed veggies with brown rice-alternated of course with my stable teen diet of burgers, pizza and tacos.
Grilled Zucchini, Brown Rice & Herb Salad was inspired by steamed veggie and rice salads I dined on at the café of our local hometown ‘health food store’, which happily still exists today despite decades of food culture change.
Over the years (many) the salad has evolved, it reflects the relaxed summer entertaining I embrace, becoming a little gem I often serve in the summer as a main course. The updated classic contains crispy grilled zucchini layered over greens and rice tossed with a fines herbes-based lemon dressing, topped with the fresh oregano and mint that overrun my garden and for color and 70’s fun, pimento-stuffed olives (or of course, use your favorite olives from the olive bar).
The Bijouxs Recipe Collection – sharing my little culinary jewels over the decades. Happy Summer!
As always, enjoy. B