Light and refreshing with more than one pop of color and crunch. An easy, weeknight, summer salad.
It’s a good thing we have an amazing farm market full of locally grown fruits and veggies, and plenty of friends who farm and garden because this yea I give our backyard garden a C-. We’re trying (well, sort of) but so far, the only things the squirrels, deer, fox, two extra fat ground hogs haven’t’ devoured is our parsley, cherry tomatoes, and basil. Hence, the use of our own fresh basil (Hooray for at least one successful harvest!) in this 10 minutes Fresh Corn, Cucumber and Blueberry Salad.
And the corn this year…. Gaagh… it’s unbelievably sweet. I got the corn for this salad from my friend Cheryl who owns and operates Cheryl’s Farm Fresh. Cheryl is hands-down, one of the kindest, smartest, most industrious women I know; not to mention she’s a capital A, Kick-A farmer and a strong independent woman. Woot, woot!
I really lucked out this week. Cheryl donated a bushel of corn for a food demonstration I was doing and there was just enough left to make this colorful, fiber-rich, refreshingly cool, sweet and colorful summer salad for Mr. EN and me. Thank you Cheryl!
The Nutrition 411:
- Bravo! This salad is super nutritious. It’s packed with all sorts of vitamins, minerals and fiber and, the unfiltered vinegar and local honey is good for putting all those good bugs (bacteria) and immune-system boosting antibodies back into your body.
Cooking Tips:
- Don’t cook the corn. This recipe calls for raw corn, cut straight from the cob.
- Dry the blueberries after you rinse them to prevent the salad from become too watery. The same goes for the basil before you cut it, chiffonade style.
- Season any way you like. Don’t like basil? Leave it out and add fresh green onion, parsley, mint, thyme or nothing at all.
- If you’re going to make this for a crowd you can mix together the corn, cucumber, onion and dressing ahead of time. Add the basil and blueberries up to 30 minutes before serving.
- This recipe is best eaten the same day you make it but will keep 2 days. The blueberries will become a little soft but the salad still tastes great.
Are you wondering what to serve with this salad? We paired it with a petite, hot-off-the-grill sirloin steak and a stack of fresh tomatoes slices. Easy and delicious!
Mr. EN’s Take on this Recipe: “Really good. Next time leave out the basil.”
Mrs. EN’s Take on his Take: Folks – thirty years of marriage and I’m still workin’ on him. The guy just doesn’t like fresh herbs. Please take a leap of faith and add the basil, at least once.
Peace, love, and good eats; from our Empty Nest to yours.
Trending in the Empty Nest Kitchen – Meijer True Goodness Organic Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar
Fresh Corn, Cucumber and Blueberry Salad
Yield 4 big servings
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups fresh corn, cut off the cob (about 3 ears, depending on the size)
- 1 cup blueberries, rinsed and dried
- ½ English cucumber, sliced into rounds, then halved or quartered
- ½ small red onion, finely diced about 2 tablespoons
- A handful of basil, sliced into thin shreds (chiffonade), click for video
- 2 tablespoons light olive oil or another light-tasting oil such as canola or avocado
- 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently mix together the fresh corn, onion, and basil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, and honey.
- Pour the dressing over the corn mixture and mix well.
- Gently stir in the blueberries and fresh basil.
- Serve immediately. Salad will keep 2 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
Note:
- This analysis is for a recipe made with 1/8 teaspoon salt.
- Diabetics: If you would like to decrease the carbs in this recipe double the cucumbers and decrease the corn by 1/2.
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
Calories 210 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat 9 g | 14% | |
Saturated Fat 1 g | 5% | |
Sodium 77 mg | 3% | |
Total Carbohydrates 34 g | 11% | |
Dietary Fiber 4 g | 16% | |
Protein 5 g | 10% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Can’t wait to make these two great recipes. I enjoy your posts or blogs or whatever they are called, Chris.