Tri-Color Tomato Salad
Over the past week, my social media stream has been bombarded with people declaring the end of the summer.
But while some people count Labor Day as the end of the season, the true date is actually September 22nd — aka the “autumnal equinox.” The fact that the weather is still in the 90’s here further supports my belief that we shouldn’t be rushing to dub it “sweater weather” just yet.
In an attempt to hold on to summer (in addition to crudely disregarding the no white after Labor Day rule), I created this lovely Tri-Color Tomato Salad featuring many of summer’s favorite veggies.
However, with the addition of vegetables that come into season at the end of summer and the beginning of fall like eggplant and zucchini, I like to think of this as a “transitional salad.”
It’s a salad to smoothly ease you from one season to another.
The lovely yellow, orange and red tomatoes I picked up at the Farmer’s Market last week are the real show stoppers of this dish, but the tender zucchini and eggplant, which you stir-fry, really add a complexity to the texture.
You can enjoy this at room temperature, or chilled. Mix it with grains like quinoa, bulgar, or rice, or just enjoy it alone. It’s a very versatile salad and perfect for all of your end-of-summer/pre-fall festivities.
- 1 Red Tomato
- 1 Yellow Tomato
- 1 Orange Tomato
- ½ C. Cucumber, diced
- 1 C. Eggplant, cubed
- 1 C. Squash, cubed
- ½ C. Sweet Yellow Corn Kernels
- 2 T. White Wine Vinegar
- 1½ T. Avocado Oil (or Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
- Salt and Pepper
- Add ½ T. oil to a skillet and saute eggplant, squash and corn until tender, about 3-4 minutes. You can use fresh corn or buy flash frozen organic corn. Once cooked, remove from heat and let cool.
- Combine tomatoes, cucumbers, 1 T. oil, and vinegar in a bowl. Once the sauteed vegetables have cooled to room temp, add them as well.
- Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!
I had hoped to enjoy this salad all week, but unfortunately, it only made it through two meals. It was so good that I kept just eating it straight from the serving bowl.
One evening I enjoyed it with Baked Cod, which I cooked similar to my Roasted Tomato & Basil Salmon, and a side of quinoa.
Another evening, I mixed it with the rest of my quinoa and topped it with some fresh shrimp.
As I said, there are so many uses for this delish dish.
And since it’s “What I Ate Wednesday,” here are a few other tasty meals I’ve been noshing on lately…
Spiralized Zucchini Spaghetti:
Mr. Chow perks up immediately whenever he smells turkey in the house.
Stir-Fried Tempeh and Veggies:
A Whole Grain Chicken & Veggie Make-Your-Own Pizza from Pizza Studio:
I went to this place the other day for lunch with my girlfriend and I have to say, it’s pretty awesome. They let you pick your crust, sauce, toppings, etc and they have tons of great veggies and gluten-free and vegan options.
Just in case you’re wondering — yes, I ate this whole thing myself. Sorry I’m not sorry.
Herb-Crusted Seabass from Cafe Pinot in DTLA:
Wow, this dish was fantastic. It was consumed at a friend’s wedding this weekend which was held at the restaurant and neighboring Los Angeles Central Library.
While we’re on the subject, I must point out how amazing this wedding venue is.
On her: Black Textured Pencil Skirt, Banana Republic // Sheer V-Neck Blouse, Banana Republic // Heels: Zara (similar here) // On him: Hugo Boss Tuxedo
The ceremony took place in the street — yes, the actual street — in front of the steps leading up to the gorgeous 1920’s library. The reception followed in the beautiful courtyard between the library and restaurant.
Definitely one of the coolest weddings I’ve been to.
Weigh In: Are you sad about summer’s end or ready for fall? What healthy meals are making the rounds on your menu this week?
*This post is linked to Real Food Wednesday and Waste Not Want Not Wednesday.
Alex @ True Femme says:
I will do anything to hold onto the last bits of summer so this tomato salad looks like a great way to do it! Also, I’m eating as many peaches as I can!
Whitney English says:
Oh yeah, I’ll def miss the fresh peaches and nectarines :)
Louise@FitRaidnace says:
Yum! So many lovely colourful foods :) I’m a little sad summer is coming to an end, but I also love Autumn/Winter, so I’m somewhere in between on that one. I’m still eating lots of salads and smoothies at the moment though. Those never get old.
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says:
I agree with you lets hold onto summer a little bit longer. I am already seeing halloween and Thanksgiving decor. Hold on their people!!
Whitney English says:
Seriously! I need to ease into the season.
Kim says:
Yum – that salad looks awesome!!! I love having that kind of thing for my lunches!!
Y’all look amazing all dressed up for the wedding – your shoes are incredible!
Whitney English says:
Thanks Kim! The shoes are Zara and surprisingly comfortable for their height!
Ashley @ A Lady Goes West says:
I LOVEEE that setting for a wedding, how unique. I have a Veggetti spiralizer that I use to make zucchini noodles, and I top them with sauteed spinach and cabbage, some pasta sauce and turkey meatballs. That’s one of my regular weeknight meals, and it’s so colorful and full of veggies.
Whitney English says:
Yum! I’ve never tried mixing cabbage in. I’ll have to do that next time!
Juan Carlo says:
Love this recipes! I don’t usually add eggplant and zucchini in my salad, but this one is a must-try. I’ll definitely try this out later. Thanks for sharing.
Bethann Wagner says:
Yessss, I am a little sad Summer is about to be over! I am pumped for Fall veggies (especially pumpkin flavored errryyyything) I don’t love eggplant, but pumpkin, zucchini and squash will be on my plate as often as possible!
You look gorge in the wedding pics! You’re so chic!
Whitney English says:
Aw, thanks girl! I’m excited for pumpkin flavored erryyythang too :)
Arman @ thebigmansworld says:
You can keep the Summer recipes coming- just pretend they are for us Aussies :p
This week I’ve been slack and eaten a homemade burger and baked potatoes for dinner every night. It may have been done on purpose.
Whitney English says:
Mmmm burgers. Nothing wrong with that!
Charlotte @ Commitness to Fitness says:
Oh I love Library and Museum wedding venues! That one looks gorgeous! And this salad is the answer to everything I was thinking yesterday- I was at whole foods and they had soo many varieties of tomatoes- I wanted to get them but I was like “what am I going to use these for?” Um, answer granted! I’ll have to go back and get some.
Whitney English says:
That’s what I thought when I first saw the colorful tomatoes too! I was like, “Oh, they’re so pretty…but I’m not sure what I’ll do with them.” It just made sense to toss them all together! Let me know if you end up trying it :)
celyn says:
wow what a great idea for a recipe! loving how it goes with a lot of things. Thanks for sharing!
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Alex Caspero MA,RD (@delishknowledge) says:
I am not ready for summer to end! It’s by far my favorite season and I’m still planning on wearing my white pants and eating tomatoes for as long as I can! I love versatile salads like this that you can mix and match for a few meals. That wedding venue looks beautiful!