Tag Archives: Fourth of July

Red, White & Blue Fireworks Salad

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patriotic fireworks salad

Memorial Day is tomorrow, and July 4 is just around the corner. Some say to be patriotic, you have to have the classic American barbecue food: hamburgers, loaded baked potatoes, hot dogs, corn on the cob, etc. But other than corn (which really acts more like a grain), where are the vegetables? This salad took me about 30 minutes to prepare because I am slow at knife skills, but it will probably go much faster once I improve my technique. You could probably expand this recipe for multiple eaters without much additional time. Red bell peppers add tang, white cucumber (and cheese if you’re not vegan) cool it down, and blue berries sweeten the deal. Finally, cayenne pepper in the dressing make fireworks go off in your mouth.

Things you will need:

  • A fairly big bowl and a fork
  • Salad greens to fill up your bowl (I used spinach, but you can also use iceberg or romaine for pickier palates)
  • Red bell pepper (or 3 baby sweet peppers)
  • 1/2 cup red canned beans [optional] (I used black beans, but kidney beans would work the same or better)
  • White shredded cheese [optional] (Mozzarella, Jack, or Provolone for a mild taste; Parmesan or Asiago for more of a bite)
  • About 1/3 cucumber
  • Handful of blackberries (or blueberries)
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Sprinkle of cayenne pepper, to taste
  1. Wash and dry your salad greens if they are not prewashed. Put them in your bowl.
  2. Wash and dry the sweet red pepper. Cut the top off and discard the seeds and whitish flesh. Slice into strips and throw on salad.
  3. Wash and dry the cucumber. Slice it into circles. If you want to get fancy, you can cut off the outside green flesh so it’s truly white, but I like to leave it on for the extra nutrients and fiber. Place the cucumber circles on the salad.
  4. Wash and dry your berries. If you use blueberries, just throw them in. If you use blackberries and they are large, cut them in half so they distribute more evenly. Put in salad.
  5. Drain the can of beans if you want the extra protein. Toss about 1/2 cup into the salad, and save the rest for another salad or burrito or something.
  6. Sprinkle the white shredded cheese on top of the salad.
  7. Shake on the red wine vinegar to taste. Sprinkle cayenne. (You can also mix these two ahead of time to infuse the spiciness throughout the vinegar.)
  8. Pick up fork and eat!