Lemon and Thyme Summer Vegetable Salad

As summer is coming to a close (at least in my mind it is.. who’s ready for pumpkin spice recipes?!) I wanted to do one last recipe that really captures the flavors of the season. Grilled corn, sautéed zucchini and squash, fresh tomatoes, onions, and peppers blend together perfectly in this crunchy zesty side dish. Most of the ingredients can be plucked straight from your own garden or found at your local farmers market too!

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(makes 6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

Olive oil for cooking

1 ear of yellow corn

1 large zucchini, sliced into disks and then again in half

1 yellow squash, sliced into disks and then again in half

2 vine ripe tomatoes, seeds and juices removed, cut into small chunks

1 orange bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut into small chunks

¼ of a medium red onion, sliced

1 ½ tsp dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Juice from 1 lemon

1 cup crumbled goat cheese

Extra lemon wedges for serving

Preheat grill to medium heat or preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Drizzle corn with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and place straight on the grill when hot. Turn every couple of minutes, until some of the kernels are lightly browned and corn is hot all the way through.

If roasting in the oven, cover corn with foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Season with a bit of salt and pepper (I like to use garlic salt) and let cool for 5-10 minutes. When cool enough to touch, use a sharp knife to slice down the sides of the corn to remove the kernels from the cob. Add to a large bowl and set aside.

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add zucchini and squash and lightly sauté for 5-7 minutes. Don’t overcook! You still want a bit of crunch from them. While waiting for them to cook, cut up your tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion and add to the bowl with corn.

When zucchini and squash are finished cooking, add to the bowl with the rest of the vegetables. Add dried thyme, season with salt and pepper, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and lemon juice. Toss to mix and coat everything evenly.

If mixture becomes watery at the bottom (the zucchini and tomatoes have a lot of juice in them), just tip the bowl with a lid or plate slightly covering the top to drain some of the juice. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to chill. When ready to serve, scoop into bowls, top with a bit of crumbled goat cheese, and a lemon wedge.

Enjoy!