This is the sort of food that makes me think I could be a vegetarian! It is light but filling and a wonderful way to get some dark greens into your diet without having to turn on the oven in the heat of summer. The herbs, as much as the acid from the tomatoes and the vinegar, make these veggies feel light and bright. Plus, the heartier greens mean that it can toss it together a couple of hours before serving and it won’t become a soggy mess. Adding cooked wheatberries or quinoa would make it filling enough to be lunch in its own right.

• 2 bunches kale, any type will work but curly green
• 1 quart cherry tomatoes, a mix of colors and shapes
• 3 summer squash, a mix of yellow and green
• ¼ Cup olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon thyme, minced (can use regular time if not available)
• 1 teaspoon, chives minced

1. Strip the kale from its stem and wash the greens
2. Spin the greens dry and cut into ½” ribbons
3. Sprinkle with a heafty pinch of salt and massage until the greens are dark green and tender to the bite. (I like to pretend I’m giving the kale a back rub until all the tension is gone—can take 5-7 minutes and your hands will be a bit green.)
4. Cut the tomatoes in half
5. Shave the summer squash as thinly as possible—use a mandolin if you have one
6. Toss all together and taste, adding more salt and black pepper until it is tasty. If it tastes flat add a splash more vinegar or a squeeze of lemon.