Spring has officially arrived, and for many people, lighter meals are in order. Salads are versatile, tasty and combine different textures. They can combine fruits, vegetables, pastas, beans and meats, and they can easily be created to incorporate flavors from other parts of the world. Whether as a side dish or as the main course, a salad is perfect for those times when you want something light. Check out these suggestions for salads from Recipes Remembered, a publication of the Star Journal that highlights three decades of readers’ recipes.

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Pasta Salad
1 (8-oz.) pkg. rotini noodles
1 c. broccoli flowerets
1 c. cauliflower flowerets
1/2 c. green olives, sliced
1/2 c. black olives, sliced
1 c. diced cheese
1 c. Italian dressing
Cook rotini according to package instructions; rinse with cold water to chill. Combine broccoli, cauliflower, olives, cheese and rotini. Pour dressing over noodle mixture; stir thoroughly, cover and refrigerate several hours. Serves 5 to 7.
Chris Smith

Middle Eastern Chopped Salad
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2 fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 scallions, trimmed and chopped
1 sweet yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
3 T. chopped, pitted black olives (Kalamata or oil cured if possible)
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
3 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese (opt.)
Combine all ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Jan Sarkauskas

Thai Beef Salad
Salad:
9 c. torn lettuce leaves (e.g. Bibb, Boston, romaine, red leaf, etc. or a combination)
20 mint leaves, torn or sliced
12 coriander leaves, torn or sliced
4 stalks lemon grass, minced, using only tender white part
18 oz. lean beef, such as grilled tenderloin or sirloin, thinly sliced
2 med. red onions, thinly sliced
2 sm. cucumbers, thinly sliced
Dressing:
10 cloves garlic, chopped
10 Serrano chilies, seeded
3 T. fish sauce (Nam Pla)
6 T. lime juice
5 tsp. sugar
5 T. sliced green onion
1 tsp. dried red chili flakes
Salad: Arrange lettuce to cover a platter. Sprinkle with mint and coriander. Top with lemon grass. Evenly lay on the cooked beef pieces. Cover beef with onions and cucumber slices. Dressing: Pound the garlic and chilies together with a mortar and pestle. Add fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, green onion and red chili flakes. Refrigerate salad and dressing until serving. Pour dressing over salad and serve.
Don Kemmeter