This is a great time of year to add salads to your menu. However, with the recent recalls of lettuce, some of you might be dodging this option. Let us remind you that there are salads from all over the world that never come close to lettuce or other greens.

So step away from those wiltable side salads and skip the salad green mixed bag. Now is your opportunity to explore salads that can be made in large batches, enjoyed for more than one meal, plus do a better job of supplying a wide range of nutrients.

Seasonal Produce in the Spotlight

With local tomatoes at their best right now, you can start by making a vinaigrette and pouring it over a mixture of tomatoes with a few of your favorite tomato companions. For a traditional Greek salad, add cucumber and feta cheese. For a Middle Eastern version, make a chunky chop of tomato, cucumber, kalamata olives, and feta crumbles.

Another great base for a leafless salad is beets. These earthy roots can stand up to strong flavors like onion and goat cheese. For a snack or a quick supper, we often arrange a selection of sliced vegetables on a plate and dip them in hummus, cottage cheese, or any spread or dressing in the refrigerator.

For a heartier meal, head to the south of France for Salade Niçoise with tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, Niçoise olives, tuna, and potatoes arranged on a plate and drizzled with dressing.

Start with Beans and

Legumes

Beans and legumes are a perfect springboard for a salad that will improve over time. Our bean salad enthusiasm began with Cowboy Caviar. Jeanine Donofrio of Love and Lemons explains.

“Cowboy caviar is a fresh black-eyed pea dip typically made with black beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and a tangy vinaigrette dressing. Also called Texas caviar, it was developed by dietician Helen Corbitt in the 1940s, reflecting West African and Mexican influences.”

She may call it a dip, but we make a giant bowl of it and use it to spark up simple meals as a side dish, tucked into a sandwich (try falafel) or as a topping for tacos.

In his book, “Cool Beans,” food writer Joe Yonan has a diversity of intriguing salad and snack recipes that begin with beans. We plan to try his “Indian Chickpea and Fruit Salad” and “Three Bean Salad With Feta and Parsley.”

Add Grains

Today we speak of grain bowls, which to us are simply a salad with grain added or used as a base. The one we make most often is Tabbouli. This is another salad that can be made ahead and will work well in other ways. Our Tabbouli always has a bean or legume added to make a complete protein.

Of course, you can add more traditional proteins to any salad. It can be as simple as serving it with a piece of grilled meat or fish or adding a can of one of the delicious canned fish that are so available these days. We love the Fishwife brand smoked rainbow trout and often have it on top of or alongside a salad when we haven’t met our protein goal for the day.

Finally, for those of you who love your lettuce and want to buy it without fear, go to local producers. Join a CSA or attend a farmers market. Buy hydroponic lettuce and greens, or grow your own outdoors in a vertical planter or hydroponic indoor garden.

Do you have a question or topic for Fresh & Local? Email Penny@BostonZest.com with your suggestion.