As the weather warms up and farmers' markets reopen, our culinary cravings shift from heavy comfort foods to lighter fare. Salads of all kinds can satisfy the appetite for fresh, light flavors.

The base of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts, legumes and seeds, herbs and spices--all of which make fantastic salads when combined in the right proportions!

Salads are an easy and delicious way to add vegetables and fruit to your meals, and get the family to try new ingredients. They can also be a great time saver since most salads require only assembly, not cooking. So often we get in a salad rut: lettuce, tomato, cucumber with a dressing from the bottle. Let the tips and recipes below inspire you to think beyond the leaf.

Try these tips for building delicious salads this spring and summer:

• Combine fruits and vegetables in the same salad. The Summer Crab Salad includes pineapple, as well as bell pepper and onion. And the Fruit Salad with Orange Vinaigrette includes avocado. Berries pair well with spinach. And tomatoes and peaches play nicely together. Play with ingredients that are in season where you live.
  
  
• Dress all of your salads. Fruit salad is a family-friendly stand-by, but sometimes the same bowl of watermelon, cantaloupe, and grapes gets old. Try a bright citrus vinaigrette, like the one below, or mix up a yogurt and mint sauce for your next fruit salad. Try flavored vinegars, infused olive oils, spices, and fresh herbs for new vinaigrette combinations. Adding a little bit of a healthy fat like olive oil to your salad also helps your body absorb fat-soluble nutrients in fruits and vegetables.
   
• Make it hearty. A salad can quickly go from side dish to main event with just a few additions. Add whole grain pasta or brown rice to your chopped salad along with some black beans or grilled shrimp for a quick and easy dinner. Other easy additions could be quinoa, whole wheat couscous, canned tuna, chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs, tofu, or left-over chicken or fish.
  
  
• Add texture. Make your salad more interesting, flavorful, and nutritious by sprinkling some nuts on top. Dried fruit, toasted coconut, water chestnuts, or crumbled whole grain crackers can also make your salad more exciting.