Salad Greens

Summer days call for cool salads. You can almost hear the salad tongs clanging against a large bowl generously heaped with refreshing greens.Because I like my greens as fresh as I can get them, a couple of years ago I put in a small raised bed on the hot, sunny, southern side of my house, not really too big, but ample for providing lots of fresh garden goodies. I started out with red oakleaf lettuce and exotic red romaine, then I sowed a few seeds of red chard and feathery mizuna from the mustard family.

Roasted pork tenderloin served with crumbled blue cheese is a savory main dish that contains only 13 grams of fat per serving. The recipe is provided by the National Dairy Board.Roasted Pork Tenderloin2 tablespoons butter, melted1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried thymehTC 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves, crushed1 tablespoon sage1/4 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper2 cups mixed salad greens1/2 cup (2 ounces)

The 'Secrets' is out about low-fat cookingA hundred techniques and 200 easy recipes, along with guides to foods such as beans and salad greens, are featured in "Secrets of Low-Fat Cooking," from the editors of Eating Well magazine (Eating Well Books, 1997, $16.95). Recipes include old favorites such as meat loaf and Boston baked beans, and trendy dishes such as grilled mesclun-stuffed swordfish and roasted vegetable and linguine salad. Start your backyard garden off right this year with a cup of coffee -- or at least the grounds.

Summer salads don't have to be dainty. This one will satisfy the heartiest appetite on a hot summer day.Steak and Black-Eyed Pea SaladServes 28 ounces steak, cut in strips1/2 cup canned black-eyed peas, drained4 cups mixed salad greens1/3 cup julienne carrot1/3 cup julienne turnip1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese1/4 cup balsamic vinaigretteCombine ingredients and toss well.Sweet newcomers: grape tomatoesNew this summer in supermarkets and specialty food stores: grape tomatoes. These are smaller than cherry tomatoes and grow in clusters.

Crabtree & Evelyn -- maker of those fragrant bath products -- has come out of the boudoir. Now, the Massachusetts-based company has cooked up a line of items for the kitchen.Aroma sprays in four "flavors" send mists of salad greens, gingered orange, pastries or cranberry wafting through the house, even if you haven't cooked all week. And when you do put on an apron, odor diffusers -- in the form of small candles -- cover up unpleasant food odors, and the Fruit & Vegetable Wash removes wax and pesticide residue from produce.

Tossing barley in mix If you're tired of the same old salad, try this recipe from the National Barley Foods Council: Combine 8 to 10 cups of precut salad greens; 2 cups of cooked meat, such as pork, ham, chicken, turkey or beef; 2 cups of cooked pearl barley; one 15-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained; 1/2 ripe avocado; 1/2 medium red onion, sliced into rings; and 1/4 cup prepared sweet vinaigrette. Toss gently and serve. Makes 4 servings. Irish go for bacon Despite its popularity in restaurants on St. Patrick's Day, corned beef and cabbage is not very Irish, according to the History Channel.

PAELLA SALAD is a take-off on the classic saffron-flavored Spanish rice dish.It's made from quick barley, cooked chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, peppers and onions. The dish can be served immediately on top of crisp salad greens or chilled overnight.This recipe is from The Quaker Oats Co.Paella Salad1 cup quick barley8 ounces chopped cooked chicken1 cup sliced green onions1 cup chopped red bell pepper4 ounces frozen cleaned shrimp, cooked, chilled2 garlic cloves, minced1 14 1/2 -ounce can no-salt added stewed tomatoes1 teaspoon oregano3/4 to 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce1/2 teaspoon paprika1/2 teaspoon turmeric1/2 teaspoon salt, optionalLemon wedgesCook barley, according to package directions.

Crackers hold up under tasty toppingsDainty, waferlike Carr's Crackers have been longtime cocktail-party favorites. Now, they have a heartier counterpart -- Monterey Crackers -- for casual entertaining. The crackers, which come in Roasted Vegetable, Hearty Wheat, Savory Wheat and Sesame & Onion flavors, provide a sturdy base for tasty toppings. Try easy BLTs: Spread Sesame & Onion crackers with mayonnaise and top with baby salad greens. Arrange sliced cherry tomatoes and cooked, sliced bacon on lettuce.

Each day of the week offers a menu aimed at a different aspect of meal planning. There's a family meal, a kids' menu aimed at younger tastes, a heat-and-eat meal that recycles leftovers, a budget meal that employs a cost-cutting strategy, a meatless or "less meat" dish for people who may not be strict vegetarians but are trying to cut down on meat, an express meal that requires little or no preparation, and an entertaining menu that's quick.Sunday/FamilyEnjoy Grilled Pacific Coast Steak with the family (see recipe)

In the most recent issue of your newsletter, you said compost encourages earthworms. What's the point of having more earthworms? Earthworms are essential for good soil. When earthworms digest compost (or other organic matter such as lawn thatch), they excrete castings 10 times richer than average soil. Their tunneling creates avenues for water, nutrients, air and plant roots to reach deeper into the earth. (Often we don't think of roots as needing air, but they will suffocate without it.)