This antipasto salad is a meal in itself.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Summer’s juicy tomatoes and cucumbers, crunchy green beans and bell peppers, and scrumptious sweet corn make this a wonderful time to add more vegetables to your diet. That’s a smart move, because doing so can help lower your risk of stroke, heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. One of the easiest ways to make it happen? Including vegetable-packed summer salad recipes on your daily meal plan.

Salad-friendly dark green vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, romaine, and mesclun, will help boost lung health, build stronger bones, strengthen your immune system, lower your blood pressure, and decrease inflammation. Carotenoid-rich orange vegetables like carrots and bell peppers can boost eye health and improve blood sugar control. Summer staples like green beans, corn, and tomatoes add still more nutrients and antioxidants that protect every system in your body.

Before we get to some great summer salad recipes, check out these preparation tips:

• Chill wisely. Some produce—tomatoes, onions, and garlic, for instance—shouldn’t be stored in the refrigerator, as cold temps can compromise their flavor and texture. To perk up limp, wilted vegetables, bathe them briefly in ice water. (Plants wilt because of water loss, and ice water penetrates their cells to restore crispness.)

• Practice safe slicing. When chopping vegetables, place a damp kitchen towel underneath your cutting board to keep it from rocking or slipping while you cut. And protect your fingers when cutting rounded vegetables like carrots, peppers, and cucumbers by first slicing the vegetables in half lengthwise, then resting the flat parts on the cutting board before continuing to chop.

• Skip bottled salad dressings. Make your own great-tasting vinaigrette by whisking together 3 parts olive or canola oil with 1 part balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, or rice vinegar. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. To boost flavor and zestiness, add minced shallot, Dijon mustard, or fresh herbs. And rather than haphazardly shaking on the salt from a saltshaker, pinch kosher salt straight from a dish. The coarse grains and your fingertips provide you with maximum control. Add a pinch, taste, and repeat if needed.

• Prepare salad plates beforehand. Just as warm food served on a cold plate is a no-no, salads taste better and fresher when served on lightly chilled plates. Just pop them in the freezer for a few minutes before serving.