LiveBest: Showstopper salad from the grill

Potlucks, neighborhood parties, even road trips are all part of summer eating. But the last thing we want is to be stuck in the kitchen. Summer cooking needs to be fresh and easy.

This stunning blueberry, charred corn and lemon salad is my current obsession.

Grilled lemon is the showstopper in this recipe. You’ll be the one whose salad ends up on Instagram. Grilling lemons is easy to do but makes you look like someone who has serious kitchen chops. Here’s how. Slice a lemon. Set on the grill. Flip and place on your salad. No lemons? No problem. Oranges work. So do grapefruit.

Blueberries are in season now so prices are lower. Look for firm, dry blueberries with smooth skins. Refrigerate them when you get home and rinse before eating. They’re called blue dynamos for a reason. Anthocyanins are responsible for the blue in the berry. These plant compounds also seem to reduce inflammation and promote heart and brain health. A good source of fiber and vitamin C, and just 80 calories in a cup, blueberries are pretty powerful package.

With lemons, look for fresh, firm, and heavy for it’s size. A heavy fruit means more juice. Rinse before using.

The salad is so simple that I took it camping. I didn’t want to lose the fresh blueberries when we headed out of town so the salad went with us. I made the vinaigrette before leaving home. It’s just easier than hauling the ingredients.

This recipe is the easy version. If you want to take it up a notch, add

• Roast chicken or grilled shrimp
• Toasted pecans or pumpkin seeds
• Feta or blue cheese crumbles
• Sprinkles of fresh chopped mint or basil

Full of healthful flavonoids, this salad delivers antioxidants by the forkful, but even better, it is so fresh and delicious people will focus on its summertime flair.