Grilled Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad with Cilantro-Lime-Rum Vinaigrette

A summer-inspired salad with flavor that lingers

A summer-inspired salad that celebrates the season, fresh ingredients, and the joy of cooking from the garden—even if that garden lives in a few pots on your lanai.

There was a time in my life when the idea of growing food felt almost magical. Something simple, grounding, and surprisingly fun. I lived in Anchorage, Kentucky, for a couple of years while attending culinary school. During that time, my children and I raised chickens for fresh eggs and planted our very first “edible” garden. It was small, humble, and full of curiosity. But to my children and me, it was everything.

I remember tilling the soil, building raised beds, and planting rows of tomatoes; variegated, heirloom, and cherry. I tried my hand at corn, pumpkins, peppers, cucumbers, and just about every bright, savory herb I could get my hands on. My kids helped me harvest it all, pulling weeds between gathering eggs and adventures, learning right alongside me how to live a little more from the land. It was a season of discovery, connection, and the joy of affordable abundance—fresh ingredients grown just steps from my kitchen door, and the freedom to experiment with them as I honed my craft in culinary school.

That spark—of growing, harvesting, and creating—never left me.

Here on Kaua‘i, I’m starting fresh. My garden these days is smaller (and in pots for easier care), but I’m back to growing tomatoes and fresh herbs. A beautiful avocado tree in the yard is beginning to show signs of new fruit, and just the sight of the abundance brings me back to those quiet, rooted pleasures.

Summer always brings that feeling home. The sun lingers a little longer. Grills get fired up. Meals slow down into something shared and special. If you have fresh corn, toss it on the grill. If your tomatoes are bursting off the vine, slice them up. Got ripe avocados? Bring them to the table. Simple ingredients, grown or gathered, can turn into something memorable, especially when you gather outside, pass around a big bowl, and share stories while the sun sets.

That’s the spirit behind this recipe: a vibrant salad with grilled corn, creamy avocado, and juicy tomatoes tossed in a bright, herbaceous cilantro-lime-rum vinaigrette.

It’s full of flavor, easy to love, and flexible enough to make your own.