As temperatures climb, my desire to turn on the oven plummets. Still eat we must, so I find myself turning to salads regularly. I'm not talking any skimpy salads or the stuff of diets, I'm talking hearty, substantial salads that are as delicious as they are filling.

With all of the fresh vegetables in season, and farmers' markets brimming over with their colorful bounty, summer is a perfect time to start spinning salad into your weekly dinner rotation. Even your biggest eaters will concur that these hearty salads are no mere rabbit food, but rather wonderful, filling meals. Here are six sensational summer salad recipes to try.

What are your favorite dinner salads?

Image via arnold | inuyaki/Flickr