If there are days where you just want to put down that carving of steak and reach for something a little healthier, you’re not alone. Thankfully, putting together a fresh plate of greens with delicious dressing takes but two minutes. If you, however, want to elevate your DIY salad […]
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If there are days where you just want to put down that carving of steak and reach for something a little healthier, you’re not alone. Thankfully, putting together a fresh plate of greens with delicious dressing takes but two minutes. If you, however, want to elevate your DIY salad creations to new heights, look no further than these tasty and refreshing but equally healthy salad recipes.
Simple, healthy and refreshing salads you can make at home
Blistered tomato and chicken couscous salad
Blistered tomato and chicken couscous salad is a perfect and easy recipe full of fresh ingredients. This salad contains tomatoes that are loaded with vitamin E, vitamin C, and vitamin A, which work wonders for your skin.
Ingredients
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 rind grated lemon
- 1 meat shredded barbecued chicken
- 1 tbsp drained baby capers
- 1 cup of boiling
- 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- Cut in half 400g of mixed sweet grape tomatoes
- 1 tsp of white balsamic vinegar
- 150g of crumbled Danish feta
- 1 cup small basil leaves
- 60g baby rocket leaves
Method
- Mix couscous, lemon rind and capers in a bowl.
- Squeeze half the lemon and add the boiling water and 1 tsp of the oil to the mixture.
- Cover it and leave it for 5 minutes to absorb.
- Fluff with a fork.
- On the other hand, preheat your oven to grill and prepare your baking tray with aluminium foil.
- Now put tomatoes on the tray and mix them with vinegar and olive oil.
- Properly add seasoning and keep cooking the whole thing for 5 minutes until it gets a little soft.
- Cut the remaining lemons into four and now add the leftover ingredients: feta, tomatoes, basil, pan juices, rocket, chicken.
- Now simply mix all the ingredients and serve well with tomato, extra vinegar and oil topping.
Lentil, roast beetroot and baby carrot salad
Lentils are an amazing source of protein and fibre, while beetroots and baby carrots are great for your skin. This nutrition-packed salad recipe will work miracles for your summer cravings.
Ingredients
- 4 pealed and cut beetroots
- A bunch of pealed and cut-in-half baby carrots
- 3/4 cup green lentils
- 4 cups of water
- Half finely chopped onion
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup lightly toasted pepitas
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
Method
- Prepare your oven and preheat it to 200C/180C.
- Take a large baking tray and place a non-stick baking paper on it.
- Put beetroot and carrots on the tray. Make sure you make a single layer.
- Now sprinkle some pepper and olive oil on the whole tray.
- Roast it for more than half an hour until it turns golden.
- On the other hand, put the lentils and water to boil in a big pan.
- Once it starts boiling reduce the heat to sim and let it cook for 2 minutes.
- Drain out the water and mix the lentils with vinegar, onion and oil in a bowl.
- Mix the ingredients well and leave them unattended for 5 minutes.
- Now add the rest of the leftovers, including beetroot, carrot, mint, pepitas and parsley.
- Add pepper and mix before serving.
Cucumber and tomato salad
Cucumber is a great summer ingredient to accommodate in your regular meals. Often used as sides, this vegetable is perfect to beat the heat. And with the goodness of tomatoes, this recipe becomes the go-to option for your summer hunger pangs.
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber
- 1 diced red onion
- 2 diced tomatoes with seeds removed
- A handful of chopped coriander leaves
- 1 chopped red chilli without seeds
- 1 chopped green chilli without seeds
- 2 juiced lemons
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp roasted and chopped peanuts
- ¼ tsp chilli powder
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
Method
- Peel and dice the cucumber and remove its seeds with a teaspoon
- Now add cucumber slices into a bowl.
- Mix it with all the ingredients including onion, tomatoes, coriander, red and green chillies.
- Add lime juice, vegetable oil and chopped peanuts and mix well.
- Now add some spices and toss the whole mixture together before serving.
Zucchini pepper salad
Salad recipes with zucchini can also be great for summer. Just add a few peppers and tomatoes and you have a yummy sidekick for a meat dish.
Ingredients
- 2 red bell peppers
- 2 yellow bell peppers
- 1 zucchini
- 10-15 basil leaves
- 100g rocket leaves
- 10 pitted and chopped black olives
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lettuce
- 100g parsley
- 10 pitted and chopped green olives
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic paste
- 3-4 tsp dried oregano seasoning
- Sea salt- as per taste
Method
- Dice the capsicums and remove the seeds to put them aside in a bowl.
- Now cut zucchini into half and add the slices with capsicum.
- Now mix basil leaves, rocket leaves, torn iceberg lettuce and parsley in the bowl and toss everything well.
- Add the olives into the salad and mix all the ingredients properly.
- Before serving, season it with sea salt as per your taste.
Tabouli salad
Tabouli salad is one of the best salad recipes for spring. This vegetarian dish is rich in fibre, vitamin A, vitamin B 12 and vitamin C. Apart from that, Tabouli salad is low in cholesterol and fat which makes it an ideal meal for summer.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cracked wheat
- 5 to 6 cups of minced parsley leaves
- 2 cups minced mint leaves
- 2 bunches of chopped green onions
- 2 cups pealed and diced cucumber
- 1/2 cup minced green or red bell pepper
- A handful of chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1 tspn fresh oregano
- Salt- as per taste
- Black pepper- as per taste
Method
- Soak the cracked wheat (bulgur) in warm water for about half an hour.
- Meanwhile, mix the dressing ingredients by mixing and shaking them thoroughly in a jar and keeping it aside.
- Now after half an hour drain out the extra liquid from the bulgur.
- Mix chopped veggies and bulgur in a bowl.
- Later add the dressing ingredients.
- This dish can be served instantly and can even be refrigerated later.
Cottage cheese salad
Who isn’t a fan of cottage cheese? A bit of paneer garnished with corns along with greens can make a perfect breakfast. And to top it all, honey and red wine dressing can add ounces of taste to the whole salad recipe.
Ingredients
- 250 Gram paneer
- 1 corn, properly boiled
- 1 Potato with skin, properly boiled
- 1 apple, sliced
- 2 onion, julienne
- 2 red peppers, julienne
- 2 red chilies
- 1 chopped radish
- 2 chopped green chilies
- 4 chopped spring onions
- 1 tsp black pepper powder
- 1 tsp black pepper powder
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 10 chopped and pitted green olives
- 3 tbsp honey
- Salt as per taste
- 4 tbsp red wine
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/2 squeezed lemon
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
- Preheat the pan and add chopped onions, red pepper.
- Add salt as per your taste.
- Now mix apple, radish, boiled potatoes, paneer and boiled corn to the mixture.
- Add green chilies, spring onions and green olives in the pan and mix well.
- Now sprinkle some salt, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil and toss well.
Apricot Vinaigrette salad
Yummy spring apricot vinaigrette salad is an easy-peasy lunch recipe that you can simply pack for work or can have at home as a side dish with meat. Soaked in white wine vinegar, this amazing salad recipe is a must-add to your daily meals to beat the heat.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup finely chopped dried apricots
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 head cleaned butter lettuce
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 bunches cleaned upland watercress
- 1 oz. crumbled feta
- 2 finely diced scallions
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- 1 finely sliced cucumber
Method
- Put the dried and chopped apricots in a small bowl.
- pour white wine vinegar over apricots in the bowl and let it stay for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in another bowl, mix shallot and dijon.
- Now pick out apricots from the mixture and add them to the mustard mix.
- Pour 2 tsp of vinegar with olive oil and mix well.
- Mix the rest of the ingredients and dress the whole salad with vinaigrette.
Tomato peach basil salad
Loaded with the goodness of tomatoes and peaches, this salad recipe is a great option to have during the rising temperatures. It is super-easy to prepare and only takes as long as 10 minutes to cook it.
Ingredients
- 1/2 finely sliced small red onion
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 450g heirloom tomatoes
- 450g yellow peaches or nectarines
- 1/4 cup basil leaves
- 2 oz pieced feta
Method
- Mix, onion, vinegar in a bowl.
- Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and let it stay for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, dice tomatoes and peaches and place them on a platter.
- Pour some oil into the mixture.
- Now sprinkle basil, feta, and cracked black pepper before serving.
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This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia India.
