Summer brings high temperatures and sunny days, which often leave us seeking fresh and healthy ways to nourish ourselves. Salads are an excellent choice for these hot days: they are light, nutritious, and refreshing. Below, We share with you four salad ideas perfect for enjoying during the summer and staying cool.
Taco Salad; with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
For the taco meat:
- 1/2 lbs lean ground beef or bison
- 2 Tbsps homemade taco seasoning mix
For the cauliflower rice:
- 1 lb cauliflower rice
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
For the toppings:
- 4 heaping cups of Romaine lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded cheese
- dollop of Greek yogurt, if desired
Iogurth dressing:
- juice & zest from a large lime
- 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp raw honey
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Greek inspiration: Kalamata olives and Iceberg lettuce
For the salad:
- 1 large head iceberg lettuce
- 4 small garden-fresh cucumbers
- 1 lb cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 medium red onion,
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 cup kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup crumbled or cubed feta cheese
Dressing:
- 1 Tbsp everything bagel seasoning or hemp seeds
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 3 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsps wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
Mediterranean aroma: quinoa, avocado and nuts
For the salad:
- 1-1/2 cups quinoa
- 3 cups water or broth
- 15 ozs jar chickpeas
- 1 large English cucumber
- 1 large bunch of fresh parsley
- 1 large bunch of fresh mint leaves
- 1 medium red onion
- 2 or 3 leftover grilled chicken
- ½ cup pistachios
- 1 large lemon, juice, and zest
- 2 Tbsps apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Crumbled feta cheese, optional
Sweet and spicy: fresh cucumber salad
- 2 large English cucumbers, finely diced
- 1 medium red onion, finely diced
- 2 large Granny Smith apples, finely diced
- 2 fresh limes, juiced
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1-2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp raw honey or pure maple syrup
- Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
All the recipes are creations by Rachel Maser, Clean Food Crush