Refreshing Summer Salads

Cold salads are one of the best methods to beat the summer heat in a healthy and refreshing way. Apart from their numerous health benefits, salads add flavour and colour to your plate and are easy to put together. It is always best to eat more of seasonal fruits and vegetables and salads are a best way to include them in your diet.

Wicked Spoon Confessions brings you some delicious salads that you would make you feel refreshed and healthy.


Mango Salad

Indian summer is incomplete without a taste of our rich and ripe mangoes. This is a perfect recipe to try out this summer as it doesn’t require cooking and to stand in the kitchen heat. This salad is absolutely healthy and can be enjoyed by both vegetarians and vegans.  Mangoes help lower cholesterol, give a clear skin and help fight heat stroke. To make this salad, toss mangoes, onion, cabbage, and red pepper together in a bowl. Mix lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and red pepper flakes and pour over the salad. Refrigerate till needed. Garnish with mint leaves and toasted cashews before serving. 



Greek Salad

Who doesn’t like the traditional Greek salad? Every bite of this refreshing Mediterranean salad is a treat to the taste buds. This low-calorie, high nutrient salad provides the much needed Vitamins A and C to your body along with potassium, iron and other minerals. The secret of the classic Greek salad lies in its ingredients. To make this salad you will need crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, creamy feta cheese, tangy black olives and some good quality extra virgin olive oil. You can also include onions and capsicum to make it healthier. Toss the cut veggies in a big bowl and season with grated cheese, salt, red wine vinegar and extra virgin oil.  The classic Greek salad is always served with a slice of feta cheese on top.



Mixed Sprouts Salad

Lentils have been an important part of the Indian diet since ages. Lentils, when sprouted, offer a world of goodness. This salad is rich in proteins and other nutrients as sprouts are rich in proteins, dietary fibers, Vitamins A, C, K, folate and minerals such as iron, calcium, manganese, copper, zinc, and magnesium. Though this recipe may be little time consuming as you have to sprout the various dals and boil them, the health benefits they offer is worth the effort. To make this salad, boil the sprouts of your choice, such as Moong, Rajma, Kabuli Chana, etc. Next, add grated radish, chopped tomatoes. You can add pomegranate and grated nuts too for added flavour. Add tadka with green chillies and hing and mix it with the salad. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.



Watermelon Salad

Watermelon, the refreshing fruit is a must to add to your diet during summers. As the name indicates, this fruit contains about 92% of water and helps restore our body’s water content lost due to sweat and dehydration. This humble fruit has vitamins A, B6, and C, antioxidants, aminoacids, and lycopene. Watermelon also helps fight the formation of free radicals that cause cancer. This salad is easy to make and you can make modify with ingredients of your choice to suit your palate. Add cut watermelon, sliced onions, and grated feta cheese in a bowl. To make the dressing, add red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil and whisk them. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.



Fennel and Pear Salad

Fennel and pear salad is a rare salad that combines the goodness of pear and fennel. Though fennel seeds are an integral part of Indian cooking, we don’t use fennel bulbs often.  You can use a fennel bulb in this easy-to-make refreshing salad. Trim and core a fennel bulb and pear fruit. Cut them into thin slices. Add chopped celery, walnuts, and crushed black pepper.  Make a dressing with extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. You can also add ground mustard if you like the flavour. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Refrigerate and serve.



We hope you liked these recipes and would be inspired to make one of these soon. Do share your experience and also let us know your favourite salad to beat the heat this summer. Till next time, stay refreshed!

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