With the temperature set to rise again the week, cooking a full dinner in a hot kitchen after a long day at work, doesn’t sound like fun. So i thought i would share 5 easy summer salad, that are perfect to liven up a picnic or BBQ [but please be careful and don’t set fire to anything] or even your lunchbox, with this fresh and vibrant summer salads. Soggy sandwich will be the thing of the past!!
Greek Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded, then roughly chopped
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 1tsp dried oregano
- 4 tbsp Greek extra virgin olive oil
- 85g feta cheese, cut into chunks
- 4 large vine tomatoes, cut into wedges
- Kalamata olives [optional]
Directions
- Combined the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olives, dried oregano, feta cheese, and greek olive oil in a large bowl.
- Lightly season the salad, and serve with crusty bread.
Find the recipe at BBC good food
Tomato & Mozzarella Salad With Tomatoe Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 large shallot, sliced into thin rings
- 5 drops of Tabasco [optional]
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 200g tomatoes, sliced
- 1tbsp white wine vinegar
- 6 basil leave, shedded
- 4 crostini, roughly crushed
- 1 buffalo mozzarella ball
Directions
- Mix together the tomatoes and shallots, season well with a large pinch of salt. Leave for about 10 mins for the tomatoes to release their juices.
- After 10 mins, lift the tomatoes and shallots out of the bowl and reserve the juices. Place the tomatoes evenly over two plates, then sprinkle over the shallots.
- Whisk the olive oil, Tabsco and vinegar into the reserved tomatoe juices for the dressing. Then drizzle over the tomatoes and shallots. Scatter with the shredded basil and crushed crostini. Place one hald of the mozzarella in the centre of each plate, and season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Lastly, top with extra bail leaves and then serve.
Find the recipe at BBC good food
Charred Corn, Chicken & Tortilla Salad With Chipotle Yogurt Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp chipotle paste
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 tbsp olive oil, a little extra for brushing and frying
- 2 limes, 1 zested and juiced, 1 cut in wedge to serve
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs,
- 150g natural yogurt
- 2 corn on the cob, remove husks if needed
- 2 little gem lettuces, roughly chopped
- 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 400g black beans, drained, rinised and drained again [optional]
- 2 avocados, stoned, peeled, halved and cut into chunks
- small bunch of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Directions
- Mic together the paprik, oregano, chipotle, cinnamon, garlic, lime zest and oil into a bowl with some seasoning. Drizzle over the chicken thighs and turn to coat, then chill for a few hours or even upto 24 hrs.
- You can either bbq or cook on a griddle over a high heat. Mix the yogurt, lime juice, remaining oil, paprika, chipotle, honey with a pinch of salt and set asided.
- Brush the oil over the corn cobs, then cook it and the marinated chicken for about 10 mins, turning often until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Once the cob and chicken is cooked, transfer onto a broad or plate and cover over to keep warm.
- Put together the lettuce, tomatoes and avocado into a large bowl or serving platter, but best to waite to toss until your just about to serve.
- Cut the wraps into strips, then heat up oil in a frying pan and fry the strips of wraps until they become crisp and golden. Drain the excess oil on kitchen paper.
- Slice the cook chicken into strips and cut the charred corn from the cob. Lastly, add the salad, drizzle over the dressing and any juice from the chicken and toss. Scatter over the coriander and crispy tortilla strips and serve with a wedge of lime on the side.
Find the recipe at BBC good food
Quinoa Salad With Avocado Mayo
Ingredients
- 75g avocado, halved and stoned
- 1 small garlic clove, flinly grated
- 70g quinoa
- 1 lemon, juiced and half zested
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 160g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 198g can sweetcorn, drained
- cucumber, chopped into chunks
- 2 spring onion, finely sliced
- 2 tbsp chopped mint
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 100g cooked chicken [optional]
Directions
- Boil the quinoa in a saucepan of water and simmer for about 18 mins or until the grains burst. Tip into a sieve and rinse under cold water.
- In the meantime, scoop the avocado into a bowl and add in the garlic, mustard and lemon juice, then blitz with a hand blender or food processor until smooth.
