Warm weather has finally arrived, which means we’re avoiding elaborate meals that require cooking over a hot stove. The goal is stay cool all summer long with refreshing salad recipes that involve little to no cooking, and that help you keep that body you’ve worked on all winter snatched.
Talk of salads often conjures images of forks full of flavorless boredom, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We’ve rounded up a few salad recipes that are far from boring and will leave your mouth watering for more.
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01
Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad
SALAD INGREDIENTS:
6 cups fresh baby spinach
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced (or you can double this to 2 avocados!)
4 ounces crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
half a small red onion, thinly sliced
1 batch poppyseed dressing (recipe below)
POPPYSEED DRESSING INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup avocado oil (or any oil, such as olive oil)
3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
pinch of ground dry mustard (optional)
salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS:
TO MAKE THE SALAD:
Toss all ingredients together with your desired amount of dressing until combined. Serve immediately.
TO MAKE THE POPPYSEED DRESSING:
Whisk all ingredients together until combined. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, or more to taste.
via Gimme Some Oven
02
Wild-Salmon Cakes with Quinoa Salad
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. skinless wild salmon, cut into small chunks
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
Kosher salt
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
3 tbsp. orange juice
3 tbsp. sherry vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
5 cups cooked quinoa
5 cups packed mixed greens
Orange wedges, for serving
DIRECTIONS:
In food processor, pulse salmon, green onion, and orange zest until finely chopped. Form into 8 cakes; freeze 10 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. In 12″ nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil on medium. Add cakes; cook 4 minutes per side. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk basil, orange, juice, sherry vinegar, 2 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add quinoa and mixed greens, tossing to combine. Serve with salmon cakes and orange wedges, if desired.
via Good Housekeeping
03
Shrimp Salad Stuffed Avocados
INGREDIENTS:
2 avocados, pitted
2 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. raw, de-veined shrimp (fresh or frozen)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
Juice of 1 lemon
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Basil, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Scoop out avocados, leaving a small border. Dice avocado and set aside.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add shrimp and cook until fully cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Let cool, then chop into bite-size pieces.
In a large bowl, toss diced avocado with shrimp, tomatoes, corn, greek yogurt, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide salad among 4 avocado halves. Garnish with basil.
via Delish
04
Taco Salad
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces Mexican chorizo, casing removed
5 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup Del Monte® Whole Kernel Sweet Gold and White Corn, drained
1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 roma tomato, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish
1/4 cup tortilla strips, for garnish
FOR THE LIME VINAIGRETTE:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar, or more to taste
DIRECTIONS:
To make the vinaigrette, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime zest and juice, and sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chorizo and cook until dry and crisp, about 2 minutes, making sure to crumble the chorizo as it cooks; let cool.
To assemble the salad, place romaine lettuce in a large bowl; top with chorizo, corn, black beans, tomato and cilantro. Pour the dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine. Stir in avocado.
Serve immediately, garnished with cheese and tortilla strips, if desired.
via Damn Delicious
05
Honey Mustard Chicken Salad with Bacon and Avocado
INGREDIENTS:
Dressing/Marinade:
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons smooth and mild Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar), (OPTIONAL, to cut sweetness)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt to season
4 skinless and boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
For Salad:
1/4 cup diced bacon, trimmed of rind and fat
4 cups Romaine lettuce leaves, washed
1 cup sliced grape or cherry tomatoes
1 large avocado, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup corn kernels
1/4 of a red onion, sliced
DIRECTIONS:
Whisk marinade/dressing ingredients together to combine. Pour half the marinade into a shallow dish to marinade the chicken fillets for two hours if time allows. Refrigerate the reserved untouched marinade to use as a dressing. Heat a nonstick pan (or grill pan or skillet) over medium heat with about a teaspoon of oil and sear / grill chicken fillets on each side until golden, crispy and cooked through. (Grill in batches to prevent excess water being released.) Once chicken is cooked, set aside and allow to rest. Wipe pan over with paper towel; drizzle with another teaspoon of oil and fry the bacon until crispy. Slice chicken into strips and prepare salad with leaves, tomatoes, avocado slices, corn, onion strips and chicken.
Whisk 2 tablespoons of water into the remaining untouched marinade/dressing and drizzle over the salad. Sprinkle the bacon over the top and season with a little extra salt and cracked pepper (optional).
via Cafe Delites
