Summer Salad Recipes - Preparing Quick, Easy Yet Nutritious and Delicious Salads

Are you looking for some summer salad recipes you could prepare?

It's summer, and it's too hot to cook - it's definitely time to get out the salad bowl and be creative with fresh and easy summer salads.

Instead of the usual plain salad greens, add some fresh herbs to the mix. You'll be amazed what a difference they make to the taste of your salad. Serve your herb salad with a light lemon dressing made from 1 tablespoon each of oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper, and crushed garlic.

Pan-fried salmon fillets go well with a summer salad; simply saute them in a non-stick frying pan for about 10 minutes per inch. Place them skin-side down at first to crisp up the skin, then turn them over to cook for the last minutes.

Cafe Salad

This cafe salad is light and quickly made; an ideal summer salad recipe for lunch or dinner.

For 4 servings of this summer salad recipe, you will need 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped walnuts which have been dry roasted in a skillet; 4 lightly boiled eggs; 2 slices of bacon; 2 bags of prewashed salad greens; 1 ounce blue cheese, crumbled; 1 thinly sliced pear; and 4 toasted slices of hearty French or Italian bread.

Cook the bacon until crisp then crumble. Mix all of the ingredients except the eggs and bread in a large salad bowl. Mound 2 cups of salad mix on each plate and top with an egg and a slice of toasted bread. Serve dressing on the side.

For the dressing, mix 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon good olive oil; 1 teaspoon of the bacon fat; 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves; and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-type mustard.

Orange Salad

A family favorite for summer salad recipes is Orange Salad, a light fruity salad that goes perfectly with baked ham, chicken or pork.

You will need:

• 6 navel oranges
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1 thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives
• Chopped parsley for garnish
• Oil and vinegar or olive oil and lemon dressing

Directions:

• You will need to carefully peel and remove the pith from the oranges and cut them into 1/4 inch thick slices. Arrange them on a decorative serving plate.
• Scatter the almonds, raisins, sliced onions and olives over oranges.
• Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with parsley.

Stuart's Spinach Salad

Another summer salad recipe from a friend is Stuart's Spinach Salad, which goes well with just about anything and can be adapted (like most recipes) to suit individual tastes.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag fresh spinach - washed and dried
• 4 oz mushrooms - chopped
• 3 or 4 Roma tomatoes - seeded
• 2 tablespoon capers - drained
• 1 3oz package Prosciutto or Parma ham
• 1 sliced red onion
• Butter for frying
• Oil and vinegar dressing

Directions:

• Chop the mushrooms and saute them in a little butter. Allow to cool.
• Dice the tomatoes and slice the prosciutto into thin strips.
• Place the spinach in a large bowl and add all the other ingredients.
• Toss with dressing and serve immediately.

Need more ideas for summer salad recipes? You could make an easy Chinese Chicken Salad with a cooked chicken from your local supermarket, mandarin oranges, wonton strips and a bag of salad greens.

Buy a ginger based salad dressing or any oriental dressing of your choice; arrange greens and diced chicken in a bowl, add drained mandarin oranges and wontons. Drizzle dressing over salad and serve.

Pasta Salad Primavera with Chicken

If your family enjoys pasta salad, then try this light summer salad recipe, Pasta Salad Primavera with Chicken.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fusilli, penne or bowtie pasta
• 1/2 lb broccoli chopped
• 1 large red pepper, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 small yellow squash or 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons of basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cooked chicken
• Parmesan cheese to taste

Directions for this summer salad recipe:

• Prepare the pasta according to package directions; drain and place in a bowl of cold water.
• Steam the broccoli, carrots and squash or zucchini for 4 to 5 minutes until just tender.
• Place vegetables in a large salad bowl along with the diced peppers and onion.
• Add all remaining ingredients except pasta, and mix well.
• Finally, add the cooled pasta and toss before serving.

As you can see, it's easy to prepare nutritious summer salad recipes that your entire family will enjoy without spending hours in a hot kitchen, so do all your prep work and relax with your favorite book until dinner time!

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