As summer breezes drift in, temperatures rise, and days slow down, you may find yourself feeling more sluggish and less inclined to cook meals near your inevitably warm stove. Instead, you long for something cold, refreshing, and nutritious: salads.
Although previously regarded as “bland diet food,” salads now regularly flood Pinterest boards and Instagram feeds. These salad recipes are simple, easy, and flavorful, making them perfect for meal-prepping lunches on hot summer days.
There is nothing quite like a ripe, lush summer peach that leaves a lasting sweet sap in your mouth. When placed alongside a creamy, muted avocado, the flavors blend to create an unexpected balance–almost like a sweet rain shower over a calm, steady sea. These partners also have many positive effects on your health. Peach skin adds fiber, and its flesh contains vitamins A and C. Avocados contain vitamins C, E, K, and B6, and their healthy fats also enable you to feel fuller for longer. The crunchiness of the peach skin and sliced almonds perfectly complement the softness of the peach flesh and avocado. With the thin spinach acting as a faint earthy overtone, like the birds floating effortlessly over the sea, the salad is complete.
Biting into kale is like feeling velvet fabric for the first time: the intricacies go unnoticed at first, but the texture sparks curiosity. Its intricacies also serve the salad well, concealing pockets of the rich strawberry-poppy seed dressing which are revealed in every bite. Kale, an often unpopular vegetable, has proven to support heart health by lowering LDL cholesterol (“bad cholesterol”); it also contains many powerful antioxidants. Similarly, berries are sources of vitamins B9, potassium, and other antioxidants.
Quinoa in any salad lays out a rich foundation upon which the other ingredients can shine. Although underappreciated, quinoa provides you with many nutrients like protein, zinc, and fiber. It’s fairly quick and easy to prepare and has also been linked to lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease. The quinoa, acting like a strong floor, allows the creamy chickpeas to coat your mouth like a dense wool sweater in the winter. Chickpeas also aid in managing blood sugar. Topped with an olive oil-and-lemon juice dressing, which cuts through the quinoa, chickpeas, and other vegetables, this salad is complete with a light, yet fresh overtone.
While sweet salads are lovely in the summer, this salad presents a fiercer flavor profile. The variety of tender meat fills not only your stomach but also your heart to the brim with savory goodness. This salad is like a tango between strong, passionate flavor groups: lush strawberries, refreshing lettuce, creamy avocado, tender chicken, crispy bacon, and sweet corn. All of these flavors blend together in perfect harmony, making for a well-balanced meal filled with protein, antioxidants, fiber, and healthy fats. Complete with a peppery cilantro vinaigrette, this salad is guaranteed to leave you dancing for more.
