The shorts have made their comeback, lemon juice is being guzzled by the litre, it’s so hot that eggs can be fried on the sidewalk – yup, yup, all signs point to…. summer!
While the degrees go up and up, you need to keep yourself super cool to beat the heat. Heavy spicy food that would normally give you the happy burps, turn themselves into hellish bites of awful in the burning weather.
Don’t you worry. Keep your cool and dive headfirst into the great world of salads. Easy to digest and even easier to make! All you need are 3 ingredients, some TLC and you are set.
1. Tomato, Mozzarella, Olive Oil
Popularly known as the “Caprese Salad”, this is a simple salad hailing from the land of the divine pizza, Italy. All you need to do is cut cold slices of tomato and alternate it with nice creamy chunks of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle generous amounts of olive oil on top, season with salt and pepper and voila.
Easy peasy in less than 5 minutes and a taste to last you a lifetime! For that extra kick, just drizzle some balsamic sauce on top and just let that palate tingle.
2. Fig, Feta, Rocket
Chefs say, for an ideal bite you must get sweet, salty, tangy, spicy and even crunchy, all together! This salad comes awfully close courtesy the zesty combination of the figs and crumbly feta.
You can choose to poach the figs with cinnamon or even bake/glaze them in the oven, but to be honest, nothing tastes quite as good as the original fresh version. Throw in some rocket leaves in a bowl, those sweet figs and some smooth Greek feta and garnish with candied walnuts – plus a dash of balsamic.
3. Chickpeas, Lemon, Coriander
A simple yet high on the protein scale kinda salad, this one is perfect to satisfy all your lunch cravings. Soak the chickpeas overnight, boil them in water for about 10 minutes and let them cool. Cut up some coriander, squeeze a lot of lemon over the chickpeas, add some salt and chilli powder to taste and get on with your day!
The high amount of protein will ensure a steady flow of energy through the next 4-5 hours. For a slightly more desi-fied version, add some diced green chillies, cucumber and tomato to the mix.
4. Pasta, Broccoli, Pesto
Think this sounds like mac and cheese? You’re absolutely right! The cold version in the form of a salad is quicker to execute and is ideal for those who are always on-the-go!
Use any pasta other than spaghetti – boil in water and cool. Blanch cut florets of broccoli for about 2 minutes in the same pasta water. Get some store bought pesto, add in the pasta and broccoli, season with salt and finally garnish with some parmesan shavings. This salad is high on the energy and taste and can be eaten all through the year.
5. Chicken, Apple, Cheddar
This summery combination is where the chicken shines the most. Just get together some diced/shredded grilled chicken, a few pieces of ripe red apples (green apples also work) and a generous handful of cheddar. Heaven is a place on earth!
For an even tastier version, add in some roasted almonds, a touch of olive oil and a dash of honey vinaigrette. Guaranteed happy meal time, I say. These salads will not only keep your tummy satiated, but keep your weight in check and drive up those energy levels.
That’s a win, win and a WIN situation!
(A massive EDM junkie and a Jedi Padewan, Radhika believes in taking life by the fork and knife every day. She has been a media woman for the last 10 years with a huge passion for video technology. While working in content management is her day avatar, nothing gets her foodie side going like a good spicy misal pav!)
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