5 Easy Summer Salads With Their Health Benefits And Recipes

Summer is the season of salads as they make for the perfectly delicious, cool and healthy summer meal. A study has shown that during summer, many restaurants in warm countries like Toronto, observe a decline in average customers, except for those restaurants that specialise in salads. Though there could be other reasons for the decline in customers such as summer vacations, the shift of appetite to salads due to warm environments is considered the foremost cause. [1]

Another study published in the journal Publish Health Nutrition says that consumption of fresh fruit or vegetable salads can have protective effects against a range of diseases such as cancer and heart diseases. [2]

Therefore, we can say that apart from keeping us cool during the summer, salads also help ward off many diseases and keep us healthy.

In this article, we will discuss a list of delicious and healthy summer salads, along with their recipes. Take a look.

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1. Green gram sprouts salad

Mung bean is packed with antioxidants, magnesium, potassium and dietary fibre. The two vital antioxidants in mung named vitexin and isovitexin may help prevent the risk of sunstroke. According to a study, green gram helps in detoxification, quenching thirst, promoting urination and thus, reducing the summer heat complications. [3]

How to prepare

Ingredients

● 350g fresh green gram or mung bean sprouts
● Salt as per the taste
● One teaspoon of finely chopped spring onions
● One teaspoon of roasted sesame seeds
● Half teaspoon of minced garlic
● A tablespoon of sesame oil or olive oil.
● Black salt (optional)
● A teaspoon of lemon juice.

Method

● Mix all the ingredients and serve.
● You can also add mint or coriander leaves ad per your taste.

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2. Broccoli, roasted almonds and pasta salad

Broccoli is a good source of vitamin C, fibre and folate. It is one of the healthy cruciferous vegetables, mainly preferred during summer to improve digestive health. On the other hand, roasted almonds add a smoky flavour to the salad and pasta (whole-grain pasta) adds to the fibre and protein count.

How to prepare

Ingredients

● 2 cups broccoli chopped into small pieces
● One cup of short pasta
● 8-10 roasted almonds
● Two medium-sized onions chopped
● One-fourth cup of sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
● Salt and pepper (as per the taste)
● One-fourth cup of sour cream

Method

● Cook pasta as per the instruction in the package.
● In a bowl, add broccoli, pasta, onions, seeds, cream and mix with your taste of salt and pepper.
● Sprinkle the almonds.
● Refrigerate the salad for around one hour before serving.

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3. Raw mango, cucumber and chickpeas salad

Raw mango corrects the electrolytes in the body, prevents dehydration, reduces body heat and thus, reduces the risk of sunstroke which is prevalent during the season. Cucumber provides a soothing effect to the stomach while chickpeas provide a good source of fibre, potassium, B vitamins, iron, selenium and magnesium.

How to prepare

Ingredients

● A cup of chickpeas soaked overnight
● One tomato chopped
● One cucumber chopped
● Half cup of chopped raw mangoes
● One chopped onion
● Green chillies (optional)
● Salt as per taste
● A few mint leaves and coriander leaves
● Two tablespoons of lemon juice
● A teaspoon of sunflower oil

Method

● Wash the chickpeas in fresh cold water.
● Mix all in a salad bowl, garnish with mint and coriander leaves and serve.

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4. Quinoa and roasted cherry tomatoes salad

Quinoa salads are easy to prepare and make for a healthy meal filled with proteins, vitamins and minerals. As it is easy to digest and gluten-free, quinoa promotes good digestive health during summer. Additionally, cherry tomatoes are the summer best fruits filled with water and nutrients like vitamin C, E, A and potassium that may help maintain the electrolytes of the body.

How to prepare

Ingredients

● Two cups cherry tomatoes
● A cup of dry quinoa
● One teaspoon olive oil
● Two cups chopped cucumber
● Salt and pepper as per the taste
● Half cup of chopped onion
● Two tablespoons lemon juice
● A few chopped coriander leaves

Method

● Mix olive oil, salt and pepper in cherry tomatoes
● In an oven, roast them until they become soft and burst, for around 15-20 minutes.
● You can also roast them directly in the gas flame if required.
● Cook the quinoa as given in the package.
● In a bowl, add cooked quinoa, roasted tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, salt, lemon juice and pepper.
● Decorate with coriander leaves and serve.

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5. Green beans, carrot and noodle salad

Carrots or carrot juice provides a soothing effect to the digestive system when consumed. It is packed with the goodness of antioxidants, vitamin K and beta-carotene. When topped with green beans, the nutrition of the salad increases. Also, low-calorie noodles help in providing a feeling of satiety and help lower cholesterol levels.

How to prepare

Ingredients

● A cup of green beans sliced into small pieces.
● A cup of chopped carrots
● Around two cups of noodles.
● Two tablespoons of vegetable oil
● Two medium-sized sliced onions.
● Two tablespoons of vinegar or wine vinegar.
● A few mint leaves.
● Salt and pepper as per the taste

Method

● In a pan, saute the beans and onion in vegetable oil over medium flame.
● Cook the noodles as per the instructions.
● In a bowl, add noodles, sauteed beans and onions, carrots and wine vinegar.
● Add salt and pepper.
● Top with mint leaves and serve.