Best Sweet and Savory Summer Salads
Sweet and Savory Summer Salads
Now that summer is finally here, that means warm days and nights, bbqs and my favourite, summer salads! I’m going to highlight some of my old stand by salads and well as some fresh, new summer salads. On the menu are some easy pasta salad recipes, a few fun and easy potato salad recipes, the best chicken salad recipe (in my opinion) as well as some great new salad dressing recipes.
Easy Pasta Salad: Summer Tortillini
Summer Tortillini: Easy Pasta Salad
- 1 (19 oz) pkg Frozen cheese tortillini
- 2 cups Cooked Chicken/turkey
- 1/4 cup Sliced green olives
- 1/4 cup Diced red bell pepper
- 2 tbs Chopped sweet onion
- 2 tbs Mayonnaise or plain yogurt
- 1 tbs Red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- Salt, *to taste
- Fresh parsley sprigs, Garnish
Easy Pasta Salad: Summer Tortillini
Easy Pasta Salad: Summer Tortillini
- Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain and place in large bowl. Stir in chicken or turkey and next 5 ingredients.
- Whisk together mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, and oregano. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Pour over tortellini mixture, tossing to coat. Stir in salt to taste. Cover and chill at least 25 minutes. Garnish, if desired.
Easy Potato Salad: Herbed Potato
This is not your typical potato salad and it’s an easy potato salad recipe to make and it’s light on the stomach, but it doesn’t compromise on flavor. The shallot-and-Dijon-mustard vinaigrette and gets bold flavour from fresh herbs like parsley, tarragon, and dill.
The Best Chicken Salad Recipe: Apple Fennel Celery with Chicken
Some Noteworthy Health Benefits of Fennel
- It’s an excellent source of vitamin C and when absorbed into your body fennel becomes a great antioxidant.
- A great source of fiber.
- Fennel is an excellent source of potassium, a mineral that lowers blood pressure.
- It tastes great!
Apple Fennel Celery Salad with Chicken
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Calories | 122 |
| Calories from Fat | 54 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 6 g | 9% |
| Saturated fat 1 g | 5% |
| Unsaturated fat 5 g | |
| Carbohydrates 17 g | 6% |
| Sugar 0 g | |
| Fiber 2 g | 8% |
| Protein 2 g | 4% |
| Cholesterol 3 mg | 1% |
| Sodium 36 mg | 2% |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Apple Fennel Celery with Chicken
I have never used fennel bulbs until I discovered this recipe. It turns out that fennel is actually really great for your health. In animal studies, the anethole in fennel has repeatedly been shown to reduce inflammation and to help prevent the occurrence of cancer. I've adapted this recipe from Canadian Living Magazine.
*Portion size: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) thinly sliced fennel
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) sliced celery
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) red seedless grapes, halved
- 1 Red Delicious apple, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) toasted chopped pecans
- 2 chicken breasts (bbqed)
Poppy Seed Salad Dressing:
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) Balkan-style plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) liquid honey
- 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) poppy seeds
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch paprika
Instructions
- Poppy Seed Salad Dressing: In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, honey, lemon juice, mustard, poppy seeds, salt and paprika until smooth.
Add fennel, celery, grapes, apple and chicken toss to coat. Serve sprinkled with pecans.
How to Cut Up Fennel Bulbs
Recipes for Chicken: Salads That Will Make you Drool
This curried chicken and mango salad recipe is full of flavour and colour. This is the best chicken salad recipe you'll find because of the rich, vibrant flavours and also because it's super easy to make. Here's how to assemble the curried chicken and mango salad:
Remove skin from chicken; discard. With fingers, pull chicken meat into 1-inch pieces. (You should have about 3 cups or about 3/4 pound meat.)
In large bowl, stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, chutney, lime juice, and curry powder until combined. Stir in chicken, mango, celery, apple, and cilantro until well coated. Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Spoon chicken salad onto lettuce leaves to serve.
Salad Dressing Favourites
Mango Lime Salad Dressing
Ingredients
| Instructions
|
|---|---|
1 chopped and peeled mango
| Purée mango, the zest and juice of 1 lime, and dijon mustard, sugar and kosher salt in a blender
|
Zest and juice of 1 lime
| Gradually blend in rice vinegar and olive oil.
|
1 tsp dijon
| |
1tsp salt
| |
1 tsp sugar
| |
1/4 cup rice vinegar
| |
1/2 cup olive oil
|
Salad Dressing Favourites
There are so many healthy, tasty and homemade salad dressing recipes out there. Check out these salad dressing recipes if you're looking for summer inspiration. These dressings will make even the saddest, dullest salads come alive!
Summer Salads-What are some of your favourites?
Well I hope that this article inspired you to head to the kitchen to make some great, new summer salad recipes. What are some of your favourite summer salads? Please share!
