beat the heat with the salad bowl

Goan summer is really living up to its potential. All the greenery around is nearly burned down, showing large patches of red soil and uncovering unexpected viewpoints. As we live on the hill overlooking the river from one side and the valley from the other, drive to the city is pretty spectacular nowadays…

Apart from visual delights, sun is also keeping our diet in check. It’s hard to swallow anything but liters and liters of cold beverages in this heat. Since we are not five anymore and popsicle diet seems widely inappropriate, I decided on second best thing: salads. Healthy, refreshing and require only minimal cooking time, if any (big thumbs up for this one!).

These are few of my favorites, which make regular appearances on our table.

Chicken salad

I made this salad so many times, it’s almost impossible to remember the “original” recipe, as it varies with every preparation.

I usually make chicken in honey – mustard marinade on Teflon pan to avoid frying. Sometimes, when the sauce is thickening, I add a spoon or two of onion or sesame seeds, to mix it up a bit.

2 tbs mustard

1 tbs honey

Pinch of salt and pepper

Marinade 2 cubed chicken breasts for an hour. Cook for about 6-10 minutes (until cooked through), leave aside to cool down.

For the salad, I usually go with mixed leafs and cherry tomatoes as a base, and vinaigrette or Dijon mustard dressing*.

 Depending on what I have in the fringe, I add green or black olives, capers, gherkins – for a little zest; and cantaloupe, pineapple, plums or pears for refreshing, juicy sweetness.

Avocado shrimp salad

In this salad, I like the garlic lemon shrimp the most. It doesn’t matter if you go with fresh or defrosted shrimp as long as they are properly cleaned.

Shrimp:

1 spoon butter

2 cloves of garlic- minced

2 tbs of lemon juice

Pinch of salt, pepper and parsley

On the frying pan, melt the butter, add garlic, shrimp, salt and pepper and cook until shrimps turn white. Add lemon juice and parsley, cook for one more minute and set aside. Shrimps cook very quickly so don’t take your eyes of them!

Mix cubed avocado, lettuce, few basil leafs and sprinkle with 1-2 spoons of balsamic vinegar. Add shrimp and handful of roasted walnuts.

Tuna salad

For this salad, I use canned tuna flakes. The one in oil will do just fine, but I like the one in water – less calories. I make it almost the same way as chicken salad with few small differences. I like at least half of the greens to be young spinach leafs and I use more fruits: berries, plums and sometimes orange or tangerine. Occasionally, I add boiled eggs and serve it with some camembert. I like it with strawberry vinaigrette.

Couscous/ rice salad

In this salad, I also use canned tuna, but I’m tempted to try in with calamari rings. I use 1 – 1 ½ cup of couscous or boiled rice as a base, adding boiled corn and green peas. After cooked ingredients cool down, I add cubed tomato and capers. As a dressing, I mix ½ spoon horseradish sauce, 2 spoons greek yogurt, pinch of salt and lemon pepper.

Caprese salad

As common as it might be, I never get tired of it. Tomatoes, mozzarella and basil with few drops of dressing. Sometimes I make it with olive oil and minced garlic, and sometimes with balsamic vinegar. Whichever way – it’s always delicious! 

Pomegranate salad

This is the only vegetarian one, I make around my carnivore husband. Salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cubed feta cheese mixed with cup of pomegranate and handful of roasted walnuts. I like it with basic or strawberry vinaigrette. 

“Hot dog” salad

That’s what I call a “Boy” salad – fast-food in a bowl. Few sliced hot dog sausages mixed with the usual: salad greens, cherry tomatoes, gherkins and onion flakes. I use mustard or Dijon mustard dressing* ( 2 spoons of mustard, ½ spoon of olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper) and serve the salad with few slices of wholegrain roll.

 Enjoy!