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Temperatures are hot here, making cooking far less enjoyable than during the winter months. Fortunately, we have recipes for delicious summer salads to help you beat the heat. Best of all, these all fall into the “healthy foods to eat while trying to conceive.”
Stay Cool with These 7 Summer Salads
Here are seven 5-star salad recipes to rotate into your favorite summer menu plans. And, don’t forget to whip out the mocktail ingredients while you’re at it!
1. Balsamic Lamb Chops with Stone Fruit & Arugula
This Balsamic Lamb Chops With Stone Fruit & Arugula recipe is both an entree and a salad. Lamb is considered superior to beef when it comes to nutritional value. In addition to being an outstanding source of many vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, lamb is also richer in all essential fatty acids.
Don’t like lamb? No problem, you can easily swap beef or chicken here. Or, leave the meat out and enjoy the delicious combination of tangy, salty, earthy, and sweet flavors offered here. If you’re a vegetarian, we’d recommend crumbling your favorite feta cheese on top.
2. Summer Asian Slaw
Tired of the traditional mayo-based American versions of coleslaw? Shake things up a bit by making an Asian Slaw. This recipe uses a base of cabbage (your choice or a cabbage combo) with charred peppers, stone fruit, mint, basil, green onions, and toasted seeds of your choice. It’s all tossed together with a tasty ginger-miso dressing.
3. Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Did you know the Mediterranean diet supports IVF success rates? Its focus on inflammation-reducing foods and ingredients also makes it a natural way to ease symptoms of endometriosis and PCOS. Jump right in by exploring this Mediterranean Pasta Salad.
It’s loaded with ingredients that pack a powerful flavor punch, and you gluten-free peeps can swap the traditional pasta for their favorite g-free version. Best of all, a salad like this is almost better the next day, so make a big batch and enjoy eating it for the rest of the week as the main course, a side, or a quick snack.
4. Summer Tortellini Salad
As long as we’re basking in the warm Mediterranean region, check out another take on a pasta salad. Our featured Summer Tortellini Salad has the option of adding chicken or even grilled fish for a heartier and more filling entree. Rather than a vinaigrette-style dressing, it takes advantage of freshy-made or store-bought pesto for aromatic and satisfying overtones.
5. Cherry Tomato CousCous Salad
Is your cherry tomato going nuts about now? If you aren’t a gardener, we guarantee you’ll find local ripe cherries at your local farm stand or farmer’s market. Love & Lemons’s Cherry Tomato CousCous Salad recipe is as beautiful to look at as it is delicious to eat.
Red and yellow cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, green cucumber slices, and couscous are just the start of this filling salad. The addition of chickpeas and feta cheese add protein to the mix, and you can play around with the herbs added to the oil and lemon juice dressing to honor your personal palate preferences.
6. Classic Three Bean Salad (not from a can!)
So many of us grew up with the too-sweet canned version that we never realized that version is based on a “real” original. You’ll love digging into this Classic Three Bean Salad, which combines fresh (steamed or blanched) green and yellow wax beans with rinsed kidney and yellow beans. We also recommend throwing in some chickpeas for another protein boost and call it a four-some.
Then thin-sliced red onion adds a little kick, and the dish is tied together with a little oil, vinegar, fresh cut parsley and salt/pepper. You can eat it fresh, but we think it’s always best to make it an hour – or a day – ahead of time for maximum flavor.
7. Go-To Quinoa Salad
Quinoa is a great alternative for gluten-free folks and those cutting their carb intake. Our selection of this Go-To Quinoa Saladalso includes a nutrient-dense favorite (kale), tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, red bell peppers, and green onions.
We recommend making a double or triple batch of the accompanying red wine and dijon honey vinaigrette as it may become your all-around favorite new dressing. Not to mention, homemade dressings are healthier and a fraction of the price of those you purchase at the store.
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