Summer Salad Meals – Easy Meals For Summer

Looking for some quick and easy summer meals? Try these fresh and flavorful summer salad recipes. Made with just a few simple ingredients, these quick recipes will have meals on the table in no time. When you don’t feel like making something long and complicated on those hot summer days, give these easy recipes a try. Each recipe makes 2-3 servings.

Cold Chicken Salad with Guacamole Cream: You will need 3 cups cooked and diced chicken (you may use your favorite kind like grilled, barbecued, roasted, broiled, etc), 1 tbsp capers, 1 cup chopped celery, one-half cup of refrigerated or frozen guacamole (if using frozen guacamole, defrost ahead of time), and one-half cup sour cream. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, capers and celery. In a smaller bowl, combine the guacamole and the sour cream and mix well. Add the guacamole cream to the salad ingredients and toss thoroughly. If you want to turn up the heat in this chicken salad, simply choose a spicier guacamole and if you want it a little creamier, add more guacamole or sour cream or both. To Serve: For a quick meal recipe, try this simple chicken salad served on a bed of seasoned rice or fresh salad greens with apple slices on the side.

Red Pepper Pasta Salad: In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups cooked farfalle or rotini pasta, 1 cup red bell pepper (medium dice), 1 cup of cooked chicken (cubed) or 1 cup packaged flavored tofu (cubed), one-half cup sliced water chestnuts, one-half cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese, and one-quarter cup basil pesto (thinned with a little water to make a sauce). Toss ingredients well to combine. To Serve: For a simple summer meal, serve salad chilled in bowls along with warm garlic bread and a side of steamed and chilled broccoli tossed with lemon juice and a little olive oil.

Summer Quinoa Salad: In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups cooked quinoa, one-half cup cucumber (diced), one-half cup frozen mango cubes (thawed), one-quarter cup red onion (diced), 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped). Toss ingredients well to combine. If desired, season with a little salt and pepper to taste. To Serve: Serve salad on mixed salad greens along with store-bought grilled chicken sliced and drizzled with honey Dijon dressing.

When the weather is hot and you don’t feel like cooking, give these quick summer salad recipes a try. They make fast and flavorful meals in minutes and are great to use any time you want something easy to prepare.

Laura Cokherell, is a food lover and health enthusiast. Visit her site at Quick Salad Recipes.com where you will find a wide variety of quick meal recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner (including more summer meal ideas), snacks, and dessert. These simple recipes with few ingredients, minimal preparation, and fresh, natural food will easily create healthy everyday meals quickly.