During the summer months, many green vegetables, colourful fruits and herbs are available (it is best to use these to flavour foods rather than spices which create more heat in the body), thereby improving hydration and protecting the skin. In this scorching summer, eating spicy, oily, and greasy foods is a no-no. High temperatures have a lot of health disadvantages, such as prickly heat piercing the skin, dehydration, or fatigue. This weather makes adapting a suitable diet for long days and warm nights quite essential. Maintaining healthy physical and mental fitness during the summer requires staying hydrated. The best way to beat the heat gracefully is to eat refreshing, healthy salads regularly. In the summers, there are fewer fruits and vegetables available, so you can prepare a variety of salads according to your taste and preferences. It sounds intriguing, 'summer, sweat, and salads'. It does, doesn't it?
History of Salad
In the early days of salad eating (circa 1st century CE), Ancient Greeks and Romans layered raw vegetables over vinegar, oil, and herbs to create the world's first salad. Hippocrates stirred a huge debate during this raw food craze when he declared that eating raw vegetables in a salad before supper helped clear the intestines of obstructions. In response, critics said that the vinegar in salad dressings affected the flavour of wine, so salads should be eaten after the main course. Most salads are consumed before the main course today, mainly because we're hungry. In the Middle Ages, there were many artistic transformations and revivals, including green leafy experimentation. During this period, dinner salads were created that are very similar to those we eat today.
Here are four yummy ways to prepare your salad and beat the heat:-
1. Greek Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
1. Twelve ounces farfalle
2. One-fourth cup of extra-virgin olive oil
3. One-fourth cup of red wine vinegar
4. One teaspoon of Dijon mustard
5. One clove of garlic, minced
6. Two Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
7. One (10 ounces) container of grape tomatoes, sliced in half
8. Six ounces of crumbled feta cheese
9. One-fourth cup dill, roughly chopped
10. Two tablespoons mint, roughly chopped
11. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package instructions. After draining, rinse pasta well with cold water.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Combine cucumber, tomatoes, feta, herbs, and cooled pasta.
3. Served immediately or refrigerated until needed.
2. Classic Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
1. 12 ounces of elbow macaroni
2. 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
3. 2/3 cup mayonnaise
4. 2 tablespoons diced pimento, drained
5. 1/2 teaspoon sugar
6. 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
7. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Follow the directions on the back of the package when cooking pasta.
3. Rinse in cool water after draining.
4. Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, pimento, sugar, and celery in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
5. Combine the pasta and the sauce together in a bowl.
6. Immediately serve or cover and refrigerate.
3. Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
1. 1 small bunch of thin asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces
2. 12 ounces gemelli pasta
3. 1/2 a cup of creme fraiche
4. 1/4 cup mayonnaise
5. 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
6. 3 tablespoons of chives, thinly sliced
7. 4 ounces of smoked salmon, chopped into bite-size pieces
8. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
1. Place a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil.
2. Add asparagus and cook for about one minute until it is bright green.
3. Put the spider in an ice bath to cool after removing it from the water with a spider.
4. Let it drain well. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
5. Rinse well under cool water after draining.
6. Combine creme fraiche, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
7. Gently fold in the asparagus, pasta, and salmon.
8. The dish can be served immediately or refrigerated for later.
4. Chickpea and Arugula Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
1. 12 ounces of fusilli pasta
2. 6 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
3. 1 (15 ounces) can of chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
4. 1teaspoon of smoked paprika
5. 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
6. 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
7. Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
8. Juice of 1/2 lemon
9. 2 cups of baby arugula
Method:
1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with chickpeas.
3. Sprinkle with two tablespoons of olive oil, smoked paprika, cayenne, cumin, salt and pepper.
4. Bring all the ingredients together with your hands and pat them into a single layer. Roast the mixture for 25-30 minutes until crisp.
5. Let cool to room temperature.
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare pasta as directed on the package. Strain well.
7. Mix the remaining four tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.
8. Stir in the roasted chickpeas and any oil and spices from the pan, then add the pasta. Combine well. Add the baby arugula.
9. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.