Superfoods are super important to your diet! An easy way to include them during the summer months is to use seasonal produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables from your local farmers market make salads a great meal option that you can prep in advance. Here are 3 healthy summer salad ideas using seasonal superfoods.
Fruit Salads
Fruit salads are one of the easiest salads to make and they can double as a dessert because of their natural sweetness. Great to use in salads, fruits provide much needed hydration during those hot summer days. They are high in nutrients and vitamins, so even though they are naturally sweet, you’re still enjoying some of nature’s best foods to help sustain your body.
Seasonal summer fruits include the berry family, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Peaches, cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon are also abundant during the summer.
For a tropical flavor, try delectable fruits like banana, coconut, mango and kiwi. Combine some of each for a bright, colorful and sweet salad that’s simply irresistible to kids as well as adults. To add some tangy relief, you can always add feta cheese or a yogurt dressing. Adding walnuts or almonds gives your salad an additional flavor and a crunchy texture.
Green Salads
Leafy greens provide the perfect canvas for including fruits, cheese and nuts, which are full of nutrients that add to the iron, fiber and protein found in various greens. Whether you’re making a green salad as a side item or filling it with additional protein for an entrée salad, green salads are always in season.
While most lettuce and leafy salad greens thrive in cooler weather, you can still find varieties of spinach, kale and other greens to use to build a hearty salad. Add fruits, corn, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado and delicious dressings to give these salads a superfood kick.
Pasta Salads
Not only are cold pasta salads perfect for those backyard BBQs, potlucks and tailgating, they can be a cold entrée item for those times when it’s just too hot to turn on the oven or stand over a hot stove.
Experiment with different shapes and sizes of pasta, as well as the range of pasta ingredients that are available today. There are pastas made from flour, rice, corn, lentil, cassava, chickpea and more, which provides a wide range for almost any diet, including those that need gluten-free and grain-free options.
Pasta provides a wonderful backdrop for the addition of fresh and seasonal summer herbs and vegetables. Of course, you can always add meat or seafood for additional protein to almost any pasta salad.
From fruits to greens to pasta, there are a variety of ways to create a delicious summer salad that’s both vibrant and healthy.