Easy Dinner Recipes - 3 Light and Quick No-Cooking Salad Recipes For Hectic Summer Days

Sometimes, there is not much time to cook dinner. And maybe you anyways don't feel like eating something hot in the heart of summer. Some quick no-cooking food would be great then. But don't forget to make certain that your dinner is still healthy!

Salads are a great option for no-cooking meals, and many of them are also very quick to prepare. If many of your ingredients are ready for use - for example canned vegetables or leftover meat - it's easy to prepare a delicious and healthy salad within half an hour. If your salad doesn't include pasta, rice or potatoes, make sure to serve it with bread, preferably whole grain, to include all major food groups into your meal.

Here are three quick and easy salad recipes which all can be done in 30 minutes. All make four servings.
Chicken And Pineapple Salad With Cashews
Ingredients

• 1 small lettuce
• 350 g grilled chicken, cubed
• 120 g chopped pineapple (or canned pineapple chunks)
• 1 red and 1 green pepper, thinly sliced 
• 160 ml plain yoghurt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 60 g cashew nuts, chopped

Steps

1. Wash the lettuce, drain it and tear it into pieces. Put it in a large bowl, together with the chicken, pineapple and pepper and stir gently.
2. For the dressing, mix yoghurt with pepper and ginger. Pour over the salad and mix well.
3. Sprinkle cashews over the salad and serve with French bread.

Mexican SaladIngredients

• 1 small lettuce, torn into pieces
• 300 g cherry tomatoes, washed and cut in half
• 240 g canned corn, drained
• 150 g cheddar, grated
• 125 g tortilla chips, crushed

Dressing

• 250 g plain yoghurt
• 65 ml salsa
• ½ tsp. chili powder

Steps

1. Mix lettuce, tomatoes, corn and cheddar in a large bowl.
2. For the dressing, mix all ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl.
3. Mix dressing and salad. Just before serving, add the tortilla chips (they get soggy if you add them too  early).

Greek SaladIngredients

• 1 small lettuce, torn into pieces
• 450 g cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 large cucumber, sliced
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 95 g olives
• 140 g feta cheese, chopped

Dressing

• 40 ml olive oil
• 30 ml red wine vinegar
• oregano, salt and pepper

Steps  

1. Mix lettuce and vegetables in a large bowl.
2. For the dressing, mix all ingredients and stir thoroughly into the salad.
3. Add the feta cheese and mix it in carefully.
4. Serve with whole grain bread.

Now, enjoy these tasty salad recipes and start coming up with your own ones! You can use almost any kind of vegetable. For a no-cooking salad, choose those that can be eaten raw, or use canned vegetables, or a combination of both. Just make certain you stay away from processed foods which contain many calories and unhealthy food additives. Any kind of cheese is great in salads (choose low-fat versions if you are worried about calories). Or do it a bit differently and use fruit to create an exotic salad. That tastes especially nice with chicken and turkey. Nuts and seeds can add some crunchiness and great flavor. Also experiment with different spices, and soon you'll become a salad expert, and quick meals are the easiest thing for you to do!

Bettina Berlin is a health professional specializing in healthy nutrition even on a tight schedule. Eating healthy and thus maintaining a healthy weight can significantly improve your health and help prevent many diseases. Is your life so hectic that preparing healthy food often seems impossible? Then visit http://www.elishas-quick-recipes.blogspot.com today and get your FREE fast cooking tips and much delicious quick easy recipes!

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