Currently the heat in my house is reaching ridiculous levels. With all the windows open and as many electric items as possible switched off, it's still in the 30s.  Far too hot for serious blogging, and far too hot for big meals and lonh evenings in the kitchen, so here are my top 5 Summer salads for days when you want something more refreshing.

1.  Strawberry, Spinach and Blue Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

  • strawberries, washed, halved and hulled
  • Pecans, lightly toasted
  • Blue cheese, roughly crumbled
  • Fresh, raw baby spinach
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Wash and roughly tear spinach leaves, toss with pecans and strawberries.  Crumble blue cheese over the top, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

2.  Chicken Salad with Raw Veggies

Ingredients:

  • grilled chicken breast or thigh
  • Raw baby spinach
  • Raw peppers
  • Spring onions
  • Avocado
  • Sweet plum sauce or lemon chutney
  • Raw mushrooms
Layer roughly torn baby spinach in an oval serving dish.  Thinly slice avocado, and spread as a single layer along the centre of the dish.  Thinly slice peppers, removing pith and seeds, and layer over avocado.  Peel mushrooms, and cut in quarters.  Cut each quarter into thin slivers and sprinkle loosely over salad.  Thinly slice chicken and layer over in the same pattern as the avocado and peppers.  Top with a sprinkling of finely chopped spring onions, and serve with the sweet plum sauce or lemon chutney.

3.  Brown Rice Salad

Ingredients:

  • cooked brown rice (or wholegrain couscous)
  • spring onions, finely chopped
  • red capsicum pepper, finely chopped
  • chopped, unsalted peanuts
  • pumpkin seeds
  • sunflower seeds
  • dates, chopped
Very simple.  Combine ingredients, toss to aerate, and serve.

4.  Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:

  • black eye beans
  • chickpeas
  • canellini beans
  • kidney beans
  • halloumi cheese
  • dried mint
  • extra virgin olive oil
Roughly chop the halloumi and toss with the mixed beans.  Stir in a generous amount of dried mint and drizzle with olive oil.  Serve.

5.  Warm Chicken and Blue Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

  • Chicken breast or thigh, grilled
  • Soft blue cheese, such as dolcelatte
  • Walnut halves
  • Fresh baby greens
Toast walnut halves and set aside.  Roughly tear baby greens and toss with chopped chicken breast, fresh from the grill, and walnut halves.  Crumble blue cheese over the top.

Serve any of the above with fresh, crusty bread.  Yum!