Recipe of the day: 3 salads to help you stay cool during the heatwave

Don't contribute to the heat during this heatwave – cool down your body with these three refreshing salads instead.


In the midst of this heatwave, the last thing you want is a meal that’s hot and heavy. That’s why we have you covered with three refreshing salad recipes to help you stay cool.

Our Chicken Caesar salad, Beet salad, and Pasta salad are perfect dinner options, offering a light and cool choice for this scorching weather.

How to make a Chicken Caesar salad

Homemade Chicken Caesar salad. Picture: iStock
Homemade Chicken Caesar salad. Picture: iStock

Ingredients

  • 3 slices bread, torn into bite-sized pieces
  • Olive oil spray
  • 4 slices prosciutto, excess fat trimmed
  • 2 (about 200g each) Coles RSPCA Approved Chicken Breast Fillets
  • 2 baby cos lettuce, trimmed, leaves separated, coarsely torn
  • 1/2 cup fresh continental parsley leaves
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, quartered
  • 1 tbsp finely grated parmesan
  • 125ml (1/2 cup) 99% fat free caesar dressing

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Place bread on 1 tray. Spray lightly with oil. Place prosciutto on the remaining tray. Bake, turning bread once, for 7-8 minutes or until the bread and prosciutto are crisp and golden. Set aside to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, spray a non-stick frying pan with oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly. Thinly slice.
  3. Break the prosciutto into shards. Combine the bread, prosciutto, chicken, lettuce, parsley, egg and parmesan in a serving bowl. Drizzle over the dressing.

*This recipe was sourced from taste.com.au.

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Chicken Caesar salad

  • Author: Thokozane Ndlazi
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: side,salad
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: greek

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 slices bread, torn into bite-sized pieces
  • Olive oil spray
  • 4 slices prosciutto, excess fat trimmed
  • 2 (about 200g each) Coles RSPCA Approved Chicken Breast Fillets
  • 2 baby cos lettuce, trimmed, leaves separated, coarsely torn
  • 1/2 cup fresh continental parsley leaves
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, quartered
  • 1 tbsp finely grated parmesan
  • 125ml (1/2 cup) 99% fat free caesar dressing

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Place bread on 1 tray. Spray lightly with oil. Place prosciutto on the remaining tray. Bake, turning bread once, for 7-8 minutes or until the bread and prosciutto are crisp and golden. Set aside to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, spray a non-stick frying pan with oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly. Thinly slice.
  3. Break the prosciutto into shards. Combine the bread, prosciutto, chicken, lettuce, parsley, egg and parmesan in a serving bowl. Drizzle over the dressing.

How to make a Beet salad

Homemade Beet salad. Picture: iStock
Homemade Beet salad. Picture: iStock

Ingredients

  • 3 roasted beets
  • 56g of feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves sliced
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Toss all the ingredients and serve.

*This recipe was sourced from simplejoy.com.

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Beet salad

  • Author: Thokozane Ndlazi
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: side,salad
  • Method: no cook
  • Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 roasted beets
  • 56g of feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves sliced
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Toss all the ingredients and serve.

How to make a pasta salad

Homemade Pasta salad. Picture: iStock
Homemade Pasta salad. Picture: iStock

Ingredients

  • 435g rotini or any medium pasta shape
  • ⅔ cup feta cheese crumbled, more or less to taste
  • 1 ½ cups English cucumber chopped
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup bell pepper any color, chopped
  • ¼ cup sliced black olives optional
  • ¼ cup red onions finely diced, or sliced green onions
  • 1 cup Italian dressing or homemade dressing in the notes
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Method

  1. In a large pot, boil pasta in salted water until al dente (firm) according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, chop the cucumber, grape tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onions.
  3. In a large bowl, combine your cooked and cooled pasta, prepared vegetables, Italian dressing, and fresh parsley. Toss well to coat.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste and gently stir in feta cheese.
  5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavours to blend and the pasta to soak in the dressing.

*This recipe was sourced from spendwithpennies.com.

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Pasta salad

  • Author: Holly
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: side,salad
  • Method: no cook
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients

Scale
  • 435g rotini or any medium pasta shape
  • ⅔ cup feta cheese crumbled, more or less to taste
  • 1 ½ cups English cucumber chopped
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup bell pepper any color, chopped
  • ¼ cup sliced black olives optional
  • ¼ cup red onions finely diced, or sliced green onions
  • 1 cup Italian dressing or homemade dressing in the notes
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, boil pasta in salted water until al dente (firm) according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, chop the cucumber, grape tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onions.
  3. In a large bowl, combine your cooked and cooled pasta, prepared vegetables, Italian dressing, and fresh parsley. Toss well to coat.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste and gently stir in feta cheese.
  5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavours to blend and the pasta to soak in the dressing.

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