Cool summer salads help beat the heat

Jul. 10, 2024

By Mary Wade Burnside and Sarah Moore

Summer is supposed to be hot but this one has been a bit of a doozy so far.
At Monongalia County Health Department’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, we recommend drinking a lot of water on a regular basis for a variety of reasons, including to aid with digestion and the elimination of toxins.
It also helps with hydration, but there are some summer foods that can also play a role. Watermelon is not only 92% water, but it also contains lycopene, which is linked to reducing the risk of heart disease.
Watermelon is delicious on its own but it also can be a great ingredient in dishes, such as a salad.
This Watermelon Salad with Feta that is part of the July WIC Kitchen offering also features cucumber, red onion, avocado, and it tastes great. This savory salad can be topped off with mint or basil leaves for extra flavor.
Chickpeas also taste great in a lot of different ways. They are inexpensive and shelf stable and they can be the highlight or a regular component in a salad.
The Greek Chickpea Salad is high in protein and can serve as a meat substitute, all while providing fiber and healthy fats.
This recipe includes a cucumber, and like watermelon, they are high in water at 95%. Keeping the peel on one cucumber provides the daily recommended amount of vitamin K, which helps with blood clotting and wound healing.
Both watermelon and cucumber can help with weight loss because of both the fiber and water content.
These salads make a great addition to a picnic or potluck. It’s always great to bring fresh and delicious sides to an event or have some fruit and bread on the side and serve a salad as a main dish.
Enjoy these salads that not only taste great but also offer a lot of beneficial ingredients!


Watermelon Salad with Feta

Ingredients:

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice*
½ garlic clove, minced*
¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the salad:
5 cups cubed watermelon*
Heaping 1 cup diced English cucumber*
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion*
⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
1 avocado, cubed*
⅓ cup torn fresh mint or basil leaves
½ jalapeño or serrano pepper, thinly sliced, optional*
Salt

Instructions:
Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic and salt.
Arrange the watermelon, cucumber and red onions on a large plate or platter. Drizzle with half the dressing. Top with the feta, avocado, mint and serrano pepper, if using, and drizzle with remaining dressing. Season to taste. Serve and enjoy!


Greek Chickpea Salad
Ingredients:

1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (canned are fine)*
2 firm ripe tomatoes *
1 medium red onion*
1 crisp cucumber*
⅔ cup crumbled Greek feta
1-2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano
½ cup extra virgin Greek olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh strained lemon juice*
Sea salt to taste

Instructions:
Drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander and transfer to a mixing bowl.
Core and cut the tomatoes into wedges or chunks. Trim the cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and then cut into ¼-inch-thick slices. Peel, halve and slice the onions.
Add the tomatoes, cucumber slices and onion to the bowl with the chickpeas. Toss in the feta, oregano, olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt to taste. Serve and enjoy!