This is one of the easiest summer salads. Since I go through probably 5 watermelons a week, I guess it’s safe to say that I love watermelons. I love them so much that I want to eat them all the time, even though that means getting a water belly. This salad just happened the other night when I was craving a light summer salad but didn’t have any more greens in the fridge. The composition that I came up with was actually pretty amazing. I never thought that all these ingredients would compliment each other so well. The sweet watermelon base gives this salad an incredible freshness that keeps you hydrated on hot summer days. The subtle but fresh taste of the radishes give it more of a hearty flavor that is underlined by the sweetness of the little cherry tomatoes. The roasted pine nuts then add a nutty crunch to the whole salad. Finally, what really makes this salad a mouthwatering experience is the fresh mint that is sprinkled on top. Every bite that combines the sweet watermelon, radishes, tomatoes, pine nuts and mint is simply heavenly. The whole thing is then rounded up by the simple yet delicious white balsamic and lemon dressing.

P.S.: I recently re-shot this recipe, and completely forgot the cherry tomatoes. You see, even food bloggers are not perfect when it comes to cooking. It tasted just fine, but I definitely recommend not leaving out the tomatoes, as they add the much needed savory taste in this dish.

Enjoy!

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

Feel free to leave a comment below, and don’t forget to tag your creations on social media using #heavenlynnhealthy.

I’d love for this blog to be a dialogue.

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This salad will change your perception of salads, because it’s anything but boring. It’s filled with amazing goodness from the broccoli, avocado and rocket (arugula) and the delicious strawberry mint dressing. The avocado and broccoli are so completely different in texture and taste,which makes this salad both crunchy and creamy at the same time. The true hero of this dish, however, is the strawberry mint dressing. The strawberries are not only heavenly sweet, they also add valuable antioxidants to the salad. Antioxidants help protect the body from free radicals, which destroy our cell from within our body. By fighting free radicals, antioxidants help prevent chronic diseases and keep our body and also our skin healthy. The sweetness of the strawberries is underlined by the freshness of the mint leaves. Together, they make the most exciting dressing you’ll ever eat. I promise, it tastes incredible. It also makes the dressing heavenly creamy so you won’t miss cheese at all. As I mentioned, the broccoli gives this salad a crunchy texture, but it also adds a variety of vitamins and minerals to the summer dish. Broccoli has amazing health benefits. One of them is related to the unique fibers that broccoli contains. The fiber binds a certain „bile acids“ which can form cholesterol, thus broccoli can decrease cholesterol levels. Broccoli is also one of the best sources of vitamin C, containing 100% of the required amount in just one cup. You’ll also get 100% of the daily intake of vitamin K, which is important for a healthy bones. Besides strengthening your immune system and bones, it also contains a high level of potassium, which is essential for a healthy heart and a normal ranged blood pressure.
I guess it’s safe to say that broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet, and a good reason to make this salad as soon as possible.

Ingredients:
Serves 2:
– 1/2 broccoli head
– 1 avocado
– a handful fresh rocket (arugula)
– a handful fresh pomegranate kernels
– 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes

For the strawberry mint dressing:
– 1/2 cup (100g) strawberries
– 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
– 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
– 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint (about a handful leaves)
– 1 tsp honey or agave if vegan
– salt and pepper

Start by washing and drying the broccoli, then cut it into bite-sized pieces. Steam or boil them for about 3 minutes until they are a little softer but still very crunchy. Take them out of the steamer or saucepan and set aside to cool.

Cut the avocados in half and remove the flesh with a spoon. Remove the stone and cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces. Then put them into a large salad bowl.
Wash and dry the arugula and add it to the avocado.
Remove the pomegranate kernels from the fruit and add about a handful to the bowl, and safe some for decoration.
Wash and cut the cherry tomatoes in half and combine them with the other ingredients in the salad bowl.

For the dressing simply add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until you have a heavenly creamy salad sauce.

Finally add the broccoli to the salad, pour the dressing on top and sprinkle with some pomegranate seeds.

Enjoy!

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This salad is truly heavenly. It combines all of my favorite ingredients: quinoa, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and rocket (arugula). The quinoa and chickpeas have a more nutty flavor, while the sun-dried tomatoes add a more salty, savory flavor, which perfectly rounds up this summer salad. It is also packed with protein from the quinoa and chickpeas. Quinoa contains all essential nine amino acids, which makes it a complete protein equal to meat or dairy! It’s also a great source of fiber, which keeps us satisfied for hours, regulates our blood sugar and aids digestion. It’s also a great source of iron, which is vital for the transportation of oxygen through the body. The lack of iron leads to fatigue and exhaustion, so quinoa is a very important energy booster when you don’t eat meat or dairy.
Combining chickpeas with quinoa may seem a bit odd in the beginning, but I’ve tried it and let me tell you – it tastes amazing. The two proteins compliment each other so well, and the delicious sun-dried tomatoes, rocket and cucumbers add the desired freshness to the salad. The light lemon-vinaigrette gives it an extra sprinkle of freshness and healthiness, and turns the whole salad into a delicious and filling summer dish. It’s perfect for a barbecue and can also be easily boxed and enjoyed the next day at work. So what are you waiting for? Give your body some much needed protein, iron and lots of minerals and vitamins with this summer quinoa, chickpea and sun-dried tomato salad.

Ingredients:
Serves 4
– 1/2 cup (100g) quinoa
– 1 can chickpeas
– a handful (125g) sun-dried tomatoes
– 1/2 cucumber
– 1/4 cup (30g) pine nuts
– 2 handful rocket (arugula)
– 1/2 avocado (optional)

For the dressing:
– juice of 1/2 lemon
– 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
– 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
– 1 tsp honey or agave
– salt and pepper to taste

Start by rinsing the quinoa under hot water, then place it into a large enough saucepan (pot) and add about 1 cup (250ml) water. Bring to a quick boil on high heat, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, rinse the chickpeas under running water and place them into a salad bowl.
Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into stripes and add them to the chickpeas.
Rinse the cucumber, cube it, and also add it to the bowl.
Wash and dry the rocket and give it to the other ingredients.
Now heat the pine nuts in a small skillet on medium to low heat. Be sure to stir them frequently and do not leave them unattended, because they burn quickly. Once they have a golden-brown color, remove the skillet from the heat and pour the pine nuts over the salad.

Once the quinoa is done, drain it into a sieve and allow the water to drip off completely.
Add the quinoa to the salad bowl.

To make the dressing, simply combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk it with a spoon. Pour the dressing over the salad and serve.

Enjoy!

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This salad is a variation of my Oriental Chickpea Salad à la May. If you haven’t tried it yet, you really have to because it’s absolutely divine. I already mentioned last week that I wasn’t going to let asparagus season pass without adding a couple more recipes with the healthy vegetable to the blog.
Like I just mentioned, this is actually not really a new recipe, but I did change it up a little by adding avocado and asparagus to this healthy and delicious salad. As most recipes, this one happened when I had no idea what to do with my leftover asparagus from the day before. The salad only takes 15 minutes to prepare, and it only requires two fresh ingredients: asparagus and avocado.
The key ingredient in this salad is chickpeas which are my all time favorite plant-protein. Combined with the other amazing ingredients they form an incredibly delicious plant-based salad that I’m sure you’re going to love if you love asparagus. If you can’t get white asparagus where you live, then just try using the green one instead. I tried it and it tastes just as great.

Health Benefits in this oriental asparagus salad:
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– lycopene (antioxidant that helps fight various diseases)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune systems, production of enzymes)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)

Ingredients:
– 500g asparagus
– 1 can of chickpeas
– 3 pre-cooked beets
– 1 cup of cherry tomatoes
– a good handful of fresh mint
– 1 avocado
– 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
– 1 tsp agave
– salt and pepper to taste

Start by pre-heating the oven to 200°C, then peel the asparagus. Then cut off about 1 cm of the ends, because these tend to taste pretty wood-like. Cut the remaining asparagus into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cm or 1 inch). In a large pot, heat up enough water to cover the asparagus entirely. Add a pint of salt and agave, and cook it for about 15-20 minutes.
In the mean time rinse the chickpeas well and place them into a large salad bowl. Cube the beets and add them to chickpeas. Next, add the chopped fresh mint and the tomatoes. Cut the avocado in half; remove the pit and scope out the flesh with a spoon. Cube the avocado and add it to the other ingredients.

Finally drain the asparagus and place it on top of the salad, add the apple cider vinegar, agave, salt and pepper and stir well. Serve with (gluten-free) bread as a main dish or use it as a side dish.

Enjoy!

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