Summers are back here again. If on one end you find sweltering weather with blazing sun rays heating you up, leaving you with sweaty body and dry lips, then on other end, you find surrounded by enormous variety of juicy and sap full fruits and vegetables that help you to beat this sultry weather.

The salads prepared from such luscious fruits and vegetables provide us relief in this stifling climate. Salads form the best form of appetizers, falling under the lightest form of food groups.

The intake of fibrous fruits, vegetables eases out the digestive system and accelerates the metabolic rate, thus improving our energy levels, regulating bowel movements, digestion, increasing our concentration and clarity of thoughts and providing us clearer skin. Here are some sumptuous, refreshing salads recipes for all food lovers.

Chilled bean salad with pickles

Ingredients:
1 cup chauli boiled; 1 cup French beans boiled; 2 tbsp mango pickle (chopped) with masala; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp chaat masala

For garnishing:
1 tbsp red capsicum diced;1 cup green lettuce leaves;2 tbsp lime juice; salt to taste

Method:

In a mixing bowl combine the boiled chauli beans and the French beans along with the mango pickles and the salt, lime, chaat masala and olive oil and toss well. Serve chilled on a bed of the chilled crisp lettuce leaves lined on the serving platter. Garnish the salad with the chopped red capsicum and serve immediately.

Cucumber and pepper salad with honey

Ingredients:
2 cucumber peeled and diced;2 red capsicum diced;2 yellow capsicums diced;2 green capsicum diced;2 onions diced;8-10 cherry tomatoes

For the dressing:
1/3rd cup honey;2 tbsp lime juice;2 tbsp olive oil;1 tsp chaat masal;1 tsp green chilies chopped;1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 2 tsp ginger juice; salt and crushed pepper to taste

Method:

Cut up all the veggies for the salad and keep them in ice-cold water until tossed. To prepare the dressing, mix the ingredients in a bowl and whip them up well. Toss the salad in the dressing and serve immediately on a bed of crispy iceberg lettuce leaves and garnish with cherry tomatoes.