Posted on by Annika

Cucumber Salad

This cucumber salad has many happy memories for me because my grandmother used to make it as a side dish when we came over for lunch. I still enjoy it because it has such a fresh taste to it – and because it brings back so many wonderful memories of family lunches at my grandmother’s house. Food really is a great connector! I hope you will enjoy this salad as much as I do. 🙂

My grandmother used to make this salad as a side-dish when we came over for lunch.

Ingredients

(enough for 4 people)

  • 2 cucumbers
  • 2 tablespoons cream
  • 2 tablespoons curd or sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • salt, fresh pepper, sugar
  • fresh chives (at least 15 g)

How to Make It

  • Peel the cucumbers and slice them.
  • Put the slices in a bowl and salt them with 2-3 teaspoons of salt. Let them marinate for 20 minutes.
Peel and slice the cucumbers, then salt them and let them marinate for 20 minutes.
  • Add the cream, the curd, and the vinegar, and stir it all thoroughly until you have a proper dressing.
  • Add 3 teaspoons of freshly ground pepper and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir again.
  • Wash and chop up the chives and mix them into the salad.
Add the cream, the curd, the vinegar, and all other spices. Don’t forget about the fresh chives!
  • Let the cucumber salad marinate for 30 minutes. Taste again before serving and add more salt and pepper if you like.
Works great as a fresh side-salad.
Posted on by Annika

Watermelon Feta Salad

The idea for this salad came from a very close friend and I am excited to share it with you! This salad is wonderfully refreshing, juicy, and sweet – all in one – and perfect for summer picnics or BBQs. You can serve it as side dish, eat it as dessert, or have it for lunch on a particularly hot summer day. Enjoy! 🙂

Sweet and fresh.

Ingredients

  • ½ watermelon
  • 200-250 g feta cheese
  • handful of fresh mint leaves (about 30 g)

How to Make It

  • Cut the watermelon in half. You only need one half, so cover the other half in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Cut the rest of the watermelon into bite-sized chunks and put them into a big bowl.
  • Cut the feta cheese into chunks and add them to the bowl.
  • Wash the mint leaves and chop them up. Add them to the bowl.
  • Mix everything thoroughly and let the salad marinade. The watermelon is so juicy that you do not need any dressing.
Works as a side dish, a dessert, or as lunch on a particularly hot summer day.
Posted on by Annika · 2 Comments

Arugula Salad with Yellow Lentils, Cranberries, and Cashew Nuts

I have been challenging myself to branch out a bit more and the result is this fruity summer salad. 🙂 The lentils add a healthy component while the cranberries and apple chunks cater to everyone’s sweet tooth. We have been eating it regularly for a few weeks now and it has been universally approved. I hope you will like it, too!

Sweet and filling at the same time.

Ingredients

(enough for 2-3 people)

For the Salad
  • 250 g yellow lentils
  • 125 g arugula
  • 100 g dried and sweetened cranberries
  • 100 g cashew nuts
  • 1 apple
  • 2-3 teaspoons of instant broth powder
For the Dressing
  • 40 ml olive oil
  • 30 ml balsamic vinegar
  • 10 ml “crema de balsamico,” i.e. balsamic vinegar cream, a thicker and more aromatic version of the vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1-2 teaspoons pepper
  • pot herbs

How to Make It

  • Prepare about 500 ml of broth (with instant powder) and boil the lentils for a good 5-7 minutes in it. Make sure that they do not overcook and become mushy.
  • In the meantime, wash the arugula. I always cut the leaves to make it easier to eat. 😉 Put the arugula into a big bowl.
  • Once the lentils are done, pour out the water and add them to the arugula.
  • Coarsely chop up the cashew nuts and add them to the mix.
  • Chop up the cranberries and add them to the bowl.
  • Wash the apple and core it. Then dice it and add the pieces to the rest of the salad.
  • Prepare the dressing in a separate little bowl and pour it over the salad. Mix thoroughly.
  • Before serving, sprinkle the garden herbs on top. Enjoy! 🙂
Enjoy! 🙂
Posted on by Annika

Lentil and Pomegranate Salad

In summer, we usually end up eating more salads since they are a lighter, easy meal when it is too warm outside to cook. This lentil salad is super-healthy and the pomegranate seeds give it a fresh and fruity flavor. Let me know what you think. 🙂

Lentils, arugula, and pomegranate seeds – yummy!

Ingredients

(enough for 4 people)

For the Salad
  • 200 g black lentils
  • 125 g arugula
  • 250 g feta cheese
  • 350 g pomegranate seeds (about 1½ pomegranates)
  • 150 g chopped walnuts
For the Dressing
  • 50 ml olive oil
  • 25 ml balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon “crema de balsamico,” i.e. balsamic vinegar cream, a thicker and more aromatic version of the vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons chopped garden herbs

How to Make It

  • Cook the lentils according to the instructions on the box. Pour out the water and let them cool off, then put them into a big bowl.
  • In the meantime, wash the arugula. I always cut the leaves to make it easier to eat. 😉 Put the arugula into a big bowl.
  • Dice the feta cheese and add it to the bowl.
  • Chop up the walnuts and add them to the rest.
  • Peel the pomegranates to collect the seeds. Careful, it can get a bit messy… Add the pomegranate seeds to the salad.
  • In a separate little bowl, mix the dressing. Add it to the salad and mix it well.
  • Before serving, sprinkle the garden herbs on top. Enjoy! 🙂
Tastes great with a glass of fruity cider.
Posted on by Annika

Pasta Salad

We eat this pasta salad quite often, especially in spring and summer when the weather is nice outside and we do not quite feel like eating “proper” warm meals. The salad is also a great addition to any buffet and brunch.

Let me know in the comments below or on Instagram and Twitter if you tried the salad. I would love to hear from you!

Pasta salad with goat cheese and dried tomatoes.

Ingredients

(enough for 4 people)

For the Salad
  • 250g of pasta
  • 250g of goat cheese
  • 180g of dried tomatoes
  • 160g of fresh lettuce
  • 160g of black olives
  • optional: 150g of dried salami
For the Dressing
  • 90-100ml of olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of mustard
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • 3 teaspoons of pepper
  • 2 teaspoons of seasoned salt (preferably with herbs)
  • optional: additional fresh garden herbs

How to Make It

  • Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Once the pasta is done, rinse it in cold water to prevent it from becoming mushy later. Put the pasta in a big bowl.
  • Cut the goat cheese and the dried tomatoes into pieces and add them to the bowl.
  • Add the olives to the bowl.
  • Wash the lettuce, dry it, and cut it into pieces. Add it to the mix in the bowl.
  • Optional: If you like, you can also add dried salami to the salad. Just cut it into pieces and add it to the mix.
  • Prepare the sauce and add it the salad. Mix it in well.
  • The pasta salad tastes best when you let it marinade in the sauce for a few hours. If necessary, add more salt and/or pepper afterwards.