Healthy Vegetarian Recipes For Cool Summer Meals

Here are some quick and easy cold rice salad recipes for summer. These are flavorful and healthy recipes and make perfect summer meals quickly and, because of their easy preparation, you will be in and out of the kitchen in no time. Enjoy these simple recipes anytime. They are great meals for vegetarians or anyone looking for healthy meal choices.

Each recipe makes 2 to 3 servings.

Preparation Directions: For fast preparation, make the rice ahead of time and allow to cool before adding the rest of the salad ingredients. Just place all the ingredients in a bowl along with salt and pepper to taste, toss well to combine, cover, and chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

Cool and Creamy Tofu Asparagus Rice Salad: Combine in a bowl and mix well: 2 cups cooked and cooled brown rice, 1 cup packaged baked tofu of your choosing (cubed), one-half cup asparagus (one-inch pieces lightly steamed), fresh grated parmesan cheese (to taste), one-quarter cup prepared mustard, and one-half cup mayonnaise. To serve: Make a salad wrap - take some green or red leaf lettuce and scoop salad into the leaves and fold the sides of the leaf in to close. Serve with a bowl of melon cubes on the side.

Avocado Tomato Rice Salad: Combine in a bowl and mix well: 2 cups cooked and cooled wild rice, one-half cup sliced water chestnuts, one-half cup avocado (cubed), 1 large scallion (thinly sliced), one-quarter cup sun-dried tomatoes (in oil, drained and chopped), and red wine vinegar (to taste). To serve: Serve salad on a bed of romaine lettuce leaves.

Egg and Rice Salad: Combine in a bowl and mix well: 2 cups cooked and cooled brown rice, 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped), 1 hard boiled egg (chopped), a few dill pickle slices (chopped), one-half cup celery (diced), one-quarter cup plain yogurt, and one-quarter cup mayonnaise . To serve: Serve salad over some steamed and chilled asparagus spears dressed with some fresh squeezed lemon juice.