When the summer heat and humidity set in, I’m not in the mood for warm meals, especially if cooking them means I’ll have to turn on the oven, stove, or any combination of the two. I reach an especially irritated form of hangry when I have to stand over the stovetop to prepare a meal on a hot day. This is one of the many reasons why salads are my lunch of choice in the summertime.
But we all know there are different levels of difficulty when it comes salad prep. This arugula salad, which features watermelon, mint, and feta, falls on the easy end of that scale, especially if you make the ginger honey vinaigrette ahead of time and keep it on hand for such occasions.
Plus, if you’re like me and looking for any excuse to incorporate watermelon into your meals while it’s at its summer best, you’re in luck. This simple recipe truly lets the watermelon and mint take center stage, and the pairing is incredibly refreshing. The resulting mix is hydrating and sure to help you survive the next heatwave without heating up your kitchen.
The recipe is also an easy menu addition when you’re feeding a crowd at summer gatherings. We served these salads at our make-and-take essential oil diffuser jewelry workshop. To make it easier for our guests to eat while crafting and mingling, we simply plated individual servings in small glasses and corralled them on a tray, placing a glass of vinaigrette in the middle of the tray and allowing guests to dress salads to their liking. It’s the perfect solution for BBQs and other informal get togethers where you’re not serving a formal seated meal.
