During B.C.'s hot temperatures, most people will want to avoid any cooking involving heat.

Here are two recipes for salads that use refreshing melons.

This first recipe is from the Lazy Gourmet executive chef Jenny Hui.

“The cucumber adds a lot of crunch, the melons some sweetness, and the feta a touch of savoury,” Hui says. “You can make this the day before and bring it to the park or beach for a great afternoon picnic.”

Melon and cucumber mint salad with feta

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

3 cups cucumbers, ¼-inch slice rounds
3 cups cantaloupe and honeydew, ½-inch diced
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onions
1 cup feta, crumbled
2 limes
6 to 8 leaves mint
1 tsp chili flakes
honey
olive oil

Method

Zest 1 lime. Set aside.
Juice both limes into a bowl, set aside.
Chiffonade the mint, set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine cucumber, melons, red onions, chili flakes and mint.
Add lime juice and zest. Drizzle honey and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Mix all together.
Place in a serving bowl. 
Crumble feta on top of salad.

This second recipe is from Angie Quaale, the owner of Langley’s Well Seasoned: A Gourmet Food Store who previously shared her recipe for popsicles made with cucumber, mint, and lime. 

Watermelon salad with feta and mint

Ingredients

1 seedless watermelon (7 to 8 pound), chilled
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 limes, juiced
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup fresh chopped mint leaves
1 1/2 cups crumbled Macedonia feta cheese

Instructions

Cut the rind from the watermelon, and slice and cut the watermelon into bite size cubes.
In a small mason jar with a lid, add the lime juice, salt, and pepper, and shake to dissolve.
Add the olive oil and shake again.
Pour over the watermelon and gently toss to coat.
Sprinkle with crumbled feta and the chopped mint.
Serve immediately.