Salads

Rather than right out each salad individually I thought I would do a general post about how I tend to make mine up…

I always have at least 3 of the following cooked up, in tupperware, in the fridge and ready to go to make it all quicker and easier.  I tend to buy then dried, soak and then cook them myself rather than buying the cans as I think they taste nicer and are fresher.

Quinoa

Green lentils

Red lentils

Couscous

Bulgur wheat

Pinto beans

Butterbeans

Black eyed beans

Chickpeas

When making a salad I always use ½ cup of 3 of these.

I then add around 3 of the following:

Red/Green/Yellow Pepper (quarter)

Avacado (quarter)

Cucumber (about 2cm)

Grated carrot (half)

Roasted aubergine/courgette/squash (quarter) – often add if I have any left over from dinner the night before

Red onion (1/4 finely sliced)

Finely chopped broccoli (couple of pieces)

Beetroot (2 chopped up)

Edamame beans (1/3 cup)

Peas (1/3 cup)

Sweetcorn (1/3 cup)

Mushrooms (2)

Finished with a small handful of a couple of these:

Feta

Sunflower seeds

Pumpkin seeds

Almond flakes

Fig

Mozzarella

Halloumi

Spring onions

Olives

Goji berries

Raisins

Basil

Coriander

Mint

Desiccated coconut

Chili

Lime juice (half)

I don’t usually put any meat or fish protein in as I feel there is enough in the all the pulses and vegetables and cheese but obviously add if you want to!

I then add a large handful of mixed leave salad/rocket/spinach/iceberg depending on what I fancy. A tip if you are taking this as a packed lunch then put everything else in including the dressing and mix then lay your salad leaves across the top to stop them going soggy and then mix in later when you eat it.

I will tend to dress my salad with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and lots of pepper and some chili sauce (not sweet chili as this is high in sugar!). I also sometimes use the Naturally Righteous Salad Dressings available all in large supermarkets as they are mainly vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. (http://www.loverighteous.com/salad-dressings/)

This will make you a pretty good sized salad – do not be afraid, big isn’t bad.  You will find this fills you up, gives you loads of nutrients and keeps you going all afternoon long.  I have tried making a smaller one but then just got hungry and ended up snacking.  There is nothing bad for you in these salads so just go for it and love it and if you really cant eat it all you have a snack for later already made!