Healthy Fast Food

I believe salads are not boring, or that they should only be eaten in summer ,or when you are on a diet, they are for life! . Eating Salads are one of the most healthy eating habits you can adopt and they are amazingly quick to make and very portable. I create one every morning in some shape or form in under 5 minutes whilst I am waiting for the kettle to boil.  I open the fridge and or cupboard door and I throw whatever takes my fancy into my thermal Aladdin Bento Box (you can buy one on Amazon), drizzle with Olive Oil or Avocado Oil , lid on and I am off .  I use lots of shortcuts to make things quicker I buy prewashed salad leaves, small tomatoes so you don’t have to cut them, Cooked meats, Antipasti from the deli- counter, pre-cooked bacon, sometimes on a Sunday I roast peppers and other vegetables and keep in the fridge for during the week and as you will see from this month’s recipes I even buy pre-cooked Lentils.  

BLACK BELUGA LENTIL SALAD 

 

This is a great salad brilliant when you have unexpected guest or you need to throw a packed lunch together in a hurry .You can buy these Lentils  pre- cooked in most major supermarkets ( Merchant Gourmet is the brand I use ) and they make a  very quick nutritious and easy salad . They have a warm nutty flavour and have lovely smooth texture unlike other lentils and they look like caviar hence the name.

 

1 packet of Black Beluga Lentils

Capers

Roasted Peppers (you can buy jars already cooked, great store cupboard item)

Chopped Chives

Chopped Parsley

Feta cheese

Rocket Leaves 

Method

·         In a large bowl, combine the cooled lentils with the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Add the capers, roasted pepper, parsley and chives and toss briefly.

·         Arrange a small amount of salad greens on each plate and mound the lentil mixture on top of the greens. Crumble a little of the goat cheese over the lentils. Drizzle with a little additional olive oil and sprinkle with a few sliced chives.

 

Serves 1 as a Main 2 as a Side 

AVOCADO AND PANCETTA SALAD

 

I love Avocados and there are so many benefits to eating them. They are packed with vitamins and good fats, they make you feel full and help keep your heart healthy. I even have seen me use them instead of butter on corn crackers or oatcakes.  

 

1 Avocado, cut into 2-inch chunks

 Raw Sliced Pancetta

1 Tomato, cut into 2-inch chunks

1 Cucumber, peeled and sliced

2 Tablespoon Fresh Coriander, chopped

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

 

 

Method

  • Heat the olive oil in a medium sized frying pan over medium heat.

  • Add the slices of Pancetta and cook flipping every few minutes, until they are nice and crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and put on piece of kitchen paper.

  • Break the pancetta into roughly 2-inch squares and set them aside.

  • In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the cucumbers, tomatoes and coriander.

  • Then gently stir in the bacon and avocado, taking care not to crush the avocado chunks as they are very soft.

  • Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Serves 1 as a Main 2 as a Side 

ROASTED FIG AND DOLCELATTE SALAD 

I love this salad its sweet and sour it is great on its own but lovely too with a Tuna or Swordfish Steak. Figs are naturally rich in health benefiting phyto-nutrients, anti-oxidants and vitamins and they are low GI.

 

4 Fresh Figs
Walnuts
Dolcelatte  Cheese
Balsamic Vinegar
Rocket Leaves
Radicchio 

 

Method

  • Cut Figs in half drizzle with Balsamic Vinegar.

  • Place in Oven at 180°C for 20 minutes to roast until figs are soft and vinegar is sticky

  • Put Radicchio and Rocket leaves in bowl

  • Place figs on top along with Walnuts and crumbled Dolcelatte Cheese

  • Drizzle with juice and balsamic vinegar from roasting dish

 

Serves 1 as a Main 2 as a Side