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
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Heat the olive oil in a medium sized frying pan over medium heat.
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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.
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Break the pancetta into roughly 2-inch squares and set them aside.
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In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the cucumbers, tomatoes and coriander.
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Then gently stir in the bacon and avocado, taking care not to crush the avocado chunks as they are very soft.
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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
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Cut Figs in half drizzle with Balsamic Vinegar.
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Place in Oven at 180°C for 20 minutes to roast until figs are soft and vinegar is sticky
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Put Radicchio and Rocket leaves in bowl
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Place figs on top along with Walnuts and crumbled Dolcelatte Cheese
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Drizzle with juice and balsamic vinegar from roasting dish
Serves 1 as a Main 2 as a Side