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

Lipoedema Ladies

23rd

Edition