Please pass the salad

I've been eating salad for lunch for the past two years.  The only thing that keeps me going is the challenge to try out new combinations and not to have the same salad too often.  A friend of mine asked me for my salad recipes the other day, but to be honest, I don't think you need a recipe for a salad, just keep it simple, stick to six ingredients!  Remember that you also eat with your eyes - so make it look attractive - play with colours and don't chop up everything into little bits, vary the textures.

Here are some of my ideas - each "recipe" will be enough for 2 - 3 people.

Beetroot and orange salad
Boil or steam 4 beetroot the previous night, quarter and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
Peel 2 oranges, including the pith, and cut into neat segments, reserving any juice.
Slice one small red onion into fine rings.
Thinly slice 4 radishes.
Roughly chop 2 celery stalks.
Radiccio leaves
Lightly mix all the ingredients including the juice from the orange and balsamic vinegar.

Apple and smoked chicken salad
1 smoked chicken breast, shredded
1 Granny Smith apple, sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, sliced into long strips
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1/2 a red onion, sliced into rings
a handful of chopped pecan nuts
Mix all the ingredient together and eat with a heaped tablespoon chunky cottage cheese


Tuna salad with pineapple and chilli
1/3 of a cucumber, halved and sliced
4 slices of pineapple, cut into triangles
2 mild red chillies sliced into rings (remove pips if you don't like too much heat)
1/2 green pepper sliced into long strips
1 tin tuna, drained and blended with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon plain yogurt.
butter lettuce
Mix all the vegetables and then dollop with tuna mayonnaise and generously grind over some black pepper.

Avo and sun dried tomato salad
1 avocado, thickly sliced
2 handfuls rocket leaves
4 sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
a few cubes of danish feta
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
Neatly arrange the avo and rocket onto a large plate. Scatter with feta, tomatoes and sunflower seeds.
...Stole this one with my eyes from a dear friend...

Crunchy salad
1 carrot, julienned or grated
4 radishes, sliced into rounds
2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
2 handfuls of thinly sliced cabbage
2 tablespoons raisins
Toss together with a drizzle of my best salad dressing and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

...can't wait for tomorrow's lunch!

My new best chicken salad

We have roast chicken at least once a week. One thigh for me, a drumstick for my three year old and the other thigh, drumstick and wings for my husband. The breasts are always saved for tomorrows salad.

I love a healthy lunch. I only have 30 minutes lunch - so I take 10 minutes to prep a salad, 15 minutes to sit and enjoy (never stand and eat!) and 5 minutes for a cappuccino.

Never overdo a salad - six ingredients will do the trick. When I'm really starving, I might add a slice of rye or ciabatta toast.

My new best winter salad, is a avo and pineapple chicken salad - call it a tropical chicken salad if you wish - here goes:

Toss together:
1 avocado pear - cubed
1/3 of a pineapple - sliced
half a red onion - thinly sliced
1/4 of a cucumber - halved and sliced
1 roast chicken breast shredded
1/2 a red pepper - sliced

Add some mixed leaves if you wish, but no need. Drizzle with my best dressing. I got this recipe from a colleague and friend years ago and since then I always have it in my fridge. Do make the full quantity - you will love it:

Salad dressing:
250ml light olive oil or pure sunflower oil
125ml apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons grated onion
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
Blend together. It will seperate on standing - just give it a shake before use.