I’ve recently had some interesting salads when eating out.
The best thing about a salad is that most of the ingredients are raw which means that the nutritional benefits haven’t been cooked out of the vegetables. They can be used as side dishes or as a full meal.
Kale Salad
There are so many variations of the kale salad, so I took my favourite bits and put them together in this hearty and satisfying meal:
► Kale, washed and shredded
Combine all of the above in a large salad bowl. Because of the firm texture of kale, you can eat the leftovers the following day.
Kale provides high levels of vitamins A and C together with useful amounts of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamin B6 and is of course low in calories.
The quinoa, chickpeas, bulgar wheat and rice provide protein, as do the walnuts and parmesan. A meal in itself.
Fresh Spinach with Ginger & Sesame Seed Dressing
I had this as a starter at a wonderful Chinese restaurant in Abu Dhabi and it is delicious.
So simple, but amazingly tasty and unusual. Perfect on its own as a light lunch, a starter or as a side dish with some cold chicken perhaps.
► Baby spinach leaves
► Dressing: Combine in a large glass storage jar: three minced cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of minced fresh ginger, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup sesame oil, 1/3 cup rice vinegar, 1/2 cup of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey and 1/4 cup of water.
Shake well, then remove the lid and heat in the microwave for one minute. Allow to cool and store what you don’t use in the refrigerator for future use.
Potato and Broad Bean/Soya Bean Salad
Both beans are a good source of protein and can be bought frozen. Baby new potatoes are best. Combine the ingredients below for a hearty meal or accompaniment.
