Quick Salads

Gone are the days when a quick salad consisted of a tomato, lettuce leaves and, if you were lucky, you would have a hard boiled egg thrown in. Salads used to be described as rabbit food, however there is no justification for that nowadays as a salad can be as adventurous and delicious as you want them to be.

We have always known salads were good for us but we now know that they help ward off major diseases such as cancer and heart disease. One bowl of salad is equal to three daily servings of fruit or vegetables.

Quick salads can be served hot or cold but when served cold it has the added bonus of the vitamins still being intact. They can be eaten on their own or served with meat, chicken, pork, nuts, pulses and potatoes.

Tomatoes : provide flavours which help build a healthy heart and might lower the risk of prostrate cancer.

Red Peppers : are brimming full of vitamin C, far more than even an orange.

Radishes : contain folic acid, vitiamin C, and some anti-cancer benefits.

Watercress : it’s a little known fact that watercress has more iron per gram than roast beef or steak ; great if you are a vegetarian.

Spinach : contains beta-carotene and lutein which is important for healthy eyes.

Broccoli : rich in Vitimin C and folic acid but also provides iron and calcium. Helps prevent bowel cancer.

Spinach and Orange Salad

This easy to make salad will only take 10 minutes to make and has very few calories.

• 225g baby spinach leaves
• 2 large oranges
• ½ onion

• 3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp clear honey
• ½ tsp wholegrain mustard

Make sure the spinach leaves are clean, remove tough stalks and tear any larger into smaller pieces.

After slicing the top and the bottom off, peel the orange, then carefully slice between the membranes to remove the segments. If there is any escaping juice, save it for the salad dressing.

Chop the onion into small pieces.

Mix the orange and spinach leaves together in a serving dish. Scatter the onion on top of the salad.

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad, coating the leaves well.

Want to impress? Then make this great starter, served with some hot crusty bread when friends come round.

• 600g very ripe tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3tbsp olive oil
• 1tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 110g fresh soft goat’s cheese with herbs or garlic, chopped
• 50g pitted black olives
• 2tbsp freshly chopped basil

Heat under the grill for 4-5 minutes until softening and starting to colour. Remove and place on serving dishes, pouring any juices over them.

Add remaining oil and balsamic vinegar to taste. Allow to cool. Scatter the goat’s cheese, olives, and basil over the tomatoes.

Coleslaw Salad

• ½ head crisp white cabbage
• 1 large carrot
• 2 red-skinned apples
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 heaped dessertspoon grated onion
• ½ pint low fat mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste

Drain the cabbage, mix with onion, carrot and apple. Toss lightly in the mayonnaise until all the ingredients are coated. Season to taste.

Fruit juice detox diet The benefits of the recommended minimum five portions of fruit and vegetables a day have long been championed as essential to our bodies for health and vitality.

Mixed Smoothie Recipes diet are full of nutrition, they are a great kick-start to the day.

Calories in Honey It’s not the fact that there are lots of calories, because at 15 calories per teaspoon of honey it’s not a lot. No, the problem lies in the fact we really enjoy that one teaspoon so much we want another and another!

Tips for beautiful skin detox The last thing you want to happen when you are going on holiday is for your skin to look dull and lifeless. If your skin does look like this then there is every chance your body feels like this too. I recommend that you try our Tips For Skin Detox.