Eating healthy can seem like hard work, but it doesn’t have to be. Having a few healthy salad recipes up your sleeve, means you’ve always got a healthy lunch to hand.
So even if you’re short on time, you can put these healthy recipes together in no time at all. Plus once you invest in a few essential cupboard items, your healthy lunch or dinner only costs you a few pence per meal.
If you’re think about growing your own, why not start with a few pots of herbs and leaves on a window sill? Your healthy salad will end up being practically free – especially if you’re a vegetarian.
Healthy Caesar Salad
A caesar salad is one of the most fattening salads you can eat but this is due to the deep fried croutons and going overboard on the cheese, so try making your own healthy croutons by dry frying small cubes of wholemeal bread in a non-stick pan without any oil. Just grab some romaine lettuce and cooked chicken or griddled asparagus with lemon, black pepper, olive oil, worcestershire sauce and finish with a few fresh shavings of parmesan cheese and your healthy croutons.
Healthy Greek Salad
To make this classic simply halve cherry tomatoes, cube cucumber and dice red onion. Top wth crumbled feta chesse, then mix equal parts of fresh mint, fresh flat leaf parsley, olive oil, lemon juice and pour over the salad.
Roast Beef & Watercress Salad
This is traditionally served between two slices of bread but rare roast beef, watercress, rocket, spinach, vine ripened tomatoes, horseradish, freshly milled black pepper and sea salt are just perfect on their own. The no-bread sandwich concept can be applied to all your favourite sarnies to transform lunch time into low-carb, low-fat, low-calorie alternative.
Crunchy Red Cabbage, Yoghurt & Sunflower Seeds
Shred red cabbage, finely slice red onion and red pepper. Stir in fat-free yoghurt, season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with sunflower seeds.
Smoked Mackerel, Tzatziki & Rocket
Add slices of smoked mackerel fillet with a generous dollop or two of tzatziki (yoghurt, cucumber, lemon juice and garlic) to peppery rocket leaves and thick slices of cucumber.
Sweet Thai Chilli Prawn Salad
Serve a pot of prawns or crayfish with mixed green and red salad leaves like frisee, rocket and lollo, together with slices of cucumber. Pour over sweet thai chilli sauce and serve with a fresh lemon wedge for under 100 calories per serving.
Everything But the Kitchen Sink Salad
Dice cucumber, tomatoes, red pepper, yellow pepper, spring onion and celery. Add a couple of spoons of sweet corn; 1/2 tin of drained/washed green lentils and a few cubes of feta cheese. Finish with torn flat leaf parsley, black pepper and sea salt and a splash or two of balsamic vinegar.
Ham Salad with Honey & Mustard
Tear up the best quality ham you can find into small raggedy pieces and arrange with a classic selection of cherry tomatoes, quartered cucumber and mixed lettuce leaves. Drizzle over a teaspoon of honey, a dollop of wholegrain mustard, lemon juice and lightly toss the salad together.
Teriyaki Salad
Chop carrots into batons, finely slice red peppers, spring onions and fresh ginger. Then add a handful of bean sprouts, mix in a blob of teriyaki sauce and finish with toasted sesame seeds.
Tricolore Salad
Mmmmm and always leaving the best till last… Layer a bowl with fresh basil and spinach leaves, then add a layer of sliced vine ripened tomatoes, followed by slices of half fat mozarella. Drizzle over olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh black pepper and sea salt, then repeat and enjoy.
If you’re still hungry for more healthy salads, here’s a great dinner salad recipe.
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