FAJITAS!

Preparation & cooking time: 30 Minutes
Makes: 2 large portions/4 medium portions

I hope everybody likes Mexican food because I am making Fajitas!

Sometimes all I want to do after a day at work or for a quick lunch on the weekend is throw a meal together that isn’t anything fancy, doesn’t take long to make but tastes so fresh and amazing! These fajitas do all of the above and you know that all of the ingredients are going to wonders for your health. I have to say that this is one of my favourite meals to eat as it has all of the flavours that I love; I just love the freshness of the avocado and salsa with the charred vegetables, it is the perfect combination.

Ingredients:

For the fajitas:

• 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced into thin strips
• 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced into thin strips
• 2 carrots, cut into thin strips
• A handful of broccoli florets, cut into slices
• 1 red onion, roughly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 heaped teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• ½ a lime
• 3 tablespoons of rapeseed oil
• Black pepper
• Tortilla wraps, to serve
• Spinach, to serve

For the salsa:

• About 15 ripe cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
• ¼ of a cucumber, chopped into 1cm cubes
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
• A small handful of coriander, roughly chopped
• ½ a lime
• Salt and pepper

For the guacamole (click guacamole to see the recipe)

Method:

1. Put all of the fajita vegetables into a large bowl along with the paprika, cumin, coriander, juice o f1/2 a lime, oil and black pepper. Stir all of the ingredients together to make sure that all of the vegetables are nicely coated by the spices and leave to the side to marinade for 5 minutes.

2. In another bowl add all of the ingredients for the salsa and mix together and leave to the side.

3. Place a griddle pan/wok/large frying pan over a medium to high heat. Once the pan is hot, put the marinated vegetables into the pan. Keep the vegetables moving in the pan to stop any sticking; don’t worry if there is a little bit of charring as it actually tastes great when you get bits of charred veg. Keep on moving and cooking the veg for around 10 minutes.

4. Whilst the veg is cooking you can make the guacamole. Follow this link for the recipe and method:

5. Now that all the elements of the meal have been prepared, warm the tortillas for a few seconds in the microwave and put all of the dishes and the spinach into the middle of a table and let everyone dig in.

Nutrition:

(see Know Your Food Page)

Bell Pepper: Bell peppers are a rich source of antioxidants and vitamin C. Red bell peppers have a higher vitamin C content in comparison to green bell peppers. They are also a moderate source of vitamin B6.

Carrots: Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A and a good source of vitamin K and vitamin B6.

Broccoli: Broccoli is an amazing source of vitamin C, vitamin K and dietary fibre.

Spinach: Spinach is an ingredient that is delicious and is also so good for you and will do a lot of good when it is incorporated into your diet. Spinach is a great source of vitamin A, vitamin B9, vitamin C, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese and iron. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, potassium and dietary fibre.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes are not significantly rich in any particular vitamin or mineral, but they are a moderate source of vitamin C.

Cucumber: Cucumbers are made up of around 90% water which means that it is really hydrating. They are also a moderate source of vitamin K.

Chilli: Chillies contain a large amount of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and iron. They are also a good source of most B vitamins, especially B6.

Coriander: Coriander is particularly rich in vitamin A, C and K as well as a good source of manganese, iron and potassium.

Avocado: Avocados are such an amazing ingredient; not only are they delicious, they are also really healthy for you. They are a good source of vitamin B5, B6, B9 and vitamin K. They are also an amazing source of essential fatty acids (fatty acids that your body can’t produce itself but can get them from foods).

VEGETABLE BIRYANI

Preparation & cooking time: 1 hour
Makes: 6 large bowlfuls 

I made this meal over the weekend because it is one of my girlfriends all time favourites! She absolutely loves biryani so I though I would treat her and make a big bowlful. The flavours that you get from this dish are great; it all starts by making your own curry paste, this really makes a difference and it is so easy to make! You can use different vegetables as well but I have just gone for our favourites; I especially love the cauliflower with the curry spices.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into small pieces
• 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons of oil
• 3 large handfuls of frozen peas
• A large handful of asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1 litre of water
• 1 red chilli, sliced
• 2 teaspoons of white mustard seeds
• 500g basmati rice
• 1/2 lemon
• A handful of coriander
• 2 tablespoons of mixed seeds

For the curry paste (makes three large tablespoons of paste): 

• 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons of coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• A thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree
• 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• A small bunch of coriander
• A pinch of salt and pepper
• A green chilli

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 220C. Place the oil in a large roasting tray and place the tray in the oven and get the oil nice and hot. Once the oil is nice and hot, place the cauliflower, onion and potatoes in the tray along with a pinch of salt and pepper and mix together so that all of the vegetables are coated in oil. Place the tray into the oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until the veg starts to get a nice colour to it.

2. Whilst the vegetables are in the oven, you can make your curry paste. Place a frying pan over a medium heat and add the seeds and toast them for a couple of minutes until they are starting to turn golden brown. Put the toasted seeds into a blender along with the rest of the ingredients and blitz until you have a nice smooth paste.

3. Boil the water in a kettle. In a large jug, mix together the boiling water, chilli, mustard seeds and curry paste.

4. After the vegetables have been in the oven for 15 minutes, take the tray out of the oven and add the basmati rice, peas and asparagus to the tray. Pour over the water-curry paste mixture and combine everything together. Cover the tray tightly with tin foil. Turn the oven heat down to 190C and put the tray in the oven for 30 minutes.

5. After 30 minutes the rice should be nice and fluffy and all of the liquid should have been absorbed. To serve the biryani, squeeze over the juice of the lemon and scatter the coriander leaves and seeds over the top. Delicious!

CHIA SEED PUDDING

Preparation & cooking time: 5 minutes (plus soaking overnight)
Makes: 1 portion

I had never tried chia seed pudding before, but I have noticed that it is becoming increasingly popular in health food stores and healthy cafes, so I decided to give it a go and see what all the fuss was all about. It was so easy and quick to put together, I guess the only drawback is that you have to leave it to soak overnight until you can eat it. It was really, really tasty and it was a new experience for me as the texture is a little unusual because the chia seeds swell and jellify. It reminds me a little bit of rice pudding but there is no downside of feeling guilty about eating it, which is always good. Chia seed pudding is great as a breakfast and it is a great way to start the day but it is also great as a snack.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons of chia seeds
• 250ml of coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon of maple syrup
• A dash of vanilla extract
• Berries (e.g. strawberries, blackberries or any berry in season/that you like)
• A mango, cut into small cubes

Method:

1.   In a jar or bowl mix together the chia seeds, coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract.

2.   Cover the bowl/jar with cling film and place in the fridge over night or for around 6-8 hours.

3.   The chia seeds will swell and will jellify leaving a thick textured pudding.

4.   Put the berries and mango over the top of the pudding.

There you have it! So quick, easy, tasty and healthy. I really hope you like it guys!

Nutrition:

(see Know Your Food Page)

Chia seeds: Chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids which contribute to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.

Coconut milk: Coconuts are highly nutritious and rich in fibre, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Unlike cow’s milk, coconut milk is lactose free so can be used as a milk substitute by those with lactose intolerance. It is a popular choice with vegans and makes a great base for smoothies, milkshakes or as a dairy alternative in baking.

Maple syrup: Maple syrup is high in manganese and zinc.

Strawberries: Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C and a good source of manganese.

Blackberries: Blackberries are a really good source of dietary fibre, vitamin C and vitamin K.

Mango: This is a really delicious stone fruit that is native to South and Southeast Asia (it is definitely one of my favourite fruits). Mangoes provide a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A and folate.

AVOCADO CRISPBREADS

Preparation & cooking time: 5 minutes
Makes: 8 crispbreads

Today I am giving you such a simple recipe that is really tasty, healthy and so quick to make that no matter how busy you are, you will be able to have something that is nutritious and tasty. This is a base recipe that can be played with which is great for breakfast, as a snack or even a light lunch. I always love putting hot sauce on to the top the avocado as well as a sprinkle of cumin and sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. I have used a multi seed ryvita cracker for ease and efficiency but you could always use some toasted wholemeal bread or some baked tortillas if you have a spare couple of minutes. This recipe is really aimed at the people who find it hard to have a quick and healthy breakfast or snack.

Ingredients:

• 8 ryvita multigrain crispbreads
• 1 large, ripe avocado
• 1 large, ripe tomato, thinly sliced (8 slices at least)
• Salad leaves (rocket, spinach, watercress etc.)
• 1 lime
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1.   Pit the avocado and scrape the flesh into a bowl. Immediately squeeze some lime juice over the top of it to stop it from discolouring. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and mash with a fork until you have a relatively smooth texture. I like my avocado to be a little chunky so I only mash it lightly.

2.   Evenly spread the avocado over the top of the ryvita crispbreads and then top with the tomato slices and salad leaves. I love lime juice so I tend to squeeze over some the salad leaves. As mentioned above, you can put some chilli sauce on to the top it as it goes so nicely.

I know this isn’t really a recipe but it is a good way of getting some extra vegetables into your diet if you are strapped for time. This will be so much better for you than grabbing something from a fast food restaurant.

Nutrition:

(see Know Your Food Page)

Avocado: Avocados are such a good ingredient; not only are they delicious, they are also really healthy for you. They are a good source of vitamin B5, B6, B9 and vitamin K. They are also an amazing source of essential fatty acids. 

Tomato: Tomatoes are not significantly rich in any particular vitamin or mineral, but they are a moderate source of vitamin C.

Spinach: Spinach is another ingredient that is delicious but it is also so good for you and will do a lot of good when it is incorporated into your diet. Spinach is a great source of vitamin A, vitamin B9, vitamin C, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese and iron. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, potassium and dietary fibre.

Lime: Limes, like with other citrus fruits, are an excellent source of vitamin C and dietary fibre.

VANILLA ‘NICE CREAM’ BREAKFAST BOWL

Preparation & cooking time: 5 minutes
Makes: 1 large portion

Here is another delicious nice cream breakfast bowl recipe for you today. They make such good, nourishing breakfasts getting you ready for the day ahead! The nice cream in this recipe is so good and is probably better than any vanilla ice cream that I have ever tried before! The good thing with making a vanilla nice cream is that you can literally put anything that you would like on the top as it will go with everything. I just can’t believe how simple, quick and delicious nice cream is and on top of all that it is healthy for you! You cannot go wrong making this! At the moment there are so many delicious fruits that are in season, so you can be as creative as you would like with the toppings. As I have said before in other recipes, use this as a general guide to create your own favourite versions with your favourite fruits and seeds etc.

Ingredients:

• 3 frozen bananas
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon ground almonds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract/paste
• A handful of strawberries
• A handful of blackberries
• A handful of blueberries
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon mixed seeds (sunflower, linseed, pumpkin)
• The zest of 1 lime

Method:

1.   Put the bananas, ground flaxseed, ground almonds and vanilla extract/paste into a blender with a tiny dash of water and blitz until you have a thick and deliciously smooth nice cream.

2.   Pour the nice cream into a bowl and in whatever decoration that you fancy arrange the rest of the ingredients on the top.

There you have it, a really healthy and quick breakfast that will leave you feeling amazing and energised! I hope you like it.

Nutrition:

(see Know Your Food Page)

Bananas: Bananas not only taste great but they are also a great source of vitamin B6 as well as a moderate source vitamin C, manganese and dietary fibre.

Flaxseed: Flax seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. They are high in vitamin B1, dietary fibre, magnesium and phosphorus and also offer moderate levels of vitamin B3, B5 and B6.

Almonds: Almonds are a nutritionally dense food rich in the B vitamins, vitamin E and the essential minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc.

Strawberries: Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C and a good source of manganese.

Blackberries: Blackberries are a really good source of dietary fibre, vitamin C and vitamin K.

Blueberries: Blueberries are a good source of dietary fibre, manganese, vitamin C and vitamin K.

Chia seeds: Chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids which contribute to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.

Sunflower seeds: As with nuts, seeds are a really great nutrient dense food that will provide so much when they are incorporated into your diet. Sunflower seeds are a great source of protein, dietary fibre, all of the B vitamins (B1, B3, B6 and B9 in particular) and they are an amazing source of vitamin E. They also contain high levels of dietary minerals including, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, iron and zinc.

Pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin seeds are a great source of protein, dietary fibre, vitamin B3 (niacin), iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus. They also offer good levels of riboflavin, folate, sodium and potassium.

Lime: Limes, like with other citrus fruits, are an excellent source of vitamin C and dietary fibre.

Tropical ‘Nice Cream’ Brunch

Preparation & cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Makes: Enough for 4 people

When the summer comes around and the weather gets better (which is quite rare in the UK!) all I want to do is eat fresh fruit as I feel so good, hydrated and energised for the day ahead. There is so little energy used in digesting and converting fruit into energy that you instantly feel better and more awake. My girlfriend and I recently went to Barbados, where the weather was absolutely amazing, and all both of us wanted to eat was fresh fruit! There was nothing else that made us feel as good as eating watermelon in the sun every morning for breakfast! Recipes like this are a really easy way to impress people whilst there is literally no effort in making it. If you put a dish like this in the middle of the table it will WOW people as it looks so colourful and appealing but it is also amazingly tasty! It is also a great way to get a wide variety of fruits, nuts and seeds into your diet which will give you a wide array of vitamins, essential fatty acids and minerals. Use this recipe as a general guideline and not something that has to be followed meticulously as you can easily use any fruits , nuts and seeds that you wish. 

Ingredients:

• 1 small watermelon, cut in half, scoop one half out so you can use peel as a bowl and slice the other half into slices.
• 1 honeydew melon, sliced
• 1 large orange, sliced
• 1 apple, sliced
• 2 mangoes, that have been frozen
• 3 bananas, that have been frozen
• 1 peach, cut into slices
• A handful of raspberries
• A handful of pecan nuts
• 1 tablespoon of mixed seeds (pumpkin seeds, linseeds, sunflower seeds etc.)

Method:

1.   Put the frozen mango and frozen bananas into a blender and blitz together until you have a nice thick and velvety smooth texture. This will take a couple of minutes. If the blender is having to work overtime and is struggling to blend the fruit then add a little drop of water to make the mixture a little looser, but don’t add too much as you want your nice cream to be nice and thick.

2.   Whilst the nice cream is blending, you can prepare your dish. In a big flat bottomed dish place the hollow half of the watermelon and arrange the rest of the sliced fruit around the outside so that people can just grab pieces easily.

3.   Once the nice cream is nice and smooth, spoon it into the hollow watermelon bowl and top it with the seeds, raspberries, pecans and peaches. I really like to grill the peaches as it gives them such a good flavour but if you are following a raw diet then you don’t have to do this.

That is it! Just put the bowl into the middle of the table and watch everyone dig in and really enjoy themselves!

Nutrition:

(see Know Your Food Page)

From now on, I am going to provide nutritional information along with my recipes to help me further my own knowledge and to hopefully help you understand what and why foods are good for us. By using this nutritional information you can start creating your own meals with the understanding of the composition of foods and what different foods will do for your body enabling you to get a really good balanced diet. I will deliver this information on an ingredient by ingredient basis detailing their composition and attaching links to a separate page where the benefits of all of the vitamins and minerals will be listed. I hope that you find this information helpful and that it plays a good role in the understanding and improvement of your diets.

Bananas: Bananas not only taste great but they are also a great source of vitamin B6 as well as a moderate source vitamin C, manganese and dietary fibre.

Mango: This is a really delicious stone fruit that is native to South and Southeast Asia (it is definitely one of my favourite fruits). Mangoes provide a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A and folate.

Watermelon: Watermelon is such a good fruit to eat on a hot day; for me it is one of the most refreshing fruits to eat as it is so hydrating. Watermelon, as you can probably tell by its name, has a high content of water (around 90%). It is also a good source of vitamin C and it is low in fat and sodium.

Honeydew melon: Like watermelon, honeydew melon is a really refreshing fruit and is made up of mostly water. Similarly, it also is a good source of vitamin C.

Oranges: As with most citrus fruits, oranges are an amazing source of vitamin C and they are also good sources of folate.

Apples: Apples are a significant source of dietary fibre with modest vitamin C content.

Raspberries: I love raspberries and I am just grateful that they are healthy for you! They are a great source of vitamin C, manganese and they are among the highest known in whole foods for dietary fibre (this represents 6% of their total weight).

Peaches: Peaches taste really nice (especially when grilled like in this recipe) and they contain diverse essential nutrients, however, they offer no significant values. They are a moderate source of vitamin C, vitamin B3 and vitamin E.

Pecan nuts: Nuts in general provide so many health benefits when included into your diet. Pecan nuts are a great source of manganese, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B6. They are a good source of protein and unsaturated fats as well as being rich in omega-6 fatty acids. The list continues! They are also a moderate source of vitamin B2, B5 and B6. Including nuts into your diet can really have great effects as you can see from this copious list of vitamins and minerals that they contain.

Sunflower seeds: As with nuts, seeds are a really great nutrient dense food that will provide so much when they are incorporated into your diet. Sunflower seeds are a great source of protein, dietary fibre, all of the B vitamins (B1, B3, B6 and B9 in particular) and they are an amazing source of vitamin E. They also contain high levels of dietary minerals including, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, iron and zinc.

Linseeds (Flax): Linseeds or flax seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. They are high in vitamin B1, dietary fibre, magnesium and phosphorus and also offer moderate levels of vitamin B3, B5 and B6.

Pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin seeds are a great source of protein, dietary fibre, vitamin B3 (niacin), iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus. They also offer good levels of riboflavin, folate, sodium and potassium.

Spicy Tomato Zoodles!

Preparation & cooking time: 25 minutes
Makes: 2 large portions

First off I will tell you what a zoodle is! The other week I bought a spiralizer, which has completely changed the way I have been eating at home and has really increased the amount of vegetables that I eat. They are pretty cheap to buy as well; I got mine from Amazon for around £25. They are so fun to use! The word zoodle comes from zucchini and noodle (also called courgetti (courgette spaghetti)). The spiralizer is a great tool to make amazing colourful salads full of lots of different vegetables. For this recipe I made a spicy tomato sauce to top the raw zoodles! Zoodles are a great healthy alternative to spaghetti. I definitely recommend buying a spiralizer, they are easy to use and would also be a great way of getting kids to eat a lot more vegetables. Alternatively, if you do not have a spiralizer you can get julienne graters for very cheap which will do the job perfectly as well. I hope you like it. 🙂

Ingredients:

• 2 courgettes
• 1 tin of tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, roughly sliced
• 1 red onion, roughly chopped
• A pinch of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• Salt and pepper
• Small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped (leaves and stalks separated)

Method:

1.   Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and parsley stalks and fry for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, sugar, chilli powder, cumin, paprika, a pinch of salt and pepper and tomato puree and cook together for a few minutes. Then add the tin of tomatoes. Bring to the boil and then turn the heat down to low and leave the sauce to simmer and thicken for 10 minutes.

2.   Whilst the sauce is reducing you can prepare your zoodles. Using the spiralizer or julienne peeler create your zoodles and place one courgette worth of zoodles into each bowl. So easy and quick!!!!

3.   The recipe is now done! All you have to do is top the zoodles with the lovely sauce. You can blend the sauce to make it smooth before you do this (like I have in the photo) but you don’t have to at all. Once you have poured on the sauce, sprinkle some of the parsley leaves on top and enjoy!

 

Banana and Chocolate Breakfast Bowl

Preparation & cooking time: 5 minutes
Makes: 1 bowlful

This type of recipe has become my go-to breakfast recently! Since I have started to eat these in the morning instead of cereals etc. I have felt so much more energised and ready for the day ahead. You can pack so many good ingredients into these that will give you energy for a really good amount of time. It is a really good opportunity to use superfoods *(flaxseeds, chia seeds, cacao etc.)* and is such a great way to incorporate them into your diet.

Ingredients:

• 3 frozen bananas
• 1 heaped teaspoon raw cacao powder
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon ground almonds
• A few drops of vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, linseed etc.)
• 2 teaspoons chia seeds
• A small handful of raspberries
• A few gratings of orange zest

Method:

1.   Place the bananas, cacao powder, ground flaxseed, ground almond and vanilla extract into a blender and blend until you have a lovely smooth texture. You may need to give the blender a jiggle to get everything started. This should take a few minutes. Scrape down the sides of the blender if needs be as well.

2.   Place the smoothie into a bowl and then decorate the top with the raspberries, mixed seeds, chia seeds, and orange zest. You can be as creative as you like at this point. I like the look of making lines with the chia seeds and mixed seeds but you can make circles etc.

I hope you like this 🙂

* Flaxseeds are one of the richest, natural sources of the omega-3 fatty acid Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA) which is great for brain power! This essential fatty acid is not naturally produced in the body so must be sourced from food. Flaxseed is also a great source of calcium which is needed for the maintenance of normal bones and teeth. It also contains Iron which is important in the formation of red blood cells and the transportation of oxygen in the body.

* Chia seeds are another great source of omega-3 fats which contribute to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.

* Cacao rich in calcium, iron, vitamin C and magnesium to help normal energy-yielding metabolism.

Healthy Herb & Avocado Salad

Preparation & cooking time: 10 minutes
Makes: 2 large portions or 4 portions as a side dish

 This is my second raw recipe in a row! It is definitely a way of eating that I am really enjoying and increasingly using it within my everyday diet. The good thing about eating raw food is that there is so little preparation time to actually make the food. Eating more raw food in your diet is great because you will be getting all of the nutrients and goodness from the fruits and vegetables without losing or damaging them (which is a side effect from cooking food). If you are interested in learning more about this way of eating there are lots of books out there and current eating plans such as raw til 4 which embraces a raw diet until 4pm (also let me know and I will write some posts expanding on this). A lot of people have had great success in terms of health, energy and wellbeing following a raw plant based diet.

Salad was a meal that I didn’t really understand (or appreciate) growing up and I generally associated it with a big bowl of iceberg lettuce and not much else, which really doesn’t do a proper salad any justice! The first time that my mind was changed to understand that a salad could be the focal point of a meal instead of an afterthought side element was when my parents made a delicious Jamie Oliver recipe. The salad had everything! It was a salad filled with grilled peaches, nuts, rocket, herbs, crumbly cheese, parma ham and a honey dressing. This was a really big point in my food life and how I perceived salads! For obvious dietary reasons, I now would not eat the salad that I had back then but there are elements that I take and use in every salad that I make. I realised that adding fruit to salads could brighten up everything along with herbs and with the added crunch of seeds and vegetables you can create a dish that covers all flavours and textures! The next time you are going to make a salad, be as experimental and creative as you possibly can and I am sure that you will be so happy and also have a new way of thinking towards a bowl of salad!

Ingredients:

• 4 large handfuls of spinach (roughly 250g), washed
• 1/2 a cucumber, thinly sliced
• A hanful of ripe cherry tomatoes, quartered
• A large bunch of basil
• A large bunch of flat leaf parsley
• 1 large ripe avocado, sliced
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• A hanful of mixed seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds etc.)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 tablespoons rapeseed oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1.   Firstly, make your dressing. There is a general rule of thumb that I follow when I make a salad dressing and that is to always keep the ratio of 3:1 of oil and an acid (e.g. for this recipe I used 3 tablespoons of oil to one tablespoon of lemon juice). This ratio generally gives you the perfect balance of subtlety and zinginess for the dressing. Once you have the base sorted you can add all of the herbs and spices that you would like to the dressing. Now add in the garlic, cumin seeds and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste the dressing and adjust the seasoning if necessary and leave to the side until the salad has been made.

2.   Now you can put together your salad. In a large bowl toss together  the spinach, herbs, cucumber and tomatoes. Once all of the ingredients are nicely combined, neatly place the avocado on top of the greens. Then scatter the seeds and spring onion over the top of the salad. Give your dressing a good stir and then take out the clove of garlic. The garlic will leave a really nice subtle flavour to the dressing. Pour the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.

I really hope you like this recipe and that you are excited to be creative with your salads.