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I'd really like to start using side salads instead of carbs as accompaniments to meat and fish dishes but a handful of rocket and a chopped tomato isn't really inspiring me. Does anyone have any good ideas for tasty side salads?

basil, tomato, small amount of mozzarella, drizzle of olive oil or pesto, grate of pepper

You have to find a dressing you like. I find balsamic vinegar makes most things taste nice.

Jazz them up with avocado, sun blush tomatoes, seeds, beetroot etc. dressings make a huge difference too, I love a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a grind of black pepper.

Grate a carrot in it too, toasted nuts, olives all brighten a salad up.

Thank you! Can I be lazy and keep a batch of toasted seeds and nuts in a box or do I have to do them each time?

keep a batch ready for sprinkling. No need to do it each time.

Boiled eggs are nice in salads too, also try changing the leaves - I like red cabbage and basil and spinach can be nice as whole leaves too.

Lakelands munchy seeds are great for salad sprinkling (if you can resist just munching the box)

www.lakeland.co.uk/13117/Munchy-Seeds-Omega-Mix

Where to start?

Make it thai with a vinaigrette made of fish sauce/lime juice/ chilli/ garlic and add lots of fresh coriander ( chilli optional but great for thermogenic effect)
Works well well with chopped crisp lettuce/cucumber/ tomato/ shallots

Make it lebanese with a vinaigrette of tahini/ lemon juice/ garlic/ salt
Works well with shredded raw root veg such as beets/carrots/swedes + lots of fresh parsley

Make it japanese with sesame oil/ vinegar/soy sauce/ spring onion
Great with shredded cabbage or spinach or green apple/ celery/walnuts

Moroccan (and mexican) with olive oil/ lemon juice/ cumin/ garlic
With chopped crisp bell peppers/ tomatoes/ cucumber

Mmmmm yes seeds and chopped nuts

Remember condiments works well to jazz up the blandest grills.

Raitas with spiced grilled chicken
Salsa verde or a fruity salsa for grilled fish
Chimichurri for grilled meat.
Packed with flavours and satisfying. Just add a steamed or braised green veg such as long beans or collard greens etc...

Rocket vine tomato red onion pine nuts toasted olive oil salt Yum!

Mmm I'll give these a go. My last attempt at salad was a leaf/papaya/pumpkin seed/balsamic/salt/pepper affair that our guests quietly left to one side

Red salad

orange (don't have to have this but I do)
beetroot
red onion
grated carrot

Make a nice dressing, always makes salad nicer

Leaves of choice, cauliflower broken up into tiny florets, a few dried cranberries and a little goats cheese - delish.

Also a great main course salad is a good old fashioned cobb salad. A big platter filler with different rows of what ever salady type elements you want, i.e leaves, tomatoes, sweetcorn, cucumber etc etc and then a couple of chicken breasts cooked through, cooled and sliced and also a couple of rashers of pancetta per person.

We eat a lot of homemade coleslaw - depending on what's around cabbage, carrots, peppers, spring onions, celeriac, beetroot, swede. Sometimes I add herbs/seeds/nuts. The dressing can vary but usually half and half low-fay mayo and yoghurt. Jamie Oliver has some good recipes along these lines.