Things to have with salad.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Thanks to a combination of depression, steroids for lymphocytic colitis, lockdown and my own inability to turn down any calorie that presents itself, I am the biggest I have ever been, and get breathless walking.

But now the warmer weather is coming (though I live in Scotland, so this is optimistic in the extreme), I am planning to eat lots and lots of salads over the summer, and hopefully lose a few stone - but I need some ideas of things to have as the protein part of the meal.

Things we already have and like include seafood (prawns, hot smoked salmon, smoked mackerel), ham, boiled eggs, cold cooked chicken, cold roast beef - but that isn't enough to allow me to ring the changes over the summer - so I am asking you all for inspiration!

Thanks in advance.

My main selection of salads that I come back to time and again all through the summer:

Tuna & Quinoa: Proper chunks of fresh tuna, rolled in sesame seeds and lightly seared, salad of quinoa, beetroot, feta, flaked almonds, orange segments with citrus vinaigrette

Taco salad: Quinoa base, chopped red onion, sweetcorn, tomatoes, peppers, touch of coriander in a lime vinaigrette served with some lettuce cups. Bit of pulled chicken or pork if you want, maybe a sprinkle of grated cheese. Side of tortilla chips / sour cream if feeling decadent.

New potatoes & asparagus: roasted together, tossed in sherry vinaigrette, served with Parmesan flakes, dash of horseradish and lemon juice. Awesome with some sliced flash fried steak

New potato & pea pesto salad. Usually also involves some marinated finely sliced card, green beans, peas & radishes.

This: ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/french-beans-and-mangetout-with-hazelnut-and-orange-full

Watermelon & feta, with lime soaked onions and a bit of basil for something purely refreshing.

Ones that don't already have a protein base, I'll add seared tuna, roasted flaked salmon, marinated chicken, grilled halloumi, sliced steak, sliced pork, ham hock, diced lamb, king prawns - whatever is to hand / leftover in the fridge.

Also this thread has some wonderful suggestions: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/food_and_recipes/3920850-interesting-salads?msgid=96949086

Always feta.
Sometimes chicken and cubed roasted herby potatoes tossed in too.
Yum.

Hi Laquila
That's a good idea almost an alternative to the time I'd spend batch cooking in winter months. And anything left over after 2/3 days is lunch's.

Definitely inspired by everyone's ideas.

My contribution is that whilst strictly not salad, left over fajitas are amazing the next day. Although fajitas are rarely uneaten for any length of time here 😀

Tonight I made a pineapple salsa which I had with teriyaki salmon and some rice.