I need salad inspiration - tell me your ideas!

[mynameisnotkate]

During last year I started making salads for lunch - I make a big one (in the evening if I’m in the office the next day or at lunch time if I’m working from home) and it lasts two days. This has really helped me feel healthy and maintain weight and I want to keep it going. I have three that I rotate. They are yummy but I’m getting bored of them! I need inspiration for new ones.

I do:

• chicken/Turkey with avocado, walnuts, cherry tomatoes and Parmesan with a bit of mayo
• butternut squash roasted with red onions, tomatoes, pine nuts and feta
• salmon with edamame beans, lentils, tomatoes and sesame seeds

They all have a base of mixed leaves and/or baby spinach or rocket.

What are your favourite salads? How can I mix this up a bit? I’m happy for up to 20 mins prep.

Halloumi, new potatos (both warm) cherry tomatoes and baby spinach with an olive oil, black pepper and lemon juice dressing. Sometimes add bacon bits...

Raw broccoli, red pepper, pink lady apple finely chopped, toasted pine nuts and a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, honey and mustard. Would be nice with with feta cheese, halloumi, fish etc.

Smoked mackerel is very tasty in a salad - I heat it in a pan with some cherry tomatoes, courgette slices and soy sauce. I then add lots of salad leaves and sometimes add a few hard boiled eggs … delicious!

A decent Greek salad is a classic.

Raw beetroot (I hate cooked or pickled) with orange or grapefruit pieces, fennel or dill and feta cheese. Balsamic dressing

I like to do a leaf base then top with sunflower seed kernels, dried cranberries and whatever protein and dressing I want. It is not a complete recipe but I just look forward to those toppings.

Baby spinach
Cucumber
Tomato
Avocado
Red onion
Coriander

Is my favourite.

Chicken, avocado and sundried tomatoes with Parmesan

Peach, mozzarella, Parma ham and rocket with balsamic

Raspberry, watermelon, fig and feta with honey and mustard dressing

Some of my faves!

I was going to ask the same thing! Interesting you can make these in advance! I'm going to make bruschetta as well a quick, healthy (ish) snack.

Rocket
Cherry tomatoes
Balsamic glaze pine nuts
Parmesan shavings
Delicious

Add any of these
Jalapeños
Sweetcorn
Olives
Sweet potato
Tuna
Pesto
Croutons
Red onion
Gherkin
Peanuts
Grapes
Vermicelli noodle
Pate

Greek Rice salad....brown rice with chopped feta, olives, mint, cucumber and tomato with a squeeze of lemon juice

mixed baby leaves with either:

• watermelon , feta and a mint dressing
• sliced red apple, pomegranate and blue cheese with it without balsamic dressing

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/halloumi-lemony-lentils-chickpeas-beets

favourite in our house we swap halloumi for chicken too

Brilliant suggestions, thanks everyone! I hate beetroot but everything else sounds fab. I think I need to make a list of about 10-12 and rotate. I’m not good with spur of the moment inspiration - I’ll find I have nothing in and then get a crap sandwich from tescos, so I need to be organised with ideas!

I’m also pre-menopausal so trying to squeeze in good groups that are supposed to be helpful for that.

Salmon or prawns with cucumber, celery, peas or edamame, mint. Could add rice, pasta, boiled new potatoes or lentils

Wild rice, cherry tomato, cucumber, black olives, oregano, feta, walnuts

If you could recreate the m and s orzo one you'd be onto a winner.

Peel a raw beetroot, grate it and mix in a crushed cloves of garlic, a mix of oil of your choice and a vinegar of you choice. Dry Toast some sunflower/ pumpkin seeds and sprinkle on top.

I also make a coleslaw with grated broccoli stalk and then put grated carrot and some finely chopped onion, salted peanuts are great mixed in with this and choose you mayo/ dressing.

I will make a layered salad, so the usual lettuce, cucumber, tomato & onion, a layer of tinned sweet corn, a letter of olives of your choice, radish, pepper, sun dried tomatoes optional, celery, crispy kale, beetroot, avocado optional... anything thing you like really
I like a salad dressing of oil, cider vinegar, mixed dried herbs, crush garlic & Dijon mustard.

Or I whizz up chickpeas with some dill pickle water, capers, herbs of choice, some water to thin it out a bit.

I do this as it's quick and filling :

Tin of chickpeas
Tin of corn both drained
(You can fry them up together in some olive oil until the corn is just browned, but I don't always)
Mix balsamic vinegar, some olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper together and mix this dressing in.
Just before serving slice some avocado into it.

I think it's better if it's sat overnight.

OH I also but chilli in sometimes.

Basic caprese:
Mozzarella, tomatoes, pesto layered.

Have you tried Beetroot raw?
I hated it until I did and now I like it

I find it's really helpful to have a couple of packs of those Merchant Gourmet pre-cooked lentils available to add to this sort of main-course salad.

Orzo pasta, green olives, sliced roasted peppers from a jar, olive oil and lemon dressing, parsley, protein of some kind.... feta? Chick peas? Fried halloumi? Chicken? (They make this at Gloucester Services on the M5 - I copied it. I'm no culinary genius)

I follow someone called @her.wholesome.kitchen on Instagram - or there is also a website at www.herwholesomekitchen.com
Great and varied salad recipes.

@Hoppinggreen - no, I haven’t. Maybe I should! I’m a bit wary of beetroot as it’s about the only thing I really hate, but maybe I’ll give it a go.