Inspire me with salads please

[sarahhal]

Need some inspiration for salads! Am getting very bored of my usual things and as I am trying to be healthier could do with some ideas!

Thanks!!

Feta fresh peas and baby spinach leaves is very good

Any dressing on that scootergirl?

I normally just use olive oil and lemon juice and a bit of salt but not much

We do a lot of things:

• fry cubed pancetta, add balsamic vinegar at end (or use Crema)
• fry seeds
• fry bread
• grate beetroot
• cooked broad beans, or green beans
• any and all salad veg

bean salads dressed with pesto are really lovely: use cannelini beans or whatever, and mix in finely chopped red onion and maybe some sweet peppers

For the dressing:

• Two measures of olive oil
• One of a nice expensive wine or balsamic vinegar
• Garlic salt, and plenty of oregano.

I have given hope in finding a good sweet tasting tomato, so I use baby plum tomatoes and raising to make up for that sweetness. I add seeds too.

Thanks, keep them coming!!

Oh, and I have a big fancy salad, that is incredible, it's called fattoush:

• deseeded finely chopped tomatoes
• deseeded, peeled, finely chopped cucumber
• radishes, finely chopped
• red pepper, finely chopped
• chopped mint
• chopped parsley

Then add dressing:

• olive oil,
• lemon
• cinnamon

Just before serving, toast and crumble some pita or similar (i use Turkish flat bread, tortilla would work too) and mix through.

Very tasty.

I have a lovely recipe for a pea salad - frozen peas, cooked through with oil, chopped fresh ginger, candied peel and stuffed olives, with paprika, lemon juice and parsley. Sounds weird but it's lovely and everyone always asks for more (unless they don't like peas!)

Will type out recipe if you're interested?

Mmm, not sure about the candid peel?

NQC will def try your fattoush.

Fattoush is always a hit. It is meant to be made with sumac, but I'm not really used to sumac so always use cinnamon instead.

NQC have you been a scary mad pea-eating lady yet this year?

Beetroot, oranges, walnuts and dressing. Yum

beetroot and feta cheese salad with ciabatta bread. Eaten tonight. Yummy.

Am always a bit wary of beetroot. Only ever seem to end up with the vacuum packed stuff which seems very sweet. Come to think of it, don't seem to see fresh ones around much...

chopped up tomato and red onion, chick peas and a dressing of cumin lemon juice and olve oil - leave to chill for an hour or so

ooh I love salads

feta, avocado, rocket, red onion

pasta, pesto, spinach, pine nuts IM&S do one like this)

Bulgar wheat salad's a hit in our house..
Steep bulgar wheat in stock for 45mins,
Add chopped toms, cucumber, spring onion and lots of chopped parsley,
Poor over dressing - lemon, olive oil and seasoning works well.
You can add what ever else you fancy eg olives, peppers etc.
Just tried something similar with quinoa which has omega oils in it - good for us since fish is a no go area with DH and DS. It was fine too.

My dd loves pasta salad made with a dressing of balsamic vinegar (1tbsp), olive oil (4tbsp), soy sauce (1tbsp) and caster sugar (half tsp). Use wholewheat small pasta shapes, sweetcorn, green beans and either chicken or salmon. It's in Annabel Karmel's After school meal planner book.

Ooh I just fancy a salad right now! Can't be bothered to go in the kitchen in my state (bit drunk) and make one up. Love couscous salad and any with balsamico dressing. another good one is a cucumber, sliced with some crushed carlic and 1 tblspn of creme fraiche and 2 tblspn of yoghurt and some dill.

Oh, I used to have a local friend (she moved away, we didn't have a fight) who made a great farro (faro?) salad. I can't even find the farro or faro anywhere. I tried making it with wheat kernels, but they had an extra layer on them, and were more chewy than faro. Grr.

quinoa salad..with finely diced tomatoes,cucumber,spring onion,mint...dress with olive or flax oil & cider vinegar & mix.
I love this heaped into little gem leaves sprinkled with chopped brazil nuts.

butternut squash cut into cubes and roasted,
cherry tomatoes,
rocket lettuce.
Topped with italian dressing.
Delicious.

Tuna Pasta Salad

Wholegrain pasta (cooked al dente)
Tin of tuna in spring water
Tin of salad beans (sainsbury's do them)
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Spring Onion
Red/yellow Pepper (all chopped small)
Sweetcorn

Dressing
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
tsp wholegrain mustard
splash lemon juice
tsp sugar
pinch of salt
black pepper

mix vigorously together and pour over

Yum yum!! I'm going to save all these. Any more for quinoa?? Thanks sarahhal - great idea!