My Most Virtuous Salad

This salad is the most virtuous, wholesome, healthy salad ever !!!!! It is so good for you on so many levels. The base for this salad is a combination of brown rice and green lentils. These are both high fibre, wholegrain protein foods which have a low g.i . This means this salad will keep you full for a long time as the energy will be released slowly. The avocado has essential fats, vitamins A & E and a high proportion of fibre. The chicken is poached and as a result is an excellent source of lean protein.

This salad is ultra adaptable - ingredients can be substitued for others depending on personal preference or simply what is in the salad drawer.

There are 2 dressings suitable for this salad or again feel free to experiment - perhaps a balsamic dressing or honey mustard dressing.

Serves 2

30g green lentils

30g brown rice

1 chicken fillet

1/2 avocado

1/4 red onion

1 - 11/2 tomatoes

1/4 red, green & yellow pepper

1 chicken stock cube

Handful fresh chopped parsley & chives

2 boiled egg whites

Handful of fresh spinach leaves

Optional: Low fat feta, steamed brocolli

Dressings

Curry Dressing

3 tbsp 0% fat natural yoghurt

1 tbsp low fat mayo

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp mango chutney

Basil & Goats Cheese Dressing

3 tbsp skinny basil pesto ( see previous recipe)

1 tsp soft goats cheese

1 tsp 0% fat natural yoghurt

Method

1. Bring a small pot of water to the boil. Add in the brown rice and lentil and boil for 30 - 40 mins until they become tender but still with a little bite.
2. Bring a small pot of water to the boil. Add in the stock cube and chicken fillet, turn down to a medium heat and poach for 20 mins. When cooked, remove from the water, allow to cool and shred.
3. Hard boil 2 eggs. Place the eggs into a pot of boiling water and boil rapidly for 10mins. Remove from the water and place in a bowl of cold water to cool down. Shell, set aside the yolk and chop into large chunks.
4. Turn on the grill. Place the segments of peppers under a hot grill until they char and the skin goes black (5-10mins). When blackened wrap them in clingfilm. This will cause them to sweat and then just rub/peel off the skin and what remains are gorgeous, tender roast peppers. Cut into small dice.
5. Peel and dice the avocado and red onion. Deseed and dice the tomato. Chop the fresh herbs.
6. To make the curry dressing : combine 3 tbsp 0% fat natural yoghurt, 1 tbsp low fat mayo, 1 tsp mango chutney and 2 tsp curry powder. If you find this too thick, stir in a little of the remaining chicken stock. Some fresh coriander leaves will really lift this dish.
7. To make the basil & goats cheese dressing : combine 3 tbsp skinny basil pesto, 1 1/2 tsp soft goats cheese and 1 tbsp natural yoghurt.
8. Now just assemble, place the lentils and rice in a bowl, toss through the avocado, onion, tomato, shredded chicken, peppers and egg whites. Coat in the dressing. Add a little oil ( Irish rapeseed or olive oil ) if the dressing is too thick.
9. Place some fresh spinach leaves in the base of the serving bowl, place the grain salad on top and sprinkle over with the fresh herbs . To be a little extra indulgent and I do recommend it - crumble over some egg yolk. Yum.

Creamy Salmon & Spinach Filo Tart

Ok, I am very excited about this recipe. I have been trying to create something like this for awhile but I couldn't get that creamy texture and for it to bake correctly. Until NOW !!! I discovered QUARK. Quark is an extremely low fat cream cheese. Very similiar to extra light Philadelphia, a slight tang but a little more texture. The great news is  - it is lower in calories and saturated fat than extra light philadelphia.

I have honestly had my eye for out for this product for a long time and just discovered it in Dunnes Stores.

If your supermarket does not have it - ask them. Ask them to stock it and in most cases they will do so!!!

Now for the recipe and all the delicious low fat great bits. The filo pastry is ultra low fat. The quark is the lowest fat creamy product I have yet found. The salmon is full of esseantial fatty acids which are so good for you and the spinach is one of your five a day and a source of non haem iron. The salad is full of fresh vitamins and minerals.

Seriously you have got to try this. It is sensational if I do say so myself and I even had a sneaky glass of chilled sancerre with it. Delicious.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 sheets filo pastry

spray oil

2 salmon fillets (approx 250g)

250g carton quark

1 bag baby spinach

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 fish stock cube

1 egg

4 tbsp parmesan

salt &  pepper

zest 1/2 lemon

Salad

Rocket & Spinach leaves

Cherry tomaotes

1/2 red onion

1tsp basil pesto

1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180OC/gas7.
2. Grate the garlic, lemon zest and parmesan.
3. Remove the skin from the skin and cut each fillet into about 6 pieces.
4. Using a spring form metal tin layer in the four sheets into the tin, spritzing each layer with a little spray oil. Pop in the oven for 4/5 mins (just to crisp a little)
5. In a non stick pan - spritz a little spray oil in. Add the spinach and garlic and allow to wilt down. If it starts to stick add in a little drop of water.
6. Remove from the pan and pat out any excess water with kitchen towel.
7. Poach the pieces of salmon in a little wine or water for 3/4 mins.
8. In a large bowl mix together the egg,quark, lemon zest, dijon mustard, spinach, seasoning and crumble in the fish stock.
9. Stir in the salmon pieces, taking care not to break them up.
10. Pour the creamy mixture into the pastry case. Smooth out and sprinkle with parmesan.
11. Bake in the oven for 25 - 30mins.
12. While the tart is in the oven assemble the salad. Slice the red onion, quarter the cherry tomatoes and toss together the leaves with the basil pesto.
13. Serve and enjoy. 

Blue Cheese, Parma Ham and Pear Salad

Salads are quick, easy and in most instances quite virtuous. This salad is seriously impressive and makes a great little starter or a light main course served with a single slice of  toasted wholemeal sour dough. Moreover, this salad a brilliant fusion of some amazing Irish blue cheese, Irish pears along with Italian Parma Ham and Balsamic.

This salad  has a great balance of sweet, salty, creamy and crunchy. I don't advocate any one source or supermarket but for this recipe Aldi has to be the place which offer premium products at the best price.

To explain how this salad fits in to the SkinnyLovesFood ethos - the big splurge here is the Blue Cheese. Although normally a very strong flavour this awarding winning Aldi specially selected mature blue cheese has a subtle flavour with just the right amount of impact. It is high in saturated fat but a little goes a long way.  Removing the visible fat from the parma ham makes it become quite a lean source of iron along with the spinach. Also,the pisatchios provide some fibre. Fresh pears would be great but I find tinned pears - although a lower nutritional value - are fine. Just ensure they are in a natural juice not syrup.
This salad has amazing taste and flavour for a low fat, healthy, filling meal.

Serves 2

Ingredients

100g mixed leaves (rocket, spinach, watercress, chard)

4 slices parma ham

25 pistachio nuts (shelled)

50g blue cheese

half red onion

1 tin pears

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp balsamic glaze (Lidl)

Method

1. Preheat oven to the highest setting  - 220oC. Open the tin of pears, drain. Place on an oven proof dish and drizzle with the maple syrup. Pop in the oven for 10 - 15mins.
2. Rinse the lettuce leaves. Peel and finely slice the onion. De-shell the pistachio nuts. Remove the visible fat from the parma ham.
3. In a salad bowl combine the leaves, parma ham, red onion. Crumble in the blue cheese.
4. Remove the pears from the oven and thinly slice. Add these and the pistachios to the salad.
5. Toss all the ingredients together with the balsamic glaze.
6. Serve and enjoy.