Brown rice & chicken salad / Nutty rice salad

Brown rice & chicken salad

serves 8

ingredients

• In a covered saucepan, cook the

450g/1lb brown rice

rice in 450ml/3⁄4pt water over a

450g/1lb lean skinless cooked

medium heat for about 25 minutes

chicken, diced

or until the liquid is absorbed and

12 spring onions, sliced

the rice is fluffy. Remove from the

2 celery sticks, chopped

heat and leave to cool.

2 green peppers, seeded and

• Add all the remaining ingredients

chopped

and toss well. Serve.

100g/4oz black olives, pitted

and halved

50g/2oz pimiento, minced

100g/4oz cherry tomatoes,

halved

100g/4oz fresh flat-leaf parsley,

chopped

100g/4oz radishes, sliced

50ml/2fl oz olive oil

50ml/2fl oz white wine vinegar

Nutty rice salad

serves 4

ingredients

• In a covered saucepan, cook the

175g/6oz long-grain rice

rice in 175ml/6fl oz water over a

50g/2oz frozen peas

medium-high heat for about

50g/2oz raisins

20 minutes. Add the peas and

50g/2oz toasted flaked almonds

cook for a further 5 minutes. Drain,

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

rinse with cold water, and drain

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

again. Empty into a salad bowl.

salt and freshly ground

• Add the raisins, almonds, oil and

black pepper

vinegar. Season with salt and

pepper. Toss well and serve.

Rocket salad

serves 4

ingredients

• Put the bread, garlic and low-fat

1 slice white bread, cubed

spread in a small heavy frying pan

1

garlic clove, quartered

over a gentle heat, and toss until

1 tablespoon low-fat spread

golden. Remove from the heat,

100g/4oz rocket leaves

discard the garlic and drain the

1

sprig of fresh coriander, leaves

croûtons on kitchen paper.

picked

• Put the rocket, coriander and

1

sprig of fresh flat leaf parsley,

parsley in a small salad bowl.

leaves picked

Scatter the onion and croûtons over

1

red onion, sliced

the top of the greens. Sprinkle with

1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar

the vinegar, and season well with

salt and freshly ground

salt and pepper. Serve.

black pepper

Beetroot & orange salad

serves 4

ingredients

• Divide the lettuce leaves evenly

1 Little Gem lettuce, leaves

among four small serving plates.

separated

• Holding the oranges over a bowl,

2 oranges

remove all the pith and zest. Cut

2 large cooked beetroot, diced

the flesh into segments. Squeeze

1 tablespoon orange juice

any juice from the membranes into

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

the bowl, then discard them.

salt and freshly ground

• Pile the beetroot in the centre of the

black pepper

lettuce leaves with the orange

segments surrounding them.

• Add the orange juice to the bowl

with the vinegar. Season with salt

and pepper. Spoon the dressing

over the beetroot, and serve.

Hot potato & bean salad

serves 4

ingredients

• Cook the potatoes in lightly salted

450g/1lb potatoes, scrubbed

boiling water for 5 minutes.

and diced

• Add the beans to the potatoes, and

100g/4oz French beans,

cook for a further 5–10 minutes

topped and tailed, cut into

until the potatoes are tender. Drain

short lengths

and return to the pan.

75ml/3fl oz low-fat crème

• Add the crème fraîche and mint,

fraîche

and season with salt and pepper.

2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint

Toss gently, and serve warm.

salt and freshly ground

black pepper

Fresh salad with raspberry vinaigrette

serves 10

ingredients

• Put the watercress, lettuce,

1 bunch watercress, torn

mushrooms, artichoke hearts and

2 heads Bibb lettuce, torn into

radishes in a large bowl.

bite-size pieces

• Shake the vinaigrette ingredients

450g/1lb mushrooms, sliced

together in a screwtop glass jar,

425g/15oz canned artichoke

and drizzle over the salad. Toss

hearts, drained

well. Serve with the raspberries

1 bunch white radishes, sliced

scattered over the top.

225g/8oz fresh raspberries

For the vinaigrette

125ml/4fl oz raspberry vinegar

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

225g/8oz olive oil

1⁄2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground

black pepper

Beetroot & chive salad

serves 4

ingredients

• Put the beetroot in a bowl. Add the

4 cooked beetroot, chopped

crème fraîche, and season with salt

2 tablespoons low-fat cr?me

and pepper.

fra?che

• Sprinkle over the chives, toss and

1 tablespoon snipped fresh

serve immediately.

chives

salt and freshly ground

black pepper

Mustard carrot salad

serves 4

ingredients

• Put the carrots in a salad bowl,

450g/1lb carrots, coarsely

and season with salt and pepper.

grated

• Melt the low-fat spread in a frying

25g/1oz low-fat spread

pan over a medium heat, and add

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

the mustard seeds.

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed

• When they start to pop, add the

lemon juice

lemon juice, stir and pour over the

salt and freshly ground

salad. Toss well and serve straight

black pepper

away, while still warm.

Banana & pecan salad

serves 6

ingredients

• Grill the bacon until crisp, then cut

50g/2oz finely chopped lean

into small pieces.

back bacon

• Mix together the bacon, pecan

50g/2oz pecan nuts, chopped

nuts, banana, celery, lime and

200g/7oz banana, sliced

yogurt in a bowl.

300g/11oz celery, sliced

• Put a lettuce leaf on the bottom of

1⁄2 lime, thinly sliced

each of six individual bowls, and

250g/9oz low-fat Greek-style

divide the mixture between each

yogurt

bowl. Serve.

6 lettuce leaves

Turnip salad

serves 4

ingredients

• Peel, slice and shred the turnips.

350g/12oz turnips

Add the spring onions, sugar and

2 spring onions, white part only,

salt, then rub together with your

chopped

hands to soften the turnip.

1 tablespoon caster sugar

• Fold in the horseradish cream and

pinch of salt

caraway seeds, and serve.

2 tablespoons horseradish cream

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Cranberry cream salad

serves 6

ingredients

• Dissolve the gelatine in the hot

75g/3oz cherry elatine

water, and chill until slightly

225ml/8fl oz hot water

thickened. Fold the cranberry

450g/1lb cranberry sauce

sauce into the gelatine, and add

100g/4oz celery, diced

the celery and raisins.

50g/2oz raisins

• Fold in the sour cream, and pour

225g/8oz low-fat sour cream

the mixture into a mould. Chill until

firm, then turn out and serve.

Basque tomatoes

serves 8

ingredients

• Slice the tomatoes, spread them in

8 firm ripe tomatoes

a shallow dish and sprinkle with

100g/4oz fresh flat-leaf parsley,

the parsley.

chopped

• Combine the remaining ingredients

1 garlic clove, crushed

in a bowl, mix well and pour over

1 teaspoon salt

the tomatoes. Cover with cling film,

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

and refrigerate for at least 2 hours

1⁄4 teaspoon coarse-ground

before serving.

black pepper

100g/4oz black olives

50ml/2fl oz olive oil

2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard