WALLET-FRIENDLY SALADS: healthy

Presentation makes all the difference with salads....

1st posted 2015

Four Basic Ingredients...

        Add a few toasted seeds or nuts; Serve with herby yoghurt-mayo.  

Cost: £1.50 max 

Feeds: 4

• lettuce (Red Gems, English lettuce, Romaine, shredded Iceberg) 
• cucumber 
• sliced tomatoes
• grated carrot

Method:  Wash lettuce leaves; arrange a ring of lettuce leaves, top facing outwards, near the outer edge of the plate. Slice cucumber evenly on a slant: arrange a ring of them just inside the outer edge of the lettuce (the slightly pointed end of the slice faces outwards).  Slice tomatoes; spray with olive oil & lightly salt.  Make a ring of tomato slices on the bottom half of the cucumber.  Coarsely grate carrot; heap in centre.  

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Multiple Ingredient Mixed Salad...

Outer layer: English lettuce; layer 2: halved cucumber slices; layer 3: carrot peelings; layer 4: sliced raw mushrooms (with stems); centre: halved baby yellow and red tomatoes topped with tenderstem broccoli. Surface scattered with chopped green beans (cooked 3 minutes and shocked in ice or cold water) and red onion rings. Remove or add items, such as rings or strips of bell pepper, cress, lamb's lettuce.  Also leftover veg or raw cauliflower florets, corn or diced butternut squash cooked or as for green beans. Serve with Balsamic Vinaigrette.
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Tomato & Olive Salad...

Spray halved baby tomatoes; lightly salt.  Add olives and red onion rings. Substitute: torn fresh or dried basil, mozzarella or feta, artichoke hearts or seasoned lemon marinated avocado slices

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Mixed Salad with Protein (Triple Duty)

As with Mixed Salad above.  The ham rose is formed by wrapping strips of ham around a central point.  Other sliced meat can be used or flaked smoked mackerel sprinkled with plenty of lemon juice and zest.  Or try a mound of tuna-sweetcorn OR cubed spiced firm tofu OR tofu slices marinated in a one-to-one blend of soy sauce and sherry spiced with grated garlic & ginger, drained (as is or fried till outer edges are crispy.) Serve with yoghurt-mayo, with seasoning appropriate to protein.

Copyright: These salads have been designed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may only be reproduced in home kitchens.  Not for commercial use.