Salad fiesta

Recipes  Ilze Feldtmann, Photography Christoph Hoffmann.

Watercress, feta and watermelon salad with a coriander dressing

An interesting combination for something light on a hot summer’s day.

Serves: 4

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

800g watermelon pieces, cut into cubes

180g feta, cut into cubes

80g watercress leaves

Handful edible flowers

30ml olive oil

15ml lemon juice

20ml poppy seeds

30ml chopped fresh coriander

Method:

1 Add the watermelon, feta and the watercress to a

bowl and mix. Top with the edible flowers.

2 Combine the olive oil and the lemon juice and add the poppy seeds and coriander. Drizzle over the salad and serve.

Frozen pea salad

This salad is best prepared a few hours before serving so that the flavours infuse.

Serves: 8 – 10

Time: 30 – 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 small head of iceberg lettuce, finely sliced

Half each yellow, green and red pepper, finely sliced

1 punnet mange tout, thinly sliced

Half a red onion, thinly sliced

250g bacon bits, dry-fried

500g frozen baby peas

500ml cheddar, grated

100ml mayonnaise

50ml light brown sugar

Method:

1 Layer the ingredients in a large salad bowl, starting with the thinly sliced lettuce at the bottom. Add the peppers, mange tout and the onion on top.

2 Add the frozen peas and bacon to the salad and the cheese on top.

3 Top with the mayonnaise and the brown sugar and place in the fridge for a few hours.

5 Before serving, mix the salad layers together.

Couscous and fruit salad

A new and exciting way to enjoy breakfast in the morning, or a light snack in the afternoon.

Serves: 4

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

30ml extra-virgin olive oil

30ml orange juice

15ml cider vinegar

500ml cooked whole-wheat couscous

250ml chopped nectarine

250ml mixed fresh berries, such as blueberries, gooseberries and raspberries

Method:

Whisk oil, orange juice and vinegar. Add cooked couscous, nectarines and berries – gently toss to combine.

Broccoli salad with creamy feta dressing

Always looking for new ideas to get the kids to eat their veggies, why not give it to them in a creamy salad.

Serves: 4

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

80ml crumbled feta cheese

60ml fat-free plain yoghurt

15ml lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

750ml broccoli

500ml chickpeas, rinsed

125ml red pepper, chopped

125ml yellow and green pepper, chopped

Method:

1 Whisk the feta, yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic and seasoning in a medium bowl.

2 Add the broccoli, chickpeas and the peppers and toss to coat.

3 Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Brown rice, lentil and baby spinach salad

The tinned lentils make this salad quick and easy, but you could cook your own if you prefer.

Serves: 6 – 8

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

250ml brown rice

1 tin lentils

1 red pepper, deseeded and diced

45ml chopped coriander

30ml chopped mint

50ml olive oil

15ml lemon juice

30ml balsamic vinegar

500ml baby spinach

Method:

1 Cook the rice as indicated on the package.

2 Drain but do not rinse the lentils. Add the red pepper, rice, coriander and mint to the lentils and combine.

3 In a small bowl add the olive oil, the lemon juice and the balsamic and combine.

4 Add the spinach to the salad and drizzle with the dressing. Toss and serve.

Chickpea, ricotta and rocket salad

Robust flavours make for a spicy salad – great for entertaining.

Serves: 6

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

350g rocket leaves

425g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

125ml semi-dried tomatoes, chopped

50g pumpkin seeds

250g ricotta, crumbled

30ml olive oil

15ml lemon juice

30ml whole-grain mustard

4 Add the spinach to the salad and drizzle with the dressing. Toss and serve.

Method:

1 Line a serving dish with rocket. In a salad bowl, combine the chickpeas, semi-dried tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and the

ricotta, and put on top of the rocket.

2 Place the oil, lemon juice, mustard and seasoning in a bowl and combine well. Drizzle over the salad and serve.