Salad can be so much more than the side dish with your main meal, or guilt induced Monday lunch after the weekend. Every salad is an opportunity to get creative with fresh, local and in season ingredients. Read on for 3 of our favourite salads to serve either with friends, family or just for yourself and enjoy the leftovers the following day.

GIVE ME ENERGY BOWL

PESTO QUINOA, SWEET POTATO, KALE & AVO

A protein rich hearty salad bowl, dairy-free, vegan and delicious.

THE INGREDIENTS

Roasted Sweet Potato: 
1 Sweet Potato 
olive oil 
pinch of salt 
1/2 teaspoon paprika 

Pesto Quinoa: 
1/2 cup quinoa 
1 cup water 
2 tablespoons of pesto (store bought or homemade) 

Wilted Lemony Kale: 
2 handfuls of kale 
Juice 1/2 lemon (or lime) 

Additional: 
1/2 avocado 
parsley to garnish

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. 
2. Peal and chop the sweet potatoes into wedges.
3. Line a roasting tray with aluminium foil and place them on top, drizzling with olive oil, tossing in paprika and seasoning with salt. 
4. Place in the oven to cook for 35 minutes, tossing at 10 minute intervals. 
5. Meanwhile make the quinoa – adding 1/2 cup quinoa to a pot with 1 cup of water.
6. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer to cook for 15-20 minutes, adding more water if needed.
7. Once cooked stir in the pesto. 
   
8. For the kale, just sauté in a pan with a little olive oil until cooked adding lemon juice at the end for some sharp citrus flavour. 
9. Add it all into a bowl and top with some avocado slices, and some fresh parsley.

Recipe by <a href="Naturally Sassy">http://naturallysassy.co.uk/recipes/pesto-quinoa-sweet-potato-kale-avo-bowl/</a>

MEDITERRANEAN VIBES

AUBERGINE, SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND PINE NUT SALAD

A wonderfully diverse range of flavours and textures, from the crunchy slices of raw courgette, to the juicy cherry tomatoes and the toasted pine nuts.

THE INGREDIENTS

1 aubergine
10 sun-dried tomatoes
10 cherry tomatoes
1 courgette
A handful of pine nuts (35g)
1 bag of rocket (70g)
2 limes
Lots of salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Slice the aubergine length-ways into about 8 slices, drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper and place them on a baking tray in a 200°C oven for twenty to thirty minutes. Once they have cooked and are nicely soft, chop them into cubes.
2. While the aubergine bakes, chop the cherry tomatoes and courgette into quarters, keeping the courgette slices nicely thin.
3. Wash the sun-dried tomatoes to remove excess oil, dry with kitchen-towl and slice into quarters.
4. Place the pine nuts in a frying pan and toast them for a few minutes until they brown slightly.
5. For the dressing juice the two limes and add a drizzling of olive oil, plus salt and pepper.
6. Mix the ingredients with the rocket in a salad bowl and enjoy your lovely salad!
   

Recipe by <a href="Deliciously Ella">https://deliciouslyella.com/2012/04/28/roasted-aubergine-and-sun-dried-tomato-salad-with-raw-courgette-green-beans-and-toasted-pine-nuts/</a>


SIMPLE & FLAVOURFUL

SPICY KIMCHI SALAD

Spicy kimchi, fresh crunchy vegetables and cold noodles combined in a flavour packed mouthful. 

THE INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup 125ml kimchi, chopped

1 garlic clove crushed

1 2.5 cm 1 inch thumb of garlic, finely grated

1/2 tsp 2.5ml sesame oil

2 tbsp 30ml tamari/soy sauce

1 tbs 15ml coconut sugar

1 tbs 15ml rice vinegar

1 tsp 5ml Korean pepper (powder)

1 packet fresh Hokkien noodles

1 carrot peeled and cut julienne

5 spring onions shallots1 small bunch baby pak choy (around 150 grams)

1 teaspoon 5ml black sesame seeds

Fresh chilly finely sliced (optional)

METHOD

1. Place Hokkien noodles in boiling for 3 minutes until tender (or cook as per packet instructions). Strain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. Wash spring onions and slice whites in to 2cm pieces (a scant inch).
   
3. Slice the greens of two spring onions finely.
   
4. Wash the baby pak choy and remove base. Slice the crunchy stems in to 1cm (1/2 inch) slices and slice the leaves thinly.
   
5. In a small bowl whisk together the garlic, ginger, tamari, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil and Korean pepper until combined.
   
6. In a large bowl combine the cold Hokkien noodles, carrots, spring onions, pak choy and kimchi.
   
7. Just before serving pour dressing over the noodles and toss to coat.
   
8. Serve sprinkled with black sesame seeds and fresh chilli (optional)

Recipe by <a href="My Goodness kitchen">https://mygoodnesskitchen.com/spicy-10-minute-kimchi-noodle-salad/</a>