3 simple summer side salad recipes (all under 10 min prep)

If you're experimenting with adding more greens (and purples, and yellows and oranges) into your diet, it's easy to get stuck for ideas after exhausting the usual lettuce- cucumber- tomato combo.

Making sure you get your 7- a- day (yes, it really is 7, not 5!), including maximum 2 pieces of fruit and 5 pieces of vegetables can be really easy and even fun. It's really as easy as just adding a different side salad to your favourite meals and having a slightly smaller portion to accommodate extra veg.

Making sure you get enough not only gives you energy, helps boost sluggish metabolism, curbs sugar cravings, but also helps clear toxins and promotes healthy weight loss.

All you need to think about is that at least 1/2 of your plate is always vegetables with main meals, preferably 1/4 of that being fresh produce rather than cooked and you're definitely hitting that mark daily, no calorie counting, measuring or calculating involved.

Always, always use organic seasonal produce, as it's mostly filled with nutrients. Research has shown that organic produce contributes towards health weight loss and maintenance and better hormonal function.

The truth is, there is an infinite number of combinations available to us when it comes to veg and using some simple tips to arrange your perfect plate can go a long way:

• Use different slicing and chopping methods, including grating, using the mandolin slicer, julienne cut, cubes and half- moons

• Vary your dressings- my favourites include simple squeeze of lemon, apple cider vinegar with mother, wholegrain mustard dressing and homemade pesto

• Add seeds- surprising what a change each different seeds can make to the taste. Abundance to choose from: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, black onion seeds and etc.

• Add sprouts, as it's the sprout season! If you don't yet grow your own, top your salads with these nutrient power- houses, as they're much easier to find this time of the year. Have you tried sunflower or pea sprouts?

Here I'm sharing my favourite go- to, super easy and quick side salad recipes.

Tomato and red onion salad

I have a huge attachment to this salad as it takes me back straight to my childhood!

Serves: 2

Time: 5 min

Ingredients:

10 red and yellow cherry or plum tomatoes

OR

3 medium size seasonal tomatoes (add some heirloom tomatoes when in season)

1/4 of medium sized red onion

OR

10 sprigs of fresh chives

Himalayan salt and pepper for seasoning

3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

handful of cress

Method:

1. Chop the cherry tomatoes in half or cube regular tomatoes and add to a bowl.

2. Chop the red onion to half- moons or chop chives, add to the bowl.

3. Add seasoning, olive oil and cress.

Serve and enjoy!

Massaged kale, sunflower and cranberry salad

Massaged kale side salad is an excellent way to get maximum benefits from another nutrition powerhouse- kale. Packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, kale can be a little astringent and harsh in taste if you're not used to it. This is exactly why massaging it is the way to go- this softens the taste and helps the body absorb more goodness from kale.

Serves: 2

Time: 7 min

Ingredients:

2-3 large kale leaves

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 fresh lemon

1 tsp Himalayan or Celtic salt

1 tbsp dried cranberries (no added sugar)

1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Method:

1. Pull kale leaves from the stem and tear up some larger bits, so they are bite- sized. Add to a bowl.

2. Add olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

3. Start to gently massage the leaves, similar to a kneading action. Continue for 2-5 min until the leaves soften and become of a lighten green colour.

4. Add cranberries and sunflower seeds.

Serve and enjoy!

Asian cucumber and carrot salad

Another of my go-to favourite, super quick and easy salads when you get stuck for ideas. Oriental additions easily turn the familiar ingredients into a real feast for the tastebuds.

Serves: 2

Time: 7 min

Ingredients:

1/2 large cucumber or one medium- sized summer cucumber

1 large carrot, peeled

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp tamari sauce

Method:

1. Using mandolin slicer grate cucumber and carrot into a bowl.

2. Add sesame seeds and tamari and mix well.

Serve and enjoy!

#salad #seasonal #sides #easyrecipe #recipe #vegetables #vegan #vegetarian #tomato #seeds #sprouts #kale #carrot #cucumber #sesameseeds