What is a salad?

So many people are put off eating salads or get bored of eating them because they equate salads with just being lettuce leaves and a bit of tomato. But they can be so much more with a bit of imagination.
Think puy lentil, pea and beetroot, wholegrain pasta salad with tomato and fresh basil, Thai style Green Papaya salad the list is endless. There really is no excuse to give up on weightloss aims simply because you think that you can't stick to eating salads. Here's two ideas to get you started - don't think of them as being the entire dish but add to a green leaf salad.

Buckwheat & Cucumber salad with mint, pomegrante and orange dressing

Ingredients
Buckwheat (40g per large serving)
1/4 Cucumber, chopped
1 apple, diced
Sprig of fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tsp of pumpkin seeds

Dressing
1 tsp Pomegrante molasses
1 tsp of rice wine vinegar
Juice of one orange

Cook the buckwheat, add the cucumber, feta cheese (or cottage cheese), pumpkin seeds and mint. Combine the dressing, pour on and serve!
Calories: 336 Carbs: 68, Protein:12, Fat:6


Wholegrain pasta with leek, tomato and feta
Ingredients
Wholegrain pasta (40g)
two tomatoes
inch of feta cheese (use cottage cheese if on Fitbitch eating plan)
2 baby leeks, chopped
Salt and Pepper to season
Dress with olive oil or orange juice if on FB eating plan.
Note that olive oil on it's own is 90calories per tbsp, 10g from fat.
Calories: 411 Carbs: 35 Protein: 14 Fat: 23

FitBitch girls share...

It's great to see so many FBitches beginning to really love the exercise but also get into eating healthily too. Here's a pic from Kate S who kindly shared a shot of her lunch (quinoa wld be better but still brill) and another fab recipe from Gilly.

Gilly's Butternut squash chilli with quinoa
(serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 large onion - finely chopped
2 garlic cloves - crushed
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 kg peeled/cubed butternut squash (you can get frozen in Waitrose- easier!)
100gr quinoa - soaked in cold water for 10 mins
2x400gr tins chopped tomatoes
400gr tin kidney beans
Handful coriander

Instructions:
Cook the onion & garlic in a small amount of stock until soft.
Add the chilli powder and cook for a further minute.
Then add the squash, quinoa and tomatoes.
Simmer for 10-15 mins until the squash and quinoa are tender and the sauce has thickened.
Add the beans and heat through.
Stir in the coriander and serve.

Any leftovers are nice for lunch the next day - hot or cold.