Salads to put a spring in your step - recipes

Published Sep 14, 2013

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Johannesburg - Poppy Ntshongwana simply loves food. So when the opportunity cropped up to prepare healthy spring salads with me in the Angela Day Kitchen, she was thrilled.

The radio DJ and Audi brand ambassador admits she barely cooked this winter. “Other people may turn to food for comfort in winter, but I tend to hibernate and avoid the kitchen when it’s cold,” she says.

Ntshongwana grew up eating traditional Xhosa foods, which consisted of a lot of meat and starch, but in her teenage years she decided to become a vegetarian. It was fashionable, she says.

As she got older she realised the health benefits of this lifestyle and even tried being a strict vegan. However, she found it too difficult to sustain.

These days she likes to keep a healthy balance by eating fish and dairy.

A style icon, Poppy has won awards for her stylish outfits so she’s very conscious of keeping her figure trim.

Her favourite vegetables are butternut and sweet potato.

She absolutely loves avocados, and was thrilled that one of the salads we prepared contained some.

She enjoys entertaining friends and said these salads would go down a treat at her next dinner party.

 

PRAWN AND CHICKPEA SALAD

Serves 4

500g cooked prawns

1 bunch of spring onions, sliced

2-3 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 red pepper, diced

400g can of chickpeas,

drained and rinsed

60ml shredded basil leaves

125g wild rocket leaves

150g feta cheese, cubed

Dressing

60ml olive oil

30ml lemon juice

5ml chopped garlic

10ml honey

salt and pepper

1 small red chilli, seeded and chopped

Combine the prawns, spring onions, tomatoes, peppers and chickpeas and toss to combine.

Mix in the basil. Add three-quarters of the dressing and mix well.

Cover your serving plate with rocket. Spoon over the prawns mixture, scatter over the feta and drizzle with remaining dressing.

DRESSING: Mix all the ingredients together.

 

SMOKED TOFU SALAD WITH COCONUT DRESSING

Serves 4

Dressing

50ml coconut cream

15ml peanut oil

10ml sesame oil

5-10ml fish sauce

15ml lemon juice

30ml sweet chilli sauce

10ml honey

Salad

500ml water

3ml salt

250ml quinoa, rinsed well

15ml olive oil

200g smoked tofu, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

125g baby tomatoes, halved

half an English cucumber,

halved and sliced

125ml chopped fresh parsley

125ml chopped fresh mint

125ml toasted coconut flakes

DRESSING: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.

SALAD: Bring the water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa and return to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the water has been absorbed – 15-20 minutes.

Spread the quinoa on a baking sheet to cool for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the cubes of smoked tofu until golden. Drain on paper towel.

When the quinoa is cool, combine with the tofu and remaining ingredients and pour over the dressing.

Mix well and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with coconut flakes.

 

SMOKED SALMON SALAD

Serves 4

Dressing

80ml plain yoghurt

10-15ml horseradish sauce

15ml finely chopped dill

15ml lemon juice

pinch of salt

Salad

150g mixed salad leaves

150g smoked salmon or trout, roughly torn

125g cherry tomatoes, halved

100g black olives, pitted

edible flowers (optional) to decorate

DRESSING: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.

SALAD: Arrange the salad leaves on a platter and add the salmon and remaining ingredients.

Drizzle with the dressing before serving.

 

SPINACH AND STRAWBERRY SALAD

Serves 4

500g fresh baby spinach

250g strawberries, hulled and sliced

1-2 avocados, diced

125g feta cheese, crumbled

60ml sliced almonds, toasted

half a red onion, thinly sliced

Poppyseed Dressing

60ml avocado or olive oil

15ml apple cider vinegar

30ml honey

10ml poppy seeds

10ml Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

SALAD: Toss all ingredients together until combined.

Pour over the dressing and transfer to a serving platter.

DRESSING: Whisk all ingredients together until combined. - The Star

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