Over the last few weeks, the temperature has definitely dropped here! Last Saturday morning, I spent a cold half hour scraping ice from my car windows. Yes, winter is here.
A lot of my clients are finding the cold weather a bit challenging when it comes to sticking to lunchtime salads. It’s true that when it’s cold, sometimes a salad doesn’t quiet “cut it”. It’s important to keep eating those vegetables though! You could try soup, (which I have nearly every day for lunch in this weather),or go for a warm salad.
There are lots of really lovely warm salad recipes around. I think it’s much more fun to invent your own.
Building your salad is just the same process as if you were making a summer salad – but with a few tweaks.
First pick your base- the leafy bit. In colder weather, this should be a leaf that can be eaten warmed – such as rocket, spinach or kale.
Then add your colours and lovely vegetables – go for Mediterranean style roasted vegetables– tomato, onion, beetroot, carrot, roasted florets of cauliflower or broccoli, squash, courgettes, beans, roasted peppers, mushroom, corn, pumpkin, asparagus, olives. Anything goes. It’s wise to cook up an extra portion in the evening to have with your lunch.
Pop in some protein- add lean meats, chicken, fish such as salmon or mackerel, lentils and beans, chickpeas, feta, halloumi, falafels or egg.
Chuck in some carbs- examples that warm up nicely include new potatoes, sweet potato, quinoa, couscous, spelt, rice or pasta.
Top off with some good fats, herbs, flavours and dressings – try adding avocado, seeds and nuts and even warmed fruit.
The sky is the limit with warm salads. You don’t have to face cold cucumber and lettuce on a frosty day.
Try playing around with ingredients an see what you come up with.
