Meal prepping seems that much easier in the summer when salads are often the order of the day. Check out our healthy salad recipes that will make your lunchtimes zing and give you sufficient energy to keep working hard throughout the rest of the day!
1. Fresh Pesto Chicken Salad
Grill some de-skinned chicken pieces, allow them to cool and shred them. Next, make your fresh pesto sauce with cashew nuts, fresh basil, a clove of garlic and olive oil. Combine them in a blender until you have a smooth paste. Next, combine the pesto with the chicken and allow them to marinate overnight. Add chopped lettuce, spring onions and cucumber to complete the dish.
2. Classic Greek Salad
Cut salad tomatoes into quarters and combine the pieces with chopped cucumber and a little celery. Next, thinly slice half a red onion and add to the mix along with some fresh or freeze-dried oregano. Now, put in a handful of Kalamata olives and dress with a tablespoon of extra virgin oil. Season to taste and add some diced feta cheese to complete the salad to perfection!
3. Cajun Chicken and Sweet Potato Salad
Bake lean chicken breast and half a sweet potato cut into chip-sized chunks on a tray at 200°C for half an hour. Pre-heat the oven before putting the contents in and remember to sprinkle everything with Cajun spice mix. Use paprika and garlic powder if you don’t have any. Spray with olive or vegetable oil once or twice as you bake, especially if your oven is fan-assisted. Once the cooking is complete and everything has cooled, combine your ingredients with cherry tomatoes, baby leaf spinach and avocado. Dress with the juice of half a lemon.
4. Peppered Mackerel and Capsicum Salad
Buy a pack of smoked and peppered mackerel. Chop the fish up roughly, being sure to keep the skin on where possible. Next, thinly slice a white onion and sprinkle it over the top along with slices of capsicum, or green peppers. You can also use red or yellow peppers if you have them. Garnish with flat-leaf parsley and add some dried chilli flakes if you want a bit of a hit! Dress with a light vinaigrette.
5. Tuna, Macaroni and Olives Salad
This is a good one if you will be exercising after work and need some carbohydrates. Boil some freeze-dried macaroni and strain it when cooked. Mix it with the contents of a tin of spring water tuna and combine them both with one or two tablespoons of light mayonnaise. Add salt, pepper and a few stoned green olives. This salad tastes good with coriander leaves but you can use any herb you prefer.
6. Salmon, Grapefruit and Lentil Salad
Cut a salmon steak into chunks, place it in a microwaveable bag and heat it in the microwave until it is cooked through but still moist. Next, cut a grapefruit in two and scoop out half the contents being careful to keep the pips out. After that, add some green lentils. Tinned ones are fine but you can use dried ones so long as you soak them overnight beforehand. Add red wine vinegar, some quartered radishes, a little cucumber, a few chopped rocket leaves, salt and pepper.