Category: Salads

¼ small red cabbage
¼ small green cabbage
1 large carrot, grated
1 dessert apple, cored and chopped
1 spring onion, chopped
14g/½oz raisins
½ tsp celery seeds (optional)
85g/3oz fat-free natural yogurt
1 tsp cider vinegar
fresh or dried dill
salt and pepper

1. Finely shred the red cabbage with the green cabbage and mix with the carrot.

2. Add the dessert apple, spring onion, raisins and celery seeds.

3. Mix with the very low fat natural yogurt, 1 tsp cider vinegar and some fresh or dried dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4 tbsp chicken stock made with Borvil
2 tbsp nam pla
2 tsp mild or medium curry powder
24 tiger prawns
1 tbsp very finely chopped lemongrass
3 small shallots, peeled and very finely chopped
¼ tsp artificial sweetener
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 small cucumber, cut into thin shreds with a vegetable peeler

To Serve
light soy sauce

1. Place the stock, nam pla and curry powder in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the prawns and cook for 3-4 minutes or until opaque and just cooked through.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, stir and cook for 1 minute and then remove from the heat.

3. Divide the warmed salad between four warmed bowls and serve immediately with light soy sauce to drizzle over.

800g baby new potatoes
4 red apples
4 celery sticks
6 spring onions
a bunch of chives
28g/1oz baby spinach leaves
2 gherkins
100g pot fat-free natural fromage frais
1 level tsp Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Halve the potatoes, place in a pan of boiling water and cook until tender. Drain, cool and place in a bowl.

2. Prepare the remaining salad ingredients: core the apples and cut into bite-sized pieces; thinly slice the celery and spring onions and chop the chives. Add to the bowl along with the spinach leaves.

3. Finely chop the gherkins, place in a small bowl with the remaining ingredients, pour over the salad and toss to mix. Serve immediately.

Tip: Look out for small, waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte potatoes – they work especially well in this recipe.

225g dried seashell pasta shapes or any short-shaped pasta
150g French beans, trimmed
1 cucumber, cut into 1.5cm dice
100g cherry tomatoes, halved and quartered
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
6 large gherkins, chopped
2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
100g bottled roasted red peppers in brine, drained and roughly chopped
2 x 185g cans tuna steak in spring water, drained and flaked

for the pesto
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
50g fresh basil, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
4 level tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
100g fat free natural fromage frais
100ml vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, adding the French beans for the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain and rinse under cool running water. Drain again and set aside.

2. Meanwhile make the pesto by placing all the pesto ingredients in a food processor. Blend until well mixed and fairly smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and blend again briefly. Transfer to a bowl and season well.

3. Place the cooked pasta and beans in a wide salad bowl and spoon over the pesto. Add all the remaining ingredients and toss to mix well. Check the seasoning and serve immediately.

340g/12oz dried pasta tubes or spirals
½ red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
½ yellow pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
½ green pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
340g/12oz cooked leftover chicken, skinned and cut in strips
5 tbsp fat free vinaigrette dressing
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley

1. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling lightly salted water, according to the packet instructions, until it is cooked and just tender. Drain well, refresh under running cold water and drain again. Set aside to cool.

2. Put the peppers, tomatoes, cooked chicken and pasta in a large bowl and mix gently together.

454g/1lb new potatoes in their skins, chopped
pinch of salt
227g/8oz fat free natural cottage cheese
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
2 eating apples, chopped
2 gherkins, chopped
2 tsp dried dill
57g/2oz seedless grapes, halved
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 level tbsp reduced-calorie salad cream

1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Add the salt, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain and allow to cool.

2. Meanwhile, place the cottage cheese in a blender and puree. Transfer to a bowl, add the potatoes and remaining ingredients and mix together. Serve with a crisp, green salad.

340g/12oz dried pasta
198g/7oz fresh peas
198g/7oz cherry tomatoes
1 red onion
400g can red kidney beans, drained
400g can baked beans in tomato sauce
57g/2oz baby spinach leaves
basil leaves, to garnish

For the dressing
2 garlic cloves
142g/5oz fat free natural fromage frais
2 tbsp freshly chopped basil
2 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, drain, refresh in cold water and place in a large bowl.

2. Place the peas in a pan of boiling water for a few minutes until cooked, drain and add to the pasta. Halve the cherry tomatoes, thinly slice the onion and add to the bowl with the kidney beans, baked beans and spinach. Toss well to mix.

3. Make the dressing. Crush the garlic, place in a bowl and stir in the fromage frais, herbs and seasoning.

4. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss gently and serve, garnished with fresh basil leaves.

1 large cos lettuce
57g/2oz anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained and chopped

for the Croutons:
2 x 28g/1oz slices crusty white bread
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsps olive oil

for the Dressing:
85ml/3 fl oz fat free vinaigrette dressing
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 tsp Dijon mustard
juice of 1 lemon
dash of Worcestershire sauce
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 level tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1. Wash the lettuce and separate it into leaves. If they are very large, tear them into smaller pieces. Put them in a large salad bowl with the drained anchovy fillets.

2. Make the croutons: cut the bread into small dice and place in a bowl with the garlic and olive oil. Toss lightly together.

3. Put the cubes of bread on a baking tray sheet and cook in a preheated oven at 180ºC/Gas 4 for 5-10 minutes, until they are really crisp and golden. Set aside to cool, then add the croutons to the salad leaves in the bowl.

4. Blend all the dressing ingredients together and pour over the lettuce, croutons and anchovies. Toss gently together and serve the salad immediately.