Tabbouleh is a traditional North African salad that is very refreshing. You should experiment with the amount of parsley or mint you use, to get the flavour you enjoy best.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cup bulgar
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/3 cup fine extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chick peas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 2-3 tomatoes, chopped fine
• 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped fine
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Steps

1. Bring water to the boil and add bulgar. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
2. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, mustard, spcies and oil. Whisk hard.
3. Pour the dressing over the bulgar and toss with fork.
4. Cover and cool the bulgar in the fridge, preferably for at least 4 hours.
5. Combine chick peas, onion, tomatoes, cucumber and pine nuts.
6. Add mint and parsley. Toss gently so as not to bruise the herbs.
7. Stir in the bulgar. Serve.

This recipe makes enough salad for 3 people

Ingredients

• 2 medium sized white potatoes, cooked and diced
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1-1/2 T light mayonnaise or creamy salad dressing
• 1 tsp prepared mustard
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1 egg, hard boiled and cut in slices or wedges
• 1/4 head iceberg lettuce
• paprika
• pepper

Steps

1. Toss the diced cooked potatoes in the vinegar and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes so the potatoes can soak up the flavours
2. In a small bowl, mix the dressing, mustard and celery seed.
3. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and toss lightly.
4. Sprinkle with pepper and paprika.
5. Serve over the lettuce and decorate with wedges or slices of egg

Adding fruit to a green salad adds a new taste dimension whether it’s tart like green apples or mellow like blueberries. The trick is to match the flavours with the dressings.

Ingredients

• 1 head of romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh peas
• 2 shallots, sliced on the bias
• 1/4 cup water chestnuts, sliced
• 1 granny smith apple, peeled and sliced
• honey dijon dressing

Steps

1. Marinate the apple in the dressing
2. Toss the greens together in a salad bowl
3. Add the apples and toss again.

With the variety of salad dressings available in the marketplace, it’s easy to zest up a salad with little work. Changing the greens or adding a dash of herbs or hot sauce can make a huge difference to the overall flavour. Experiment and enjoy.

Ingredients

• Red leaf lettuce
• green onions, sliced
• celery, chopped small
• thai salad dressings
• 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
• 2 ripe mangos, peeled, and diced

Steps

1. Tear the lettuce into bite size pieces
2. Place lettuce, onions and celery in a large salad bowl
3. Pour on the salad dresssing and toss lightly
4. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts
5. Stir in the mangos

Low fat yogurt makes this salad creamy and balances the spark of radish and the cool of cucumbers.

Ingredients

• 6 inches of cucumber, sliced
• 4 large radishes, sliced
• 2 T shallots, minced
• 2 T green onions, stalks only, chopped on the bias
• 1 T fresh mint, chopped
• 1/2 cup low fat plain (not vanilla) yogurt
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 T white wine
• 2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
• dash of black pepper

Steps

1. Place the vegetables and mint in a salad bowl.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, coriander and white wine.
3. Pour dressig over the vegetables and toss lightly.
4. Sprinkle with the cilantro and pepper.
5. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Makes about 4 servings.

This salad is highlighted with sweet grilled fruit and sharp Halloumi cheese.

You will need a bowl, sharp knife, grilling basket, heat proof spatula, BBQ tongs and a BBQ.

Ingredients

• 2 peaches, fresh, scrubbed and sliced
• 1 pineapple, fresh, cored and cut into cubes (or use a very well drained tin of pineapple chunks)
• 2 T light vegetable oil
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 T fresh mint, chopped fine
• 8 oz Halloumi cheese
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T fresh basil, chopped
• Mix of salad greens
• 2 T pecans, chopped
• balsamic vinegar dressing

Steps

1. Combine the peaches and pineapple in a bowl with the oil, nutmeg and mint. Let stand.
2. Thick slice the cheese and drizzle with olive oil  and sprinkle with basil.
3. Heat the barbecue.
4. Layer the fruit in the bottom of a grilling basket and grill for 10 minutes.
5. Turn the fruit and grill for 10 minutes.
6. Place the cheese slices on the grill. Grill for 10 minutes.
7. Slice the cheese into strips.
8. On a large plate, arrange salad greens. Add the fruit and cover with cheese and pecans.
9. Drizzle with oil/vinegar dressing.

With the addition of a protein like chickpeas, boiled eggs or chicken strips, a salad is a quick to prepare dinner that sparkles on the tongue.

Ingredients

• 8 eggs, sliced into wedges
• 6 oz of spinach, shredded
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 cucumber, sliced or cubed
• 1 tin of mandarin oranges, drained

Dressing

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup venegar
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard
• dash of pepper
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 eggs

Steps

1. Beat together 2 eggs, sugar and water and microwave on high for 1 minute
2. Stir in the vinegar, mustard and pepper and return to the microwave.
3. Microwave for 2 minutes, whisking the dressing halfway through cooking.
4. Toss together the spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and cucumber.
5. Drizzle with warm dressing
6. Garnish with egg wedges and mandarins

For variety

• Add chicken strips, tuna, or grated cheddar cheese.
• Substitute raspberry vinegar for the dressing.