A lot of people read “salad” on a menu and think, “Urgh boring, that won’t fill me”, but I have found some super salad recipes that are perfectly filling, healthy, and easy to make! These recipes are spot on for lunch or dinner with this amazing weather that we currently have as they are so fresh and tasty. Another good thing about these recipes is that they use quite similar ingredients and are great boxed up for lunch or dinner the next day, so don’t worry about buying in loads of fresh ingredients and throwing away any waste.

Ten-Minute Asian Beef Salad with Crispy Onions

Ingredients for 2 people:

• 250g beef strips
• 20g crispy onions
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or if you have red wine vinegar I use that to substitute)
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 little gem lettuce or bag of chopped iceberg lettuce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 5g fresh mint
• 250g microwave pouch brown basmati rice

Method:

1. Wash all fruit & veg before starting
2. Heat a large, wide-based pan with a drizzle of oil (I prefer coconut oil) over the highest heat.
3. Meanwhile rip the little gem leaves into rough, bite-sized pieces and add them to a large bowl.
4. Microwave the brown basmati rice according to packet instructions.
5. Once your pan is very hot, add the beef strips with a pinch of salt and the chilli flakes (If you’re not big on spice, go easy and don’t use them all). Cook for 2-3 mins, turning halfway and making sure to not overcook them. Once done, transfer the beef strips to the plate to rest.
6. Combine the fish sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and rice vinegar with 1 tbsp of olive oil in a small bowl. This is your salad dressing.
7. Slice the cucumber in half length ways and slice finely. Addthe cucumber, heated rice and dressing to the bowl of lettuce and give everything a mix. Pick the mint leave from their stalks.
8. Dish out the dressed salad and top with the beef strips, friend onion and mint leaves and dig in!

Nutty Chicken & Rice Salad

Ingredients;

• 2 boneless chicken thighs or 2 chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp rice (or red wine) vinegar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 cucumber
• 10g toasted sesame seeds
• 1 little gem lettuce or bag of chopped iceberg lettuce
• 1 carrot
• 250g microwave pouch basmati rice
• 1 heaped tbsp peanut butter
• 1 red chilli
• 2 spring onions
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp five-spice mix

Method:

1. Heat a large wide-based pan (with a matching lid) with a drizzle of oil (I prefer coconut oil) over a medium-high heat.
2. Once hot add the chicken with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and cook until golden on each side.
3. Meanwhile, shred the lettuce finely. Peel and grate the carrot. Trim and finely slice the spring onions. Add all together in a mixing bowl. Microwave the rice according to instructions.
4. Once the chicken is browned, reduce the heat to medium-low and sprinkle the five-spice over the chicken. Turn the chicken several times until evenly coated. Cook for 1 min further then add a splash of water and cook covered for 8 – 12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, cut the cucumber into discs and then into matchsticks. Cut half of the red chilli into rounds (save rest for later). Add the cucumber and chilli to the mixing bowl with rest of the salad.
6. Cut the remaining chilli, deseed and chop finely. Combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and chopped chilli in a small bowl. Add 1 tbsp of boiled water and mix, this is your peanut dressing.
7. Transfer the cooked chicken to a chopping board and shred using two forks – this is called “pulling”. Once shredded, season with a pinch of salt. Add the rice to the salad and dress with the peanut dressing and a drizzle of olive oil.
8. Serve the chicken over the salad and garnish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Asian Duck Salad

Ingredients for 2 people:

• Small pack of asparagus
• Small pack of tender-stem broccoli, any bigger stalks sliced in half length ways.
• 2 x 250g duck breast fillets, sliced into 1cm strips.
• Thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped.
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 4 tbsp ready-cooked quinoa
• 2 spring onion, finely sliced.
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced into thin batons.
• Hoisin sauce (garnish)

Method:

1. Take each asparagus and bend it gently until it snaps. Discard the bottom of the spear.
2. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil, then drop in the asparagus and the broccoli and simmer for a few minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.
3. Melt some oil (I prefer coconut oil) in a frying pan on a high heat. Add the duck and stir fry for a minute, then add the ginger and stir fry for another few minutes until the duck is cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil.
4. Place the cooked vegetables in a bowl then add the quinoa and duck along with all its juices.
5. Mix the whole lot and transfer to a plate topping with the spring onion, cucumber and a squirt of hoisin sauce!

I also discovered a delicious feta side-salad recipe that goes FANTASTIC with lamb. For 2 people:

• 2 handfuls pitted green olives, chopped in half
• Pack of pomegranate seeds
• 150g feta cheese, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Handful of pine nuts
• Generous drizzle olive oil

Just mix it all together and serve with your lamb chops/steaks/burgers – WOW!

I also love to make my own (spicy) guacamole that is perfect served with most things – salads, chilli, steak, nachos, etc! For 2 people;

• 2 avocado, de-stoned and diced
• 2 shallot or small red onion finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Handful of baby plum tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, chopped finely
• Juice of 1 large lime
• Small handful chopped fresh coriander

Mix everything and enjoy!

Well I really hope that at least one of the recipes that I have shared above inspire you, and would love to hear your feedback after trying them!

Contact me if you have any more questions on the above recipes. Share your pictures and comments with me here or across my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

If you would like to contact me regarding my blog / ideas on where to eat/what to cook, or would like to work with me (advertising/reviews/publishing recipes/other), then please feel free to email me on jen@jensfoodblog.com

Happy munching!

Jen

@jensfoodblog

X