Pear & grape salad

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons skimmed milk
• 225g/8oz low-fat cottage
• cheese, whipped
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 large pears, halved, peeled and cored
• 8 iceberg lettuce leaves
• 20 seedless white grapes, halved

• Mix the milk with the cottage cheese and sugar, and blend until of a spreadin consistency.

• Put the pear halves on the lettuce leaves, cut side down, and frost generously with the cottage cheese.

• Press the grapes, cut side down, into the cottage cheese.

• Chill the salad for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Couscous & haddock salad

Ingredients:

• 175g/6oz couscous
• 100g/4oz cooked, flaked
• smoked haddock
• 50g/2oz cooked green peas
• pinch of curry powder
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 1 small egg, hard-boiled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed
• lemon juice
• salt and freshly ground
• black pepper

serves 2

• Cook the couscous according to  the packet instructions.

• Mix the couscous with the haddock, peas, curry powder, spring onions and chopped egg.

• Toss with the olive oil and lemon juice, and season with plenty of salt and pepper.

Rice salad

Ingredients

• 300g/11oz long-grain rice 
• 75g/3oz frozen peas
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 1 green pepper, finely diced
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 275g/10oz canned sweetcorn
• kernels, drained
• 15g/1⁄2 oz fresh mint, chopped

For the dressing

• 125ml/4fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed
• lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Bring a large heavy pan of water to the boil, and stir in the rice. Return to the boil and cook for 12–15 minutes until tender. Drain and cool.

• Cook the peas in a small pan of boiling water for about 2 minutes. Rinse under cold water. Drain well.

• To make the dressing, whisk together the oil, juice, garlic and sugar in a small jug, then season with salt and pepper.

• Combine the rice, peas, spring onions, peppers, sweetcorn and mint in a large bowl.

• Pour over the dressing and mix well. Cover the salad with cling film, and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Beetroot & yogurt salad

Ingredients:

• 350g/12oz cooked beetroot,
• chopped into bite-sized cubes
• 2 large gherkins, chopped into large chunks
• 4 tablespoons Greek-style yogurt
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped
• fresh dill, to garnish

• Put the beetroot and gherkins in a large serving bowl.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the yogurt and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.
• Pour this mixture over the beetroot and gherkins, and stir. Sprinkle with fresh dill and serve.

Spinach, feta & pear salad

Ingredients

• 2 dessert pears such as Comice,
• peeled, cored and sliced
• 4 tablespoons walnut oil
• 100g/4oz baby spinach leaves
• 175g/6oz feta cheese, diced
• 75g/3oz walnut pieces
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed
• lemon juice
• freshly ground black pepper

• Toss the pears in a little of the oil.

• In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, feta cheese and walnut pieces. Gently stir in the pears.

• Whisk together the lemon juice and remaining oil, and season with pepper. Drizzle over the salad.

• Refrigerate, covered, until required