Power salad

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Ingredients

Almond dressing

1 lemon, juiced

½ cup of Extra virgin olive oil

½ cup of soaked almonds, drained

½ tsp mustard powder

1 tsp honey or agave nectar

Salad

4 organic apples, seeded and diced

2 cups of seedless grapes, halved

3 arms of celery, chopped

2 courgettes, chopped in cubes

1 cup walnuts

1 handful of any mixed herbs, chopped

Method

1. Place lemon juice, honey, mustard, and olive oil in blender with ¼ cup of almonds.

2. Blend until smooth consistency only adding more almonds for thickness.

3. Add water if necessary to blend and to get the right consistency for you.

4. Mix the dressing with salad ingredients.

5. Sprinkle herbs on top.

Nutrient Information

• Almonds are very rich source of calcium.  They contain protein and fibre and are high in antioxidants selenium and vitamin E.
• Lemon are an excellent source of vitamin C an antioxidant that is vital for a strong immune system.
• Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that helps protect against heart disease.
• Agave nectar has a low Glycaemic Index which causes a slower rise in blood sugar, much more healthier than sugay.
• Honey is antimicrobial and full of antioxidants
• Apples is a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin C and phytonutrients
• Grapes may help reduce the risk of heart disease due to the quercetin and resveratrol
• Celery is great at helping to lower blood pressure due to the coumarin compounds, contains good amounts of vitamin C, sodium and potassium so very good for the electrolytes of the body especially after training.
• Courgettes are high in vitamin A, C, E and mainly found in the skin are all good for streagthening the immune system.
• Walnuts contain the essential fats omega 3 and omega 6 which are helpful for the cardiovascular system, skin and brain health.

Super Green Pesto

Ingredients

50g watercress

50g baby leaf spinach

2 handfuls of any of the following:

• dandelion leaves
• parsley leaves (curley or flat leaf)
• basil leaves
• rocket leaves
• coriander leaves

1 tbsp of pine nuts

1 tbsp of either virgin olive oil, hemp oil, or flax oil

½ lemon juice

Method

1. Whiz all ingredients together in a blender or food process until a smooth     consistency.

2. Enjoy on toast, bread, or oatcakes use instead of butter and try it with tuna on top.  Try it as a dip with cut up vegetable slices, or add to pasta or grilled fish.  It can be made into a delicious salad dressing if more oil and lemon juice is added to thin the consistency.

3. Experiment with the flavour by adding either, a clove of garlic, sundried tomatoes, artichokes, or even walnuts instead of pine nuts.

Storage

Keep in a container with a lid for up to a week in the fridge.  Keep in a jar and add more oil if storing as a dressing in the fridge.

Nutritional information:

• Watercress contains vitamin B6, C, and manganese
• Spinach contains up to 13 different flavonoid compounds which act as antioxidants helping the body fight disease.  It also contains vitamin K, A, manganese and folate.
• Basil contains volatile oils that are anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial.
• Dandelion leaves act as a natural diuretic which helps with water retention.  Also great for bones and teeth as contains calcium, magnesium and vitamin K.
• Parsley contains 3 times as much vitamin C as oranges and 2 times as much iron as spinach.   The volatile oils and flavonoids help in fighting against many diseases.  A super herb to add to any dish.
• Rocket contains vitamin C and dietary fibre.  Vitamin C helps protect the body from infection and important for healthy teeth and gums.
• Coriander helps control blood sugar, cholesterol and free radical production due to its phytonutrient content.
• Pine nuts are a good source of fibre, they contain monounsaturated fats which help protect the heart and also contain pinoleic acid which stimulates hormones and helps suppress appetite.

Smoked Mackerel Pate

Ingredients

• 1 packet of smoked mackerel or 2 tins of mackerel
• 2 tbsp organic Bio live low fat yoghurt
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tsp creamed horseradish or 1 tsp of mustard powder
• Lots of fresh dill
• Black pepper to taste

Method

1. Remove skin from mackerel and place in blender/food processor. Add all ingredients and blend.

2. If you haven’t got a blender then just mash the mackerel with a fork along with the lemon juice and slowly add the rest of the ingredients to it.

This paté is great on oatcakes, rye bread or as a dip for vegetables.  Perfect for snacking on and or even having for breakfast as it is a great source of protein.

Storing

The paté stores well in the fridge for a couple of days in an air-tight container or freezes well.

Please don’t waste the remainder of the dill, chop or blend the dill and place into ice cube trays with a little water and freeze. These cubes are handy when you come to make the paté again or add to stews and stirfry’s. Again freeze the lemon by squeezing into an ice cube tray for future pates. De-freeze the cubes in a tiny amount of boiling water and throw in the blender or better still have a cup of warm water every morning with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Nutritional information:

• Mackerel is one of the richest sources of omega 3. This essential fatty acid helps to make the blood less sticky which helps to reduce the risk of clots making it excellent for good heart health.  It is also an anti-inflammatory and also helps balance hormones.
• Bio low fat yoghurt usually contain selected probiotic cultures (lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacteria) which help aid digestion.
• Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C an antioxidant that is vital for a strong immune system.
• Horseradish is an expectorant, it has been known to aid digestion by stimulating gastric secretions.
• Mustard contains a good source of selenium, helpful for growth of the skin, nails and hair.
• Dill is anti-bacterial and contains calcium, magnesium and iron.