Winter Salads

Avoid that winter weight with some yummy salads perfect for the cool, rainy days ahead. We have gathered some delicious winter salads to keep you fed and healthy during the South Africa’s coldest of days.

Photo by mali maeder from Pexels

HALLOUMI, CARROT AND ORANGE SALAD

Serve this scrumptious Halloumi, Carrot and Orange salad in under 20 minutes. Top it off with some honey and mustard dressing for some added flavour!

Ingredients:

• 1½ tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 1½ tsp honey
• Olive oil
• 2 large peeled carrots
• 225g sliced halloumi
• 100g of baby spinach
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 oranges

Method:

STEP 1

Peel your oranges before separating and slicing them using a small, serrated knife. Be sure to catch any juices in a bowl. Add in mustard, vinegar, honey, olive oil to the bowl and mix well. Toss in some salt and pepper to taste.

STEP 2

Using a vegetable peeler, peel carrot ribbons into the salad bowl and toss gently. Heat a drizzle of oil onto a frying pan and cook the halloumi for a few minutes until golden on both sides. Toss the spinach through the dressed carrots. Arrange the spinach mixture on plates and top with the oranges and halloumi.

Photo by Rodolfo Quirós from Pexels

SPINACH SALD

This simple spinach salad can be served as a side or afternoon snack.

Ingredients

• 140g fresh spinach
• 1 apple, thinly sliced
• 1/3 of crumbled feta
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup sliced almonds, roasted

FOR DRESSING

• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Step One

In a medium sized bowl, add in all dressing ingredients and whisk until completely incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. 

Step Two

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Evenly pour on the dressing and toss until well combined. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD

Got some leftover chicken from last nights roast? Here’s a delicious way to make sure it doesn’t go to waste!

Ingredients:

• 2 thick slices of sourdough bread
• 1 tbsp + 100ml olive oil
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5 anchovy fillets
• 1 lemon
• 50g Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2-3 tbsp cold water
• 150g cavolo nero
• 2 shallots
• 200g leftover roast chicken

Method:

Step One
Tear the sourdough bread into small pieces. Pour 1 tbsp oil into a large frying pan and warm to a medium high heat. Place bread into the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fry the bread for 4-5 minutes on either side until golden and crispy. Remove bread from pan and set aside.

Step Two

For the dressing separate the egg and add the yolk to the food processor. Peel and grate in the garlic. Add the anchovy fillets. Grate in the lemon zest and squeeze in the juice and allow the processor to run until combined. Add Parmesan cheese. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. With the processor still running slowly trickle in the remaining 100ml oil till fully combined into a thick sauce. Swirl in 2-3 tbsp cold water, till the dressing is the thickness of single cream.

Step Three

Strip the cavolo nero leaves away from any stalks. Finely chop the cavolo nero leaves into small pieces then tip into a large bowl. Add most of the dressing into the bowl and massage into the cavolo nero leaves, scrunching together for around 2-3 minutess, till well combined. Pop the bowl to one side and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Step Four

Peel and slice the shallots and add them to the cavolo nero. Shred leftover roast chicken and add to the bowl, along with the fried bread. Toss together till well combined, adding more dressing if needed. Serve immediately.

When the winter weather has you reaching for stews, curries and the like – here is a little reminder that salads can be nutritious winter meal options too. Avoid that unnecessary winter weight gain with some yummy salads perfect for those colder days.