Lunchtime Salad

My lunch on fasting days has to fulfil lots of competing needs. It needs to be quick to prepare, and portable in case I need to go out. It must be really tasty and it has to be fulfilling. I need to feel as if I have eaten at the end of the meal, and that sense of satisfaction must last through until dinner time. I'm learning that a salad based around pulses meets these objectives. The pulses provide protein, which means I will feel full for a longer period of time. (I know this because if I skip on protein and have a vegetable soup then I get really hungry later and and I get ratty as well!) As with all dishes, I'm looking for a balance of flavours – sweet/sharp/salt – and of textures – crisp/soft/crunchy. The greater the contrast, the more varied and interesting each mouthful of the salad will taste. A word about salad leaves – I only include leaves if they're worth eating: This recipe uses rocket which is peppery and bitter. Iceburg and round lettuce have no flavour, so for me they don't add anything to a salad.  These quantities make more than I can eat in one sitting, so I can top up later in the day if I need a snack, or finish it with my supper.

Bean & Mangetout Salad (Serves Two)     

240g   Drained and rinsed beans                 

50g   Mangetout, parboiled for 2 mins          

2   Celery sticks chopped                          

12   Cherry tomatoes halved                        

1/2  Cucumber chopped                            

1   Red pepper/capsicum diced                   

1/2  Green pepper/capsicum diced             

50g  Home pickled beetroot                        

1  Apple                                                      

100g  Rocket                                               

Dressing:  Juice of 1 lemon with 1 tbsp soy                

Method

Mix all the ingredients except for the leaves, and dress with the lemon juice and soy sauce. When serving, put a few leaves in the bottom of a bowl and cover with the salad. Beans and pulses differ in their calorific value – as a guide you're looking for about 100 cals per 100g. At 40 cals per serving the apple is a bit of a luxury, but having something sweet really improves the eating.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving)

Calories 240

Total Fat 3.0g

Sat Fat 0.5g

Cholesterol 0.0mg

Total Carbs 44.5g

Fibre 11.2g

Sugars 12.9g

Protein 11.7g