04 January 2011

Lemon & Tahini Salmon Salad

It is indeed that time of year when so many of us go on the annual quest for healthier living inspiration or any help at all to ensure success at one's New Year's resolutions which inevitably seem to include being healthier (exercise more), fitter (exercise more), thinner (eat less, drink less) and usually involve giving up any number of delights (or should that be vices) to get there, chocolate, alcohol,  or for me special weaknesses include chips and dips, sausage rolls, cheese and red wine - too many of which have been consumed over the last week or so.

For some reason  I am not so keen on making New Years resolutions but seem to be happy with goals , even though it is all semantics! But hey, whatever works.  So with the dawning of 2011 I am going to strike while the iron is hot as it were and make the most of the new year's zeal and make January a kick start to a healthier and slightly smaller me. So there will be an abundance of fresh vegetables and salads on Toast this month.  The pantry, the fridge and the freezer have all been cleaned and cleared and we are good to go as all temptations have left the building.

To kick things off comes this tasty, and very filling salad.  So filling in fact I had to reduce the quantities!  So no worries about going hungry, or hangrrry as Sasa  would say,  before dinner! (fabulous food blog so head over and check it out.)  This one comes via Self.com and Jillian Michaels, who certainly knows a thing or 2 about helping people lose weight, and that means tasty, filling food rather than a lettuce leaf or 2. So filling in fact I had to reduce the amount of rice.

It is quick to throw together if you plan a little ahead.  I cooked up some brown rice to have on hand for the next few days, just keep a stash in the fridge and you will always be able to throw together something tasty and filling.  I was also very virtuous in not adding any salt, a big deal for me as a salt lover and hater of poorly seasoned food.  However, with the peppery rocket and smoked salmon you can get away with no salt.


Lemon & Tahini Salmon Salad from Self

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice, I used one cup and could barely eat the whole salad.
56g / 2 oz drained canned salmon, I has some hot smoked salmon to hand and used that.
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
2 cups arugula / rocket
2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp  fresh mint, chopped

For the dressing
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

For the salad it is simply a matter of mixing all the ingredients together.  For the dressing mix together the tahini and lemon juice.  Add a little water to thin if need be.  Mix through the salad and there you have it.

And if you're interested in the nutrition, a mere 435 calories, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated, 58 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 24 g protein.

This salad is bursting with flavours and textures and doesn't leave you feeling wanting, essential when one is trying to be healthy.  A slight bite to the rice, peppery rocket, sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes, the freshness of the mint and parsley and a creamy, lemon dressing that brings it all together with the richness of the smoked salmon.  To mix it up a little, tomorrow I will add a little grilled chicken instead of the salmon.


So a good start to a healthier 2011, although I am not sure if yesterday walking around the Newmarket shops actually counts as exercise...

Enjoy!

2 comments:

  1. Yum, I feel healthier just reading about it! And yes, a trawl around the shops is def exercise, esp if you are carrying bags of goodies (remember to buy at least two bags worth of treats, keep it even on both arms....)

    ReplyDelete

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