Super salads that will fill you up

OFTEN it can be a struggle to find healthy food to eat on the go, especially if lunch is a highcarbohydrate sandwich or filled jacket potato.

But with a little planning, you can pack up something delicious and different every day. Here are some yummy alternatives to the standard sandwich — simple salads that not only taste great, but will fill you up, too.

Use cos or Little Gem lettuce leaves as ‘wraps’ instead of a starchy taco or tortilla.

Salmon and avocado wrap SERVES 1

1 avocado 4 outer leaves from a cos or little gem lettuce 100g smoked salmon Squeeze of lemon juice 1 tsp sesame seeds

• CALORIES 470 • PROTEIN 26g • FAT 50g• FIBRE 7g • CARBS 5g

MasH the avocado and spoon it into the base of each lettuce leaf. add a strip of smoked salmon, a squeeze of lemon, a grinding of black pepper and scatter with the sesame seeds, then roll up the lettuce and wrap in cling film.

Orange and sardine salad

SERVES 2 one 2 of oranges them) (including the zest of 1 tbsp olive oil Juice of half a lemon 100g watercress ½ red onion, thinly sliced Handful of tarragon or coriander leaves, torn 120g tin sardines in oil, drained (or fresh sardines if available) 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

• CALORIES 320 • PROTEIN 19g • FAT 19g• FIBRE 4g • CARBS 19g

MakE a dressing by whisking together orange zest, oil and lemon juice with salt and pepper. Peel both oranges and cut into slices. arrange watercress, onion and tarragon leaves in sealable container, add orange slices, then sardines. Drizzle over dressing and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

TIP: Buy fresh sardines that have been scaled and gutted, with heads and gills removed (two per person). Rub with olive oil, salt and pepper, and cook on a griddle for five minutes, turning once.

Moroccan chickpea salad

SERVES 4 200g quinoa 350ml vegetable stock 400g tin chickpeas, drained 1 tbsp olive oil Juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp ras el hanout (or paprika) 8 cherry tomatoes, halved ¼ cucumber, deseeded and diced 100g pomegranate seeds or raisins 4 spring onions, finely chopped Handful of mint or coriander leaves 2 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted

• CALORIES 400 • PROTEIN 15g • FAT 14g• FIBRE 8g • CARBS 60g

PLacE the quinoa in a saucepan with the stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10-15 mins until the stock has been absorbed. Remove from heat, cover and leave to stand for five minutes. Put chickpeas in a bowl and add the oil, lemon and spice. Mix well to coat then add the quinoa and all other ingredients and toss together. season with salt and pepper and serve.

Pear and goat’s cheese salad SERVES 2

2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp cider vinegar 2 heads of chicory 1 pear, cored and sliced 60g goat’s cheese, diced Handful of rocket leaves 2 tbsp hazelnuts, toasted

• CALORIES 310 • PROTEIN 9g • FAT 26g• FIBRE 4g • CARBS 12g

wHisk together oil and vinegar with some salt and pepper.

Discard outer leaves of the chicory and separate the rest from the stalk. arrange leaves on two plates, with the pear slices and cheese on top. Drizzle over the dressing and scatter the rocket leaves and nuts on top.