Easy Salad Meal

Easy Salad Meal: 4 Servings

4 closed fistfuls of chopped green leafy vegetables eg kale, silverbeet
2-3 closed fistfuls of chopped ‘other vegetables’ that can include different food colours (aim for 5 food colours total) eg grated carrots, chopped capsicums, chopped green or red cabbage
4-6 palm sizes of a protein eg white fish fillets, rump steak, chicken breast, boneless chicken thighs, pork loin chops, lamb rump, beans and lentils, tofu, tempeh
3 thumb sizes of chopped avocado or other fat source eg nuts and seeds
1 tablespoon of olive oil or other oil for dressing
1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice for dressing
2 tablespoon of olive oil or other oil for cooking
Salt and pepper

Prepare the base of your salad first by adding into a large mixing bowl:
• Chopped green vegetables
• Chopped ‘other’ vegetables
• Nuts or seeds
• Salt and pepper
Cook your protein:
• Trim fat off of the meat if necessary (steaks or chops can have a thick cap of fat running along one side)
• Cut into bite sized pieces
• Coat in cooking oil
• Fry pieces in a medium-hot frying pan or roast in the oven at 180° celsius until cooked
Note: You can cook meats whole if you have the time as well, just be aware that the larger it is the longer it will take to cook
Make the dressing while the meat is cooking:
• Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of vinegar with a pinch of salt and pepper
• Add to large mixing bowl with salad base and toss in order to coat the vegetables evenly
Enjoy with the protein on the side or incorporated in the salad

Getting in a variety of different textures in your salad makes the experience more balanced.
As you become more proficient with your cooking and preparation skills, you can re-order the steps to be even faster. Eg you can start by cooking the meat whole and chopping the raw vegetables while it cooks (as long as you can cut the vegetables fast enough!).