Gherkin, Date and Broad Bean Salad with Goji Berries and Seeds - Vegan and Dairy Free

Picking and podding broad beans is so satisfying. Although it takes a while, and you're left with very little; what you get is so delicious and precious, that you cherish every bite. I love them in salads.

Ingredients (serves 4)

for the salad -

 - 5 handfuls of chopped lettuce

- 3 gherkins, chopped

- 4 dates, pitted and chopped

- 1 handful of broad beans (cooked like peas for a few minutes and left to cool)

- 1 handful of goji berries

- pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, linseeds and sesame seeds to sprinkle

for the dressing -

- 170ml olive oil

- 50ml balsamic vinegar 

- 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard

- a pinch of sugar

- 1 tsp worcester sauce

- salt and pepper

1. Shake all the ingredients for the dressing in a jam jar until fully mixed and pour it over the scrumptious salad. 

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Celeriac and Lentil Salad with Mint and Roasted Hazelnuts - Vegan and Dairy Free

This is a delicious, easy and super healthy summer salad with lots of flavour! It can be eaten on it's own, with a lettuce salad or with a nice piece of fresh fish.

Ingredients (serves 4 as a side)

1/2 a packet/tin of Merchant Gourmet Ready to Eat Puy Lentils (250g)

1/2 a celeriac, peeled and chopped into small chunks

2 tbsp good quality olive oil

1 1/2 handfuls hazelnuts, roasted

leaves off 4 large mint stalks, finely chopped

salt and pepper

1. Start by boiling the celeriac in a saucepan for roughly 12 minutes, until tender but still a little hard. 

2. While you are cooking the celeriac, prepare the other ingredients. Put the hazelnuts in a frying pan and roast them for 4 minutes on a medium heat, frequently moving them so they don't burn. 

3. Empty the lentils into a bowl, add the chopped mint and olive oil.

4. Once the celeriac is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water so that it cools down quicker. When it is cold, place it in the bowl. Roughly chop the roasted hazelnuts and also put them in the bowl. Mix the dish thoroughly before serving.

Marinaded Garlic and Mint Courgette Salad with Cheat Aberdeen Beef

I was so happy to find some reduced off cuts of Aberdeen beef on the meat counter in Waitrose. Reduced by £7, at a whopping value of £1.50, it will probably last me for three or four meals! Don't let these bargains pass you by, I always buy reduced items as it is a great way to save money and buy things you wouldn't normally look at. 

This is a super easy recipe and the courgette salad can be eaten with just about anything. Some people might be skeptical about trying raw courgette, but once marinaded, you won't be able to tell the difference. Use some of the same garlic, mint dressing to coat the rest of the salad.

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 courgette, sliced thinly using a peeler or cheese slicer

leaves off 4 sprigs of mint, finely chopped

6 tbsp good quality olive oil

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 clove of garlic, crushed

salt and pepper

Crush the garlic in a pestle and mortar and then add the oil and vinegar. Marinade the courgette in this mixture along with the chopped mint and let the courgette soak up all the goodness. It lasts for a good while in the fridge, and is great as a substitute for salad.