Asparagus, chickpea, pea & macadamia nut salad

Just because the festive season is over and we all need to slim down after the overindulgence doesn’t mean we need to chomp on boring old lettuce… Try this delicious crunchy salad – 

perfect as a main or as a side to chicken sosaties or ostrich sausage.

Asparagus, chickpea, pea & macadamia nut salad
Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side

Ingredients
250g Asparagus
200g fresh peas, shelled
1 can chickpeas
¼ cup fresh chives, chopped finely
¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped finely
2-3 T capers, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon (1 heaped T)
Juice of one lemon (1/3 cup)
2-3 t dried red chilli flakes (or more if you like it spicier)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt & black pepper to taste
30g (1 cup) baby pea shoots
½ cup raw macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

How to make it
Trim the last 2cm off the asparagus spears and cut the rest into bite-sized pieces.
Boil or steam for 3 minutes and refresh in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
Boil or steam the fresh peas for 2 minutes, refresh in an ice bath, drain and set aside.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, peas, chickpeas, chives, parsley, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, chilli flakes and olive oil.
Mix well and season to taste.
TIP: You can make this salad up to this point a day in advance.
Just before serving, gently mix in the pea shoots and garnish with macadamia nuts.

Thai Shredded Chicken Salad

Fresh, spicy and healthy. The perfect warm weather lunch.

Thai Shredded Chicken Salad
Serves 4 – 6

You will need
4 chicken fillets, cooked, cooled and shredded (season with salt & pepper)

For the dressing:
2 small red onions, thinly sliced
2 Thai chillies (or bird’s eye), chopped (remove the seeds if you want it less spicy)
2 – 3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbls palm or castor sugar
4 Tbls fresh lime juice
2 Tbls fish sauce
1 Tbls rice wine vinegar
1 Tbls sesame oil

For the salad:
2 cups purple cabbage, shredded
2 cups Cos lettuce, shredded
1 cup carrot, julienned
½ cup celery, sliced

For the garnish:
½ cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped
Fresh coriander
½ cup spring onion, chopped

How to make it

For the dressing:
Combine all the ingredients and stir well. Allow to marinade for at least 15 minutes until the sugar 

is dissolved and the onions become limp.

To assemble:
Combine all the ingredients on one large flat serving platter, or divide between individual bowls.
Scatter the shredded chicken over the salad leaves.
Layer the marinated onions on top of the chicken and drizzle over the remaining dressing.
Garnish with peanuts, coriander and spring onion.
Serve immediately.