Salad days

Much of my recent holiday was spent in Greece enjoying absolutely baking hot pure sunshine!

In 30 degree heat you don't much feel like eating hot food, although I was surprised to find the main snack food was pies, rather like hot cheese pasties! Even sweet pastries
were heated up before being served. They also served up hot mashed fava beans which was like a kidney bean hummous which I became slightly addicted to.

Fortunately for me every restaurant had a good selection of healthy salads to choose from, including of course the original Greek salad with feta. Salads are a great way of getting your veggies and eating raw has particular benefits as raw fruit and vegetables contain more antioxidants and beneficial live enzymes than when cooked. In the summer our bodies and digestive systems are also more receptive to lighter less cooked meals so it's good to up your salad intake whilst the sun is out.

I think the traditional greek salad recipe is pretty well known so not worth repeating here. Instead here's a recipe for the 'Sunset salad' that I thoroughly enjoyed whilst sat precariously close to the sea at the 'Sunset restaurant' in Oia Santorini. If you're ever in Santorini I recommend having a meal there.

Sunset salad
Serves 2 (split ingredients between the two plates)
1 cup finely sliced or grated red cabbage
1 cup finely sliced or grated white cabbage
1 cup grated carrot
2 spring onions finely chopped
8 cherry tomatoes halved
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Half tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
Baby spinach leaves washed and chopped
Olives and parmesan (omit for gluten free) to garnish

This salad was attractively presented in layers but would probably still be nice all mixed together and served immediately. I'll endeavour to upload a picture on the weekend for anyone who wants to see the original.

Start with the red and white cabbage in the centre of the plate - one semi-circle white, one semi-circle red.
Add the grated carrot in a circle around the cabbage.
Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey thoroughly and pour over the cabbage, then sprinlle the dill over the salad.
Layer the spinach over the top of the cabbage (so the carrot still shows round the edge but the cabbage is hidden).
Add the cherry tomatoes and olives round the edge of the plate (on top of the carrot).
Sprinkle 1 flat tbsp parmesan over the centre of the spinach on each salad and you're ready to serve.

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