Smart salads

Pear, apple and pecan nut salad
200g young spinach leaves
2 medium dessert pears, cored and sliced
100g pecan nuts, toasted
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 handful chopped mint to garnish

Dressing
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp tarragon vinegar

Each serving provides 280 calories and 27g fat. Although pecan nuts are high in fat, a small amount makes for a great protein substitute, and provides the important antioxidant, vitamin E, needed to fight heart disease and some cancers. Spinach is packed with the mineral iron, which is important in the formation of healthy blood, and one serving of this salad provides around a sixth of our requirement of iron. Combining spinach with pears (a source of vitamin C) increases the availability of iron for absorption by the body. Spinach is also a great source of folate, and one serving of salad provides just under a half of our daily requirement for this important B vitamin.

Salmon, apple and fennel salad
400g salmon, grilled seasoned with black pepper
2 red delicious apples, cored and sliced
1 large fennel bulb, sliced
1 handful fennel tops
1 handful of chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Dressing
3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
3 tbsp lime juice

Each serving provides 249 calories and 14g fat. Many of us don’t eat enough fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, trout or tuna, and these are packed with a type of fat called omega-3 fatty acids, which reduces our risk of developing heart disease. This salad provides one of the two servings of oily fish recommended per week to protect against heart disease, and contains an important antioxidant called selenium, which helps fight against some cancers. One serving of this salad fulfils over half of our daily selenium requirement.

Prawn noodle salad
400g cooked prawns
50g peanuts, roasted and crushed
450g cooked wholewheat noodles
100g bean sprouts
100g carrots, shredded
2 spring onions, sliced 1-inch lengths
1 handful chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Dressing
3 tsp soy sauce, or shoyu (low in sodium)
2 tsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Each serving has 314 calories and 12g fat. Prawns and shellfish are low in fat so they make a good alternative to meat, if you’re not watching your cholesterol levels. Shellfish are a good source of zinc, a mineral which is needed to boost our body’s immune system, to heal wounds and increase our ability to fight infection. One serving of this salad provides just under a half of our daily requirement of zinc. This salad is also a great source of carbohydrates provided by the wholewheat noodles, which are full of fibre and help keep our gut healthy, and important B vitamins needed to help our body release energy from foods. The soy sauce provides vitamin B12, needed to make healthy blood. If you are a vegetarian, replace prawns with tofu for a great vegan alternative.