Delicious s​ala​d to spice up your summer meals

Another great recipe and nutrition advice from Emma at  Emma Marshall Nutrition.

This salad is a fantastic choice for summer.  I add lots of crunchy vegetables including carrots, beansprouts, cucumber and Chinese leaf.

For added protein and healthy fats, I add in shredded chicken breasts and chopped cashew nuts. 

We need to eat plenty of protein foods every day to keep our metabolism running, our energy levels up and our blood sugar levels stable.

One chicken breast supplies over 30% of your recommended daily intake for protein, making it a great high protein food.  It is also a source of B vitamins which supports our energy levels.

Rather than poach the chicken breasts, as I have done in this recipe, it is the ideal way to use left over roast chicken.

If you prefer you can replace the chicken with salmon, prawns or tuna or if you are vegetarian you could add tofu instead.

VIETNAMESE MINTED CHICKEN SALAD

Serves 4

1 large carrot grated
a large handful of fresh beansprouts
½ cucumber deseeded and finely sliced
150g Chinese leaf finely sliced
25g fresh mint leaves chopped 
½ red onion sliced 
1 red chilli deseeded and finely sliced 
3 chicken breasts (can replace with prawns, salmon or tuna)

For the dressing

1 garlic clove crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
3 tbsp. lime juice 
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp light soy sauce 
2 tbsp. fish sauce 
1 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. honey or agave syrup
To garnish: 100g toasted cashew nuts chopped 

Place the chicken breasts in a pan of boiling water and simmer gently for 10 minutes, remove from the heat and leave to poach for 5 minutes then drain and cool.

Put the carrots, beansprouts, mint leaves, red onion, cucumber, Chinese leaf and chilli into a large bowl.

For the dressing put the garlic, ginger, lime juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce and honey/agave syrup into a bowl and mix well.  Season with some black pepper.

Shred the chicken breasts and add into the salad, mix in the dressing and serve in a big salad bowl.

Scatter with chopped cashew nuts.

I find that Emma’s way of poaching the chicken makes all the difference, it prevents it from going hard and rubbery. This method also works very well for salmon.

This will make an ideal salad for a lunch I am hosting for twelve old school friends next Wednesday.