So this week, I am being a very very good girl. Super healthy eating, plenty of exercise and keeping an all round happy-go-lucky mojo. I’m a big believer in healthy mind, healthy body, healthy happy life – everything is interconnected. So this week, I made a pretty serious intention to the universe to keep all the stars aligned and focus on bringing good vibes everywhere I go.

This, of course, means altruistic cooking and nothing makes me feel better than a fabulous mid week salad that I can pack into my lunchbox during a hectic week at work. This recipe was particularly successful as it was layers of fresh, crunchy and peppery ingredients, creamy avocado – my favourite in salads and I went all out by adding more flavour with some handmade smoked sausage and protein packed lentils…This definitely made waves at work, so don’t cop out on a lousy sandwich for lunch…whip this up for a healthy mid week lunch to keep you fuelled up and performing at your best!

Generously Serves 2

1 head of ‘fresh as you can get’ iceberg lettuce

2 large chorizo based sausages

1 cup young snow peas (I always pick the younger snow peas that are still plump full of young peas rather than the flat version for this salad)

1 cup French beans, tailed and cut in half

1 large avocado or 2 medium avocados

1 cup puy lentils (I use a really good quality French canned version) drained and rinsed of all brine

1 ½ tbs olive oil

½ tbs oregano

Salt and black pepper for seasoning

For the dressing:

4 large tbls yoghurt

½ tsp minced garlic

1 bunch dill finely chopped

2 tbs olive oil

Heat a pan with ½ tbs olive oil and fry the sausages on a low heat for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through. Slice thinly as shown. Keep the pan aside to use later

Fill a pot ¼ way up with water and set to boil. Place a colander in the pot and toss in the French beans and the snow peas into the colander, creating a steamer situation. Cover with a light lid and steam for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the snow peas and the French beans, draining any water and toss in ½ tbs olive oil, salt and black pepper and set aside.

In the same pan that you used for the sausages, heat the remaining ½ tbs oil and toss in the puy lentils, frying very gently on a low heat. Add black pepper and salt for seasoning along with the oregano. Cook gently, trying not to mush the lentils and take off the heat after 3-4 minutes of frying. Set aside.

Next, prepare your dressing. Simply pop all the ingredients into a jam jar and shake it all about and it’s ready!

Start to assemble your salad.  Break up your freshly washed iceberg into large chunks. Use a melon- baller to scoop out little balls of avocado as shown and scatter generously over the iceberg. Next, layer with your seasoned snow peas and French beans. Finish with a generous helping of lentils. Add the sausages as a final addition.

If you are going to serve this on a platter, then drizzle over the dressing or if you are planning to pack this for a work lunch, pop your dressing into a little container to pour over just before serving.

Have some freshly squeezed, chilled orange juice with this to boost your Vitamin C and finish off with some freshly chopped crisp watermelon for dessert. You are going to be so good to go with this healthy and super satisfying light lunch!!

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