Sometimes it’s hard to get the family on board when it comes to salads but when you load them up with a variety of cooked and raw vegetables, spices, flavour, protein and carbs they become an exciting meal that everyone will actually want to eat.

The leftovers are perfect for kids lunchboxes the next day too.

If you’re looking for more recipe inspiration take a look at my ebook, Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes.

It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved and take the guess work out of what delicious, healthy food to make your kids for lunch!

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favorite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need:

Basmati Rice
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Ground Cumin
Turmeric
Coriander
Onion Powder
Chilli Flakes
Chickpeas
Sea salt
Cracked Black Pepper

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Spiced Cauliflower and Chickpea Rice Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1/2 medium cauliflower
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp each ground cumin, turmeric, coriander, onion powder (onion powder optional)
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 red capsicum, sliced
• 1 tin chick peas, rinsed well
• 1 block Greek or Danish feta, cubed
• handful olives
• 2 large mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 handfuls baby spinach

Dressing

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard
• pinch sea salt and cracked black pepper

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 180 C and prepare a large tray with baking paper.
• Cut the cauliflower into small florets and place in a medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, add all the spice, stir well and place on the large tray to one side.
• Put the sliced onion, capsicum and garlic into the bowl, drizzle with olive oil, stir, then place on same tray as the cauliflower and pop into the oven for 10 minutes. Check and put back into the oven for another 10 minutes.
• While vegetables are cooking in the oven, cook the rice as per packet instructions.
• Once rice and vegetables are cooked add them to a large salad bowl and mix together.
• Stir through the chickpeas, mushrooms, olives, baby spinach and finally gently toss through the feta.
• Mix together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad and serve.

Notes

This salad can be served warm or cold and is great for lunchboxes. 

If you make this recipe and share on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek.

Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook.

Other rice based dinner recipes you might like are Easy Paella, Middle Eastern Spiced Chickpea Rice and Garlic Prawns and Coconut Rice.

He asked me to recreate it (with strict instructions), and off course lent a helping hand ie ordered me on how to make it right ?

He was under the impression that Caesar Salads were healthy and was proud of himself for migrating from the Fishermans Basket at the golf club to the Caesar Salad. I hated breaking the news that on the healthy salad scale Caesar Salad wasn’t exactly up there! But I showed him how our homemade version could gain a few healthy points.

1. Swap factory farmed bacon for good quality free range bacon
2. Choosing a good quality mayonnaise like the Good Fat brand which is made with olive oil instead of toxic industrialised oil or additives, preservatives …plus free range eggs.
3. Swap store bought croutons and make our own using spelt sourdough.
4. Using pastured eggs instead of factory farmed eggs

He wasn’t too impressed that I didn’t serve it in bowl like the club does but he got over it and loved every single bite and was so grateful to me for making it and wants it again this week ❤️

CAESAR SALAD

Salad

4 eggs
4 small- medium slices sourdough, crusts and all
1 garlic clove, cut in half
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
150 grams bacon
3 baby cos lettuce, trimmed and quartered
600 grams sliced roast chicken
shaved parmesan cheese to serve

Dressing
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or red wine vinegar (optional)
1 tablespoon water
1-2 tablespoons milk, if you want to make a thinner dressing
Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Line a tray with parchment paper and place bacon on the tray and grill until cooked.

While bacon is cooking bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Add the eggs, cover, turn off heat and leave to cook for 10 minutes for soft boil. Remove from the heat and run under cold water until cool enough to peel. Cut each egg in half.

Once bacon is cooked, strain on a plate with kitchen towel to get rid of excess oil and then dice.

Pop the bread into the toaster until just firm then rub with slices of garlic, brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Toast under the grill for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until crisp and golden. Break into small croutons.

To make the dressing – place the garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire or red wine vinegar and water into a jar and shake until well combined. Add milk one tablespoon at a time if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Split lettuce over 4 bowls ( or plates!), top with chicken, an egg, bacon, croutons and parmesan shavings. Drizzle over the Caesar dressing.

Enjoy!

If you make this recipe and share on instagram remember to tag me @brendajanschek.

Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook.

Some other delicious salad recipes you’ll love are Super Cleanse Salad and Fresh and Raw Zucchini Salad 

So it’s important to allow these toxins to move out of our body and replenish it so it can be thriving on all levels. We can easily kick- start our natural cleansing mechanisms by ensuring we include food rich in natural compounds which support the liver.

Vegetables like bitter greens such as rocket, radicchio or watercress as well are great detoxifiers, as are brassica vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts. Beetroot and turmeric (fresh or powdered) are great to have in the mix too.

Use the salad recipe as a base to throw on whatever protein you have hanging around. Things like sustainable tuna, slices of leftover steak, hardboiled egg all make tasty options.

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Super Cleanse Salad

Author Brenda Janschek and Naomi Judge

Ingredients

For the salad

• 2 cups rocket
• 1 cup red cabbage thinly sliced
• ½ cup cucumber chopped
• ½ celery chopped
• ½ cup grated beetroot
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup white button mushrooms halved
• large handful of parsley chopped
• ¼ avocado
• 100 gm roast chicken or ½ cup puy lentils

For the dressing

• Mix together-
• juice from ½ lemon
• pinch salt
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

• Toss dressing through salad
• Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Remember to chew and eat slowly