Pesco, Veggo & Vego. One salad, three ways.

The thing I love the most about salads is how versatile one dish can be and how with just a few simple ingredients you can make something fresh, healthy and delicious in a jiffy. Here, I've done a one of my favourite salad recipes; Broccolini, Quinoa and Baby Spinach, with a Pescatarian, Vegetarian and Vegan twist. The base salad is super simple and with a few different ingredients can satisfy the protein fiend, animal lover and plant-based evangelist alike.

Serves 3-4 (depending on your added ingredients and preferred portion size). There is definitely enough to serve two main meals with enough salad left over for lunch the next day.

Broccolini, Quinoa & Baby Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

1/3 cup quinoa

1 cup stock of choice

2 bunches broccolini

2 handfuls baby spinach leaves

1 1/2 lemons - 1 for the quinoa and 1/2 to dress the salad

1/2 an avocado

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

• Place the quinoa, juice from 1 lemon and stock into a pot and bring to the boil, reduce to low heat, cover and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork then cover and set aside

• Wash the broccolini, strip the small leaves away and trim the bottom of the stalks. PLEASE don't cut away and discard the entire stalk, there's so much goodness in them and they're just as delicious. Instead, cut the broccolini in half then place in a microwave safe bowl, cover and steam for approx 3 minutes or until just tender.

• Refresh the broccolini under cold water and drain

• Fluff the broccolini once more and place all ingredients into a salad bowl, dress with lemon juice, olive oil and toss gently

Grilled White Fish with Salsa Verde & Broccolini, Quinoa & Baby Spinach Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients:

400g white fish - Perch, Pink Ling and Barramundi all work well

Drizzle EVOO for greasing the frypan

2 portions of Broccolini salad prepared as above

Salsa Verde:

1/2 bunch flat leaved parsley

1 tsp capers

2 tsp caper brine

Juice from 1-1/2 lemons (approx 45ml)

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Make salad as per the instructions above

• Season the fish with a small amount of salt and pepper (there's lots of salty flavours in the salsa verde so go easy) and cook over a medium heat until firm, turning once. Fish should be golden in colour on the outside and opaque, tender and just starting to come apart on the inside.

• While fish is cooking place the ingredients for the Salsa Verde into a blender or food processor and blend until combined. I like mine to still have a few bits of parsley in it and not be completely liquified

• Portion the salad into two plates, place the fish fillet on the salad and drizzle with Salsa Verde

Grilled Haloumi with Salsa Verde & Broccolini, Quinoa & Baby Spinach Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients:

125g Haloumi

Drizzle EVOO for greasing the frypan

2 portions of Broccolini, Quinoa & Baby Spinach salad, keeping the avocado seperate

Method:

• Make salad as per the instructions above, keeping the avocado seperate and leaving the lemon juice for final dressing of the entire dish

• Slice Haloumi into 6 slices, drizzle olive oil into hot pan and cook over a med head until golden brown on each side

• Portion the salad onto two plates and arrange the slices of haloumi and avocado alternately on top

• Dress the entire dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon

Broccolini, Quinoa & Baby Spinach Salad with Edamame and Toasted Pine Nuts

Serves 2

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp pine nuts

1/2 cup edamame beans, once cooked and removed from pods (I use the frozen kind). This should equate to approx 1 large handful frozen edamame

2 portions of Broccolini salad prepared as above

Method:

Toast the pine nuts and set aside

Cook the edamame beans as per instructions on the packet then remove the beans from the pods

Place all ingredients into a bowl, combine and dress with olive oil and lemon juice

This recipe was created exclusively for Empower360 Fitness' Resolution Revolution program. If you'd like more info on Personal Training or specialist Teen Fitness programs, click on the hyperlinks or head to our homepage.