There’s a good reason that certain salad combinations have become classics – Nicoise, Ceasar or Waldorf. They have a satisfying contrast between sweet and salty tastes, crisp and soft textures. I like my salads to include some greens, fruit, a root and a nut, seed or sprout plus a source of protein. Fat from avocado or a dressing made from olive, avocado or hazlenut oil will mean your salad will sustain you longer and apparently you’ll absorb more nutrients from it. It tastes better too.
I found some excellent New Zealand roasted hazlenuts at the Nut Store in Wellington so added them to a beetroot, blue cheese and pear salad. They gave texture and taste and made a change from the more usual pear and walnut pairing. Adding a few microgreens from the windowsill meant I didn’t have to venture out to pick fresh rocket.