Salad isn't only for hot summer months.

It isn't only for dieting.

It isn't only for January's health kick.

Salad is for life and life should be full, delicious and truly satisfying.

That's why I only eat salad that makes me feel alive. And full. None likes to be left hungry after a meal...

Yep, salad can be a meal. Below are just three of the very best salad recipes I enjoy all year round.

Please try them out and let me know what you think in the comments section!

xTanya

SWEET & TANGY CABBAGE SALAD

Image by: Charlie McKay for The Uncook Book

Our Cheezy Kale Chips were included in every Sourced Box this January and they also featured this very recipe from The Uncook Book. That's when I realised just how much I miss and love it! I made the salad again immediately and then again the following week. It's literally so so tasty. And just look at how beautiful it is! Serves approx 4.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small red cabbage
• 100g mixed bean sprouts
• 250g baby spinach

For the dressing:

• 110g frozen raspberries, defrosted
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

 METHOD

1. To make the dressing, squash the raspberries with a fork. Stir in the remaining ingredients or combine in a mini travel blender.
2. Cut the thick core off the cabbage. Slice or grate the leaves into ultra-thin strips. Put the cabbage strips in a bowl, pour over the dressing and massage it into the leaves. At this point you can transfer the mixture to glass jars and store it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
3. To serve, arrange the spinach and sprouts on 4 plates to make a bed for the strips of baggage, then pile the cabbage on top.

SEAWEED SATAY SESAME SALAD

Image by: Food Matters Inc for our joint Supperclub

This salad is going to transform your attitude towards eating seaweed forever. I never used to even dare to like it till I made a sauce that goes so perfectly with it, now I'm obsessed! It's been featured on our menu at Tanya's, it was served at my and James Colquhoun's joint Supperclub and Novak Djokovic loved to fill up on it over Wimbledon. Do I need to go on? Serves approx 6.

INGREDIENTS

• 400g soaked seaweeds (approx 20g of dry pulse/wakame/hijiki/etc makes 2 cups or 400g wet)
• 800g carrots, grated
• 120g alfalfa sprouts
• 90g (2/3 cup) sesame seeds

For the dressing:

• 1 cup filtered water
• 125g light tahini
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup (or less) toasted sesame oil
• 8 pitted dates, soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup (or less) tamari soy sauce
• 25g fresh ginger (weight when peeled)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste 

METHOD

1. Blend all the dressing ingredients in a blender, transfer into a fridge for 1-8 hours for the flavours to infuse.
2. Pour boiling water over the seaweeds, leave to stand until softened (15-30 mins). Drain the water, rinse under cold water and shake away any remaining liquid. Remove any tough ribs from the seaweed and slice into strips.
3. Grate the carrots either in a food processor laying them down flat inside tute or on a mandolin. Both methods will create lovely long strips on carrot. Toss all the salad ingredients together.
4. Toss the dressing with the salad and serve immediately. We had to take it off our take-away menu, because it really doesn't taste the same if left dressed in the yummy sauce even for a couple of hours, so keep that in mind.

RAINBOW PAD THAI

Image by: Deliveroo for Tanya's London home delivery 

I had to think twice about sharing this recipe online, because it is after all on our current menu in Tanya's at My Chelsea and available for delivery across London. BUT, it really is one of my favourite salads ever and I know many of you live far away, so I wanted you to enjoy it also. Note it's different from the Pad Thai recipe in my book (p.71), which was intentional as I wanted to create a variation without peanut butter and with a twist of using young coconut flesh. Both are crazy delicious, but this one is probably closer to the real deal authentic satay style. Serves approx 4.

INGREDIENTS

• 150g carrots, grated (although we use our dressed Korean Carrots for extra flavour)
• 100g courgette (approx 1), spiralized
• 60g red pepper (approx 1/2 whole), sliced
• 120g red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 150g (1/2 packet) kelp noodles, sliced
• 70g red onion (approx 1/2), peeled and spiced
• 100g broccoli (approx 1/3), sliced not chopped
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

For the dressing:

• 90g smooth organic peanut butter
• 50ml water
• 40g maple syrup
• 30ml lemon juice
• 30g tamari soy sauce
• 15g toasted sesame oil
• 22g ginger (weight when peeled)
•  1 garlic clove

To serve:

• handful of hemp seeds
• lime wedges
• parsley

METHOD

1. Thinly slice all the salad ingredients and toss them together with sesame oil. 
2. Transfer all the dressing ingredients into a blender and blend till creamy. Transfer the sauce to a fridge for 1-8 hours so the flavour infuses nicely.
3. Either toss the dressing with the salad veggies or serve everything separately with little bowls of hulled hemp seeds, lime wedges and chopped parsley, so everyone can help themselves.