Fitness Salad
This salad is one of my favourites after a cardio workout. It is packed with protein, low in calories, fresh and full in flavour. Adding wholewheat pasta to the salad is a good way of avoiding a full plate of carbs but yet adds enough energy to regenerate your body. Cooking the chicken in pesto and sun-dried tomato oil adds extra flavour to the salad.
Ingredients
Serves 2
Preparation time: 30 minutes
350 g chicken breast
100 g wholewheat pasta
1 cucumber
100 g spinach
70 g sundried tomatoes (+ 2 tbsp of sundried tomato oil from the same jar)
130 g cherry tomatoes
80 g feta
4 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp green pesto
salt & pepper
For the dressing:
1 tbsp green pesto
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp water
Method
In a saucepan, bring saltwater to a boil and cook 350 g wholewheat pasta for 10-12 minutes or until al dente.
Cut 350 g chicken breast into strips.
Mix 2 tbsp of sundried tomato oil and 1 tbsp pesto together and add to a frying pan. Heat up to medium-high heat and cook chicken for 5-7 minutes from each side until fully cooked and golden. Season with salt to taste and set aside.
Cut 1 cucumber, 130 g cherry tomatoes and 70 g sundried tomatoes into pieces.
To make the dressing, mix 1 tbsp green pesto, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 2 tbsp water.
In a large salad bowl, mix 100 g spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and pasta with the dressing. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
Serve salad onto plates, add chicken stripes and crumble 80 g feta on top. Garnish with 4 tbsp pine nuts.
Enjoy!
