Sweet potato, avocado & mozzarella salad

It feels like summer has finally arrived and salads are fully on the menu. This is a lovely one to have for dinner with a green salad and fresh bread or as part of a bigger salad spread for friends. The harissa dressing is a lovely contrast to the creamy mozzarella and avocado while the potato adds a little sweetness to the dish.

To make it more filling and to add fibre I have layered in some buckwheat, but you could use brown rice, bulgur, pearled spelt or even quinoa if you prefer. Any wholegrain will work well here.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• ½ small red onion, thin half moon slices

• 3-4 tbps red wine vinegar

• 1 large sweet potato, chopped in small wedges

• 150g buckwheat

• 1 large avocado

• 150g mozzarella

• A small handful each of mint, parsley, coriander

  Dressing

• 150ml Greek yoghurt

• 1 tbsp rose harissa

• 2 tbsp water

• ½ tsp sea salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Put the onion in a small bowl and pour over the vinegar.

• Spread the sweet potato on a baking tray and drizzle with approx 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes, turn and repeat.

• While the sweet potato is in the oven, cook the buckwheat or whichever grain you’re using, as per the packet instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.

• Slice the avocado and rip the mozzarella into large pieces.

• Layer the salad by first putting the grain on the plate with a few chunks of sweet potato, avocado, mozzarella, some herbs, pickled onions, a spoon or two of dressing and a pinch of salt. Repeat, finishing with the herbs, pickled onions and dressing.

  tip

• Layering the salad means that all the ingredients are spread equally, so everyone gets a bit of everything!

Caprese salad

There are very few salads that come close to a Caprese; gorgeous creamy buffalo mozzarella paired with ripe juicy tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil. Simple and perfect.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 ripe vine tomatoes

• 125g buffalo mozzarella

• Fresh basil leaves

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Aged balsamic vinegar

Method

• Slice the tomatoes and arrange on the plate, drain the mozzarella and gently use your fingers or a knife to split it into bite-sized pieces

• Sprinkle some torn basil leaves on top and drizzle the olive oil and balsamic

• Season

Tip

Homemade pesto is a really nice addition to this dish to give it a different twist. I usually add a bit more olive oil to the pesto so it drizzles on the plate - if you are doing this then cut out the plain olive oil.  

Sweet potato, mozzarella, chilli & basil

This is a lovely easy recipe that you can make quickly and either eat at home if you're not in the office, or put in Tupperware to take with you. I absolutely love the fresh flavours of this dish - I could eat it everyday!

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 1 sweet potato

• 100g buffalo mozzarella, sliced

• 1/2 red chilli, thinly sliced, or chopped finely

• Juice of 1/2 lemon juice

• Drizzle of olive oil

• Basil leaves, ripped

• Salt and pepper

• Salad leaves & / roasted red pepper slices

  Method

• Roast a sweet potato on a baking tray in the oven at 180ºc for about 45 minutes depending on size. You can test with a skewer to see if is soft right the way through.

• Prep and plate the salad - have any combination you like, I like leaves and roasted red pepper (from a jar - easy!), but you could add grated carrot, red onion, raw peppers, cucumber - any salad you like.

• Cut the potato in half lengthways and top with mozzarella and chilli, then add a drizzle of olive oil and finish with a good squeeze of lemon.

Tip

• Keep a jar of roasted red peppers in your cupbaord as they’re great for quickly improving a salad or making sauces or dips like romesco or muhammara.