Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Pescatarian, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes

Description

Wanting to eat well and enjoy something delicious? This olive, avocado and artichoke salad bowl is the answer for you.

High in fibre and low in sugars, this delicious dish contains:

• Olives – a great source of polyphenols, which feeds the friendly bacteria in your gut.
• Avocado – which boasts a high potassium content (more than a banana).
• Lots of green leafy veg – green leafy vegetables such as romaine, cavolo nero and watercress are abundant in phytochemicals that have been scientifically shown to hold health benefits.
• Sunflower seeds – sunflower seeds are a great source of vitamin E, which is a crucial antioxidant for immune system health.
• Tomatoes – a great source of lycopene, which is an antioxidant (it is also responsible for the red colour of tomatoes). Lycopene has been shown to be protective against certain cancers and is better absorbed when eaten with healthy fats. So enjoying these delicious tomatoes with olives and olive oil is going to pack a real nutritional punch.

Top tip: why not add a source of protein (such as chicken or salmon) and divide up into lunch boxes to enjoy at the office?

Try it yourself, it makes a fantastic accompaniment to a summer party!

Ingredients

• 1 whole romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 bunches cavolo nero, chopped and stalks cut
• 1 carrot, ribboned (you can use a peeler for this)
• 50g watercress
• 2 beef tomatoes, finely sliced
• 140g red olives, pitted
• 1 large avocado, chopped
• 100g artichoke hearts
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Pinch of Himalayan salt
• 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• Sunflower seeds (to serve)

Method

1. First heat the coconut oil in a shallow frying pan. Once hot, add in the cavolo nero and soften for 3-5 minutes on a medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and then remove from the heat to cool down.
2. Whilst you allow the cavolo nero to cool, place the other ingredients in a bowl and toss together or mix with a spoon. Once the cavolo nero has cooled down properly (if it's too hot it will wilt the other ingredients), add into the salad bowl and mix again. Serve up onto individual plates and enjoy!