I love to eat a variation of this vitality-boosting salad for lunch most days.  For a packed lunch put all the veggies including the garlic in a large lunchbox, store the dressing in a glass jar separately and put the fish or other topping in a glass or non-toxic  container until ready to eat.  The great thing about this is that because it doesn’t overload you with carbs (bread, grains, potatoes etc) you don’t tend to get that after-lunch sleepiness.   For a change from tuna  try a couple of boiled eggs, a cup of cooked butterbeans or beans (mixed with pesto and garlic) or a serving (80-100g) of smoked salmon or leftover roast chicken.   Keep it interesting by changing around the types of leaves and the topping.

For 1:

Topping:
80-100g (half a large tin) tuna in spring water (or brine if you can’t get in water)

Salad:
1/2 a red/yellow pepper, de-seeded and sliced or cut in chunks
1 large vine tomato (cut in wedged)  or 8 cherry tomatoes (halved)
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly
1/4 small cucumber or half a small courgette, sliced
A few black or green olives
2 large handfuls leaves (choose from baby spinach, lettuce, rocket, chicory, endive, watercress, landcress, pursalane, baby chard, flat leaved parsley leaves)
2 dessertspoons of home made extra virgin olive oil based dressing (see recipe on this blog)
1 small clove of garlic, crushed
Optional: half a cup of freshly grated raw beetroot or carrot
Optional: half a ripe avocado, cubed

1. In a large bowl mix all the salad ingredients with the dressing until everything is coated and glossy.
2. Pour out onto a plate, top with the tuna and enjoy.

Why this is great for you:
Did you know that eating lots of different plant foods every day is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.  My guideline to patients is to try for 25 different plant foods (fruit, veg and beans/pulses) in the week.  Each plant colour and type contains a different range of nutrients.  Purple fruit and veg for example, contain proanthocyanadins, while orange and red plant foods contain carotenoids and green ones contain lots of magnesium.  These are just some of the nutrients that help give you flawless (and young-looking) skin and hair, help repair and maintain your digestive system and keep you free of inflammatory conditions like eczema, asthma and digestive disorders like gastritis and colitis.  Different plant foods feed different good bacteria to help you stay at your peak fitness and wellbeing.  So its not just about eating large quantities of veg (half your plate at lunch and dinner) but large variety too.  How many colours of fruit and vegetables can YOU eat today?