Photo: prideandvegudice / Flickr

Salads might be considered summer food traditionally, but with a few little adjustments they can become delicious, healthy comfort food for autumn. Try these recipes for healthy salads that are filling and delicious too.

The starter salad: orange, pomegranate and watercress salad

It might seem fruity and summery, but the flavours of this salad are essentially autumn. Combine half a bulb of thinly sliced fennel with the segments of two navel oranges and a quarter cup of pomegranate seeds. For the dressing, combine six tablespoons of orange juice with two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, a quarter cup of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste, then pour over the fruit. Marinade for thirty minutes then strain, collecting the leftover dressing to toss with two bunches of watercress. Arrange the watercress on a plate and top with marinated fruit.

The side salad: butter lettuce and pumpkin seed salad

Photo: little blue hen / Flickr

One of the simplest recipes for healthy autumn eating, this salad is amazingly savoury and makes a great side dish. Simply toss half a cup of salted pumpkin seeds in a frying pan on medium heat for five minutes, then combine two tablespoons of apple cider with two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and three medium roasted cloves of garlic, chopped, with salt and pepper. Whisk continuously while adding six tablespoons of olive oil, then pour over two heads of butter lettuce and top with the pumpkin seeds.

The salad that can be a main, too: roast vegetable salad

Take three medium potatoes, one sweet potato and two red onions, all peeled and prepared, and roast for forty-five minutes in olive oil, oregano, and thyme, adding twelve halved cherry tomatoes in the last fifteen minutes of cooking. Toss 200g of spinach leaves in a vinaigrette dressing and arrange on a plate, then arrange the vegetables on top and finish off with capers.

Tags: autumn recipes