Celebrate National Nutrition Week with these vegie-licious recipes

IT is National Nutrition Week, which is all about getting your serves of two fruit and five vegetables per day.

To celebrate, the Live Lighter WA teams has shared the following vegie-licious recipes.

JAPANESE SESAME TUNA RICE BOWL RECIPE

Prep: 10 min – Cook: 2 min – Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

For the dressing:

1/4 cup hulled tahini paste

1/4 cup water

1 tsp honey

3 tsp reduced-salt soy sauce

1 clove garlic, crushed

to taste pepper

For the salad:

425g tuna in spring water, drained and flaked

2 250g pouches microwavable brown rice

1 carrot, peeled into long ribbons

200g snow pea, sliced thinly lengthways

2 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced into thin rounds (cutting on the diagonal)

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1 avocado, stoned, peeled and sliced lengthways

1 tbs sesame seeds

2 spring onions (including green tops), sliced into thin rounds (cutting on the diagonal)

to taste pickled ginger, optional

METHOD

1) To make dressing, combine tahini, water, honey, soy, garlic and pepper to taste. Mix half the dressing into the drained tuna.

2) Microwave rice according to packet instructions then divide among serving bowls.

3) Top each bowl with carrot, snowpeas, cucumber, radish, avocado and tuna placed neatly around the bowl in its own area.

4) Drizzle over remaining dressing, sprinkle with sesame seeds and garnish with spring onions and pickled ginger (if using). Best served while rice is warm.

WALNUT LENTIL SALAD RECIPE

Prep: 10 min – Cook: 0 min – Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

400g can of no-added-salt brown lentils, drained

1/2 clove garlic, chopped

2 spring onions (including green tops), sliced

1 bunch English spinach leaves, shredded

150g reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled

1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tbs walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup low-fat Italian salad dressing

METHOD

1) Combine lentils, garlic, onion, spinach and feta in a mixing bowl.

2) Add tomatoes, walnuts and dressing.

Hint: Make your own low-fat Italian dressing by mixing juice from 1/2 a lemon with 1 tbs of olive oil and a little Dijon mustard.

MASON JAR RAINBOW SALAD RECIPE

Prep: 10 min – Cook: 0 min – Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups wholemeal couscous

2 cloves garlic, crushed

350ml boiling water

200ml orange juice

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tbs wholegrain mustard

to taste pepper

2 carrots, grated

1 400g can no-added-salt corn kernels, drained

250g cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 400g can no-added-salt chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 cups baby spinach leaves

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered

METHOD

1) Place couscous and garlic in a small heatproof bowl, pour over boiling water; cover and set aside for 3 minutes then fluff with a fork.

2) In a small jug or bowl, combine juice, vinegar and mustard; season well with pepper.

3) Evenly divide the dressing into each of the jars then layer in couscous, carrots, corn, tomatoes and chickpeas. Add the spinach and compress well to make room for eggs at the top of the jar. Seal the lid and refrigerate.

4) To serve, tip salad ingredients into a bowl and toss to combine.

More Food

Mel Buttle right recipe for The Great Australian Bake Off