Filled Avocados with Strawberry Dressing

SERVES  4

PERPARATION TIME:          25 minutes

40 oz (115g) strawberries, rinsed, dried and hulled

2 level tablespoons low-fat natural yoghurt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large orange, peel and pith remove, segments freed of membranes and cut into small pieces.

3 oz (85g) cucumber, diced

Seeds from 4 green cardamom pods, crushed

1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar

2 ripe avocados

Curly endive, lamb’s lettuce, watercress and mint springs to garnish.

1. Blend the strawberries and yoghurt in a food processor, or pass the fruit through a nylon sieve and whisk into the yoghurt. Season with pepper
2. Mix the orange, cucumber, crushed cardamom and vinegar
3. Halve the avocados and remove the stones. Arrange the halves on serving plates and surround with the endive, lamb’s lettuce and watercress. Fill the avocados with the orange mixture. Spoon on a little of the strawberry dressing and garnish with the mint sprigs. Serve the rest of the dressing separately.

Fresh orange and cool cucumber, spiked with cardamom and raspberry vinegar, are bathed in a smooth strawberry dressing to make an unusual filling for butter y avocado.

Cheese Salad in Pitta Bread

     SERVES 4    

     PREPARATION TIME:    15 minutes.

1 (one) Level tablespoon Greek yoghurt
1 (one) tablespoon white wine vinegar
½ level teaspoon dried oregano
¼ level teaspoon paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
115 gram reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, cut into thin strips.
1 (one) medium carrot, peeled and coarsely grated.
4 (four) radishes, trimmed and sliced
4 (four) pitta breads
4 (four) cos lettuce leaves, washed and dried
60 gram alfalfa sprouts

1. Combine the yoghurt and vinegar and stir in the oregano and paprika. Season this dressing with pepper, then mix in the cheese, carrot and radishes.
2. Split open the pitta breads along one side and put a lettuce leaf in each, hollow side up. Spoon the cheese mixture into the lettuce, and top evenly with the alfalfa sprouts.

You can use ricotta or well-drained cottage cheese in place of the Cheddar. For a change of flavour, use a de-seeded and chopped tomato and I level teaspoon chopped fresh basil instead of carrot and oregano.

Peppery radishes and crisp carrots combine with Cheddar in a filling for pitta bread; alfalfa sprouts add a crunchy finishing touch.