10 ways to tempting salads

1. For a Mediterranean touch roast peppers, eggplants, zucchini to give extra flavour.

2. Toast seeds and nuts in a dry pan and sprinkle on to salads for added texture and flavour. Try toasting with a little ground cumin or coriander.

3. Halve tomatoes width ways, place in a roasting tray, season herbs and spices, a little black pepper and some rosemary, then place in a low oven and roast for a couple of hours. The tomato flavour will intensify.

4. Serve salads with hot ingredients tossed with the leaves. Use steamed or grilled meat or fish – this retains the flavour without adding high amounts of fat, and keeps the colour vibrant.

5. Roast cut vegetables with spices then toss into a salad for an easy vegetarian option.

6. Ethnic inspired toppings such as wonton, tortilla strips, pita, nuts and seeds add excitement and interest to salads.

7. For an Asian touch toss chicken strips with salad leaves and dress with low salt soy sauce, mirin and lime juice.

8. Use rice noodles instead of pasta in salads – they add an interesting texture.

9. Make an easy side dip with fat free Greek yogourt or low fat mayonnaise, lemon juice, ground cumin and coriander.

10. Serve couscous steamed with lemon juice and finished with lots of herbs (fresh and puréed) for added flavour.