EAT SMART NUTRITION CONSULTANTS

Pear and fetta salad (serves 4-6)

3/4 cup pecan nuts 1/2 clove garlic 1 teaspoon salt 1 lemon, zest grated and juiced 1/4 cup macadamia nut oil

1 cup water 250g baby spinach leaves 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved 3 pears (Bosc or Packham) 100g reduced fat fetta cheese, crumbled

1. Place nuts, garlic, salt, lemon zest and macadamia nut oil in a food processor. Process to form a paste. Add water to the nut paste until a sauce forms.
2. In a salad bowl, place spinach leaves, tomato and lemon juice. Toss.
3. Add sliced pears. Pour nut sauce over salad and serve topped with crumbled fetta.

Roasted vegetable salad (serves 4)

1 large orange sweet potato, sliced into 1cm semi-circles 1 red capsicum, cut into 8 lengthways 1 eggplant, sliced thinly 1 large zucchini, sliced 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme

2 teaspoons fresh chopped marjoram 1 clove garlic 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 cobs corn, sliced 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1. Place sweet potato, capsicum, eggplant, zucchini, thyme, marjoram, and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Add oil and mix through, ensuring vegetables are coated in oil.
2. Cook corn in the microwave for 5 minutes, then add to vegetables. Spread vegetables on a baking tray and bake in a hot oven, 200°C, for 25 minutes.
3. Remove vegetables from the oven. Place in a serving bowl. Mix through balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with pine nuts.

Poached peaches with raspberries (serves 4-6)

6 peaches ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence) 2 cups water

1/2 cup honey 120g punnet fresh raspberries (or thawed frozen raspberries) 2/3 cup low-fat natural yoghurt

1. Place peaches and vanilla in a saucepan and pour over the water and honey. Place over a moderate heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the peaches are just tender. Remove the peaches from the liquid and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. When the peaches are cool, gently peel off the skins and discard. Chill the peaches and honey syrup in the refrigerator until required.
3. Serve each peach with a little syrup, a dollop of yoghurt and fresh raspberries. Drizzle with a little extra honey if desired.