5:2 Diet Autumn Roast Vegetable & Cheese Salad
Fasting on Saturday before Feasting on Sunday:
5:2 Diet Autumn Roast Vegetable & Cheese Salad Recipe
5:2 Diet Autumn Roast Vegetable & Cheese Salad Recipe
By the time I get to the weekend, I have normally fulfilled my two “fast days” and am looking forward to a weekend filled with wine, roast dinners and special baked treats. However, this week as I have been so busy with recipe development for brands, sponsors, magazines and culinary websites, I have eaten like a king and have only just managed to squeeze one low-calorie fast day in all week; so, today is a fast day, and although I will miss my weekend treats, I certainly enjoyed my low-calorie lunch today for a tasty Autumn Roast Vegetable & Cheese Salad.
Fasting on Saturday before Feasting on Sunday: 5:2 Diet Autumn Roast Vegetable & Cheese Salad
I have called it an autumn salad as it’s very autumnal in looks and used the last of my summer veggies, aubergines, courgettes, tomatoes and onions. Plus, it is a very robust and filling salad, perfect for these cooler days we are having lately. The addition of some fresh goat’s cheese was an indulgent luxury, but it only added 20 calories to this recipe, and I appreciated the salty and crumbly addition to this plate of roasted veg. I served this salad with some home-grown red veined sorrel leaves, as well as the last of my red oak lettuce leaves, so, it really was an “end of summer” salad in all ways.
Fasting on Saturday before Feasting on Sunday: 5:2 Diet Autumn Roast Vegetable & Cheese Salad
I am a big fan of traditional Ratatouille, but, I much prefer the oven baked or roasted version for many reasons; firstly, it is easy to male and secondly, the taste is more intense than the “boiled” version. So, I find myself cooking a variety of vegetables in the oven at least once a week – they make fabulous impromptu salads, as well as being great when added to soups, stews, casseroles, tagines, pasta bakes and all manner of other things. I also LOVE the basic roasted vegetable recipe when used in vegetarian shepherd’s pies and lasagne. Once you have made a large batch of this vegetable medley, it keeps for up to three days in the fridge, and is easy to heat up.
Fasting on Saturday before Feasting on Sunday: 5:2 Diet Autumn Roast Vegetable & Cheese Salad
The other obvious benefit, apart from being healthy and low in calories, for this recipe, is that is makes a fabulous lunch box meal for school or the office. You can then add salad leaves later, or even heat it up in the office canteen microwave and enjoy it with crusty bread, if calories are not important. This recipe is a VERY low-fat recipe, and in place of the usual litre or so of olive oil, I roasted these with a little water and some sprays of olive oil Fry-Light, a low-fat spray. The trick for;flavour in any low-calorie dish, is for lots of herbs, spices and seasoning, so, don’t go too mad but don’t be afraid of adding the spices to this recipe.
Fasting on Saturday before Feasting on Sunday: 5:2 Diet Autumn Roast Vegetable & Cheese Salad
For those of you who are following the 5:2 diet, this recipe is a remarkable 112 calories per serving, and it certainly filled me up today. If calories are not an issue, by all means add a little extra olive oil to this recipe, but, I don’t actually think it needs it. Use any cheese of your choice, but check the calories first; fresh, soft cheeses tend to be lower in calories than mature hard cheeses. I have saved a portion of this vegetable mixture to accompany a French style roast chicken tomorrow, and I shall also be serving it with duck fat roasted potatoes for a veritable FEAST day, and with wine! Have a wonderful weekend, and see you later, Karen
Autumn Roast Vegetable & Cheese Salad (Low Calorie)
Print recipe
| Serves | 4 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 35 minutes |
| Total time | 50 minutes |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish, Snack, Starter |
| Misc | Pre-preparable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Casual Party, Formal Party, Thanksgiving |
| Region | Moroccan |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 2 small aubergines, trimmed and cut into small pieces
- 2 courgettes, trimmed and cut into small slices
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into even sized lengths
- 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into even sized lengths
- 4 small onions, peeled and cut into quarters
- 4 tomatoes, cut into quarters
- 4 cloves garlic
- 6 to 8 sprays of low fat spray oil (I use Fry-light olive oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- salt and pepper to taste
- 32g soft fresh goat's cheese (I use the discs, which are 16 each)
- salad leaves, assorted
- mint leaves, chopped to garnish
Note
A simple and filling cool weather salad that is packed full of textures and flavours. Perfect as a vegetable accompaniment for grilled meats and pasta and also makes a wonderful lunch box meal. Only 112 calories per serving, the recipe makes 4 servings. Without the cheese, calories are 92 calories per serving.
Directions
| Step 1 | Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. |
| Step 2 | Spray the low-fat spray into a large roasting tin and arrange the prepared vegetables in there, in one layer. Sprinkle the spices, salt and pepper over and then turn the vegetables around in the seasoning. Add 2 to 3 tablespoon water and roast for 25 to 35 minutes, or until charred and soft. |
| Step 3 | Allow the vegetables to cool slightly and then spoon over some fresh salad leaves, before crumbling the cheese over the top. |
| Step 4 | Garnish with fresh mint leaves. |
Fasting on Saturday before Feasting on Sunday: 5:2 Diet Autumn Roast Vegetable & Cheese Salad
I am entering this recipe into Anneli and Louisa’s Four Seasons Food Challenge for September
Deena Kakaya says
Gorgeous! This may sound nuts, but it reminds me of a veggie Xmas, in a good way!
Karen says
Thanks Deena, no, I DO know what you mean, it has such festive colours! Karen
Dominic says
roasted veg are so satisfying, and good for you for being so busy honey, it’s amazing!… now go eat something naughty before I feel worse for stuffing my face today!
Karen says
I was very naughty the next day mind you! We had a seafood fest and also had a whole baguette between us and about a hundredweight of cheese! 🙂
Jen @ Blue Kitchen Bakes says
One of my favourite easy to prepare meals is roast veggies topped off with cheese and a big chunk of crusty bread, haven’t thought of serving with salad leaves before though, a good idea to get even more veggie goodness 🙂
Karen says
Thanks Jen! Yes, it is also one of my mainstay recipes, for all sorts of other recipes too! LOVE it served as part of a lettuce salad, as you get so many different textures going on! Karen
Ash-foodfashionparty says
You’ve made fasting food look so good. Sounds like you having a great time with your project, have fun.
Karen says
Thanks so much Ash!
Glamorous Glutton says
This looks perfect and so NOT a diet looking dish. I love that touch of salt from the cheese. A definite addition to the Glam menu. GG
Karen says
I hate diet food Amanda, so always try lighten up normal recipe for filling and low calorie dishes!
Tracy Nixon says
Thanks Karen – another delicious recipe I must try! Love my veg and love Autumn warmers! G+’d
Karen says
Enjoy this Tracy!
Irene Wright says
Like you, I like to make my own Ratatouille – I usually boil the vegetables but I think now after reading your blog, I might start to roast the veggies instead. There’s nothing like ‘home made’ cooking!!
Anneli (Delicieux) says
I am totally with you on roasted ratatouille being far batter than boiled. This lovely concoction of vegetables looks lovely and is so versatile for many days after this salad which I love. I bet the crumbled goats cheese works wonderfully. Thanks so much for entering this into Four Seasons Food xx
Tracy Nixon says
I followed your recipe yesterday and it was absolutely gorgeous! Thank you! Shared on Facebook x
alice lightning says
his looks a good way o diet might give it a try
Irene Wright says
Last time I visited my elder brother in Australia, I got sick of his meals of meat, spuds and two vegetables. So, I bought some peppers, courgettes, tomatoes, red onions, egg plant, & an organic chicken and roasted the whole lot in the oven. My brother wasn’t too impressed but my sister-in-law and husband ate up large and licked their lips in appreciation. After staying with them for a few days, I’m always dying for a load of Mediterranean vegetables. We live on all those types of things all the time. In winter in stews (the slow cooker) and summer in salads.
Mary Maguire says
Enjoying all your recipes, especially 5/2. Many thanks Mary