We’re always talking to our fertility and IVF clients about increasing their essential fatty acid (good oil) intake, and choosing rainbow foods for their antioxidant content. With the weather hot again this week we thought you might like some quick and easy dinner inspiration with some of these ingredients.You can make the salad as pictured, or easily pair it with some protein like lean chicken or steak, or something like chickpea patties for a vegetarian option. For a vegan option just leave out the bocconcini and make sure to add some legumes to replace the calcium. If you are pregnant, please leave out the bocconcini as its a soft cheese so it’s on the listeria list.

Ingredients:

1 x punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
1 x bunch baby beetroot
1 x red onion, peel leaving base intact, cut into wedges (cut through the intact base so it keeps the layers on place
1 x red capsicum
1 x avocado
1 x small tub bocconcini or baby bocconcini
1 x lime
basil leaves to garnish

1. Beetroot – leave skins on, boil until tender. Leave beetroot to cool in the water. When cool, drain, remove skins (these should come off easily by rubbing, use gloves to prevent the beetroot staining your hands). Cut beetroot into halves.
2. While beetroot is cooling, cut capsicum into large pieces and rub with olive oil. Place on griller tray skin side up. Grill capsicum until the skin bubbles and blackens slightly. Remove from grill and allow to cool. When cool, peel blackened skin from capsicum and cut into strips.
3. Remove outer layer from red onion, but make sure to leave the base intact. Cut the onion into wedges, making sure to cut through the base so that the base holds the layers of the wedge in place after cutting. Very carefully rub onion with olive oil then lightly fry so that the outer edge just browns (if you have a cast iron grill pan this will make a nice effect on the onions). Leave to cool.
4. Cut avocado into slices
5. Tear bocconcini into pieces
6. Cut lime into wedges
7. Arrange ingredients on plates, sprinkle with olive oil and lime juice (make sure to get some lime juice on the avocado to brevent prowning). Garnish with a wedge of lime and basil leaves.

Karen Martin is Naturopath at Well2. She has a special interest in working with clients for fertility and IVF support, hormonal issues and women’s health.

You can read more about Karen here

For bookings with Karen phone 8362 6622 or contact the clinic via our contact form