* and congratulations to your daughter !

these salads are my staples and we eat them year-round. The greek one is not a bit authentic so I hope I don't offend anyone but we have it once a week at least and every occasion and entertainment as well. It doesn't matter what the main dish is ! this salad is obligatory!

Coleslaw so simple, but good. its always in my fridge as it keeps for days, so I always make double/treble. Just shredded white cabbage, carrot, onion, some mayo stirred in Its so grabbable to add to any meal

Rocket, olive, walnut and roast red pepper Rocket = arugula I think. Roast some red pepper with olive oil and keep the oily juices for the dressing. I like the biggest fattest olives in it. Feta is nice too if you have some. I buy the ready washed bags of rocket, and once the bag is opened I pop in a square of kitchen towel, reseal with a peg and then it will keep

Artichoke hearts marvellous standby salad because they just come out of the tin Drain them well upside down on kitchen paper to get the brine off Bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar on

Chopped salad anything in the fridge chopped up in cubes. Somehow this alters the taste. Dressing : thin some mayo with white wine vinegar, add grated Parmesan

Greek the family fave. Soak some dried oregano in olive oil in the serving dish for a while to plump up a bit. Add some sliced into half moon onions. Sliced in chunks tomatoes, cucumber. Iceberg too. As many Kalamata olives as you've got
Toss in the olive oil and add a mere splash of lemon It is the Law to have feta cheese with this, but I always serve slices or chunks of feta on the side as someone or other is always dairy free

Mint tomato cucumber I know you were bored of cucumber and tomato but this changes things completely ! we first had it in a Greek kebab place on holiday and so copy it at home a) Delicious b) memories. Cube the cue and tomato in really small dice, but keep all the juice. Add same size Red onion in Mix up, let it sit a bit and throw chopped mint on top It is so fresh ! and goes lovely with a Kofta. I never get through a bunch of fresh mint though so I chop it and freeze it in ice cubes for next time

I do find, that if you have coleslaw in the fridge, and some leftover roast vegetables to have cold, some potato salad........... a spoonful of each with perhaps some ham or chicken , you are all set with hardly any effort and good enough for entertaining a friend to impromptu lunch