Ever heard that healthy living starts with eating a salad a day? Science says that may well be true, with the primary benefit being a huge boost in your body’s daily nutrient consumption. Committed to encouraging healthy living, South Africa’s own celebrated salad queen, Chantal Lascaris, says it’s officially time for the salad to take centre stage. And we are listening!

A longstanding champion of the home cook, Chantal sets out to celebrate salads in a way that is exciting, fun, nutritious and – most importantly – delicious, with her newest recipe collection, The Ultimate Salad Book. Bringing together her passion for healthy living, and an invigorating variety of international flavours, it features an array of recipes that will inspire all cooks – from the beginners to the experts – as well as the guests who find themselves lucky enough to be seated at the table when serving!

Following on from her previous books, which includes the highly successful All Sorts of Salads, All Sorts of Healthy Dishes, All Sorts of One-Dish Wonders and All Sorts of Tapas, Chantal boldly moves the salad into the realm of the main dish, while simultaneously serving up a wholesome guide to living well by eating better. And with the heat of summer steadily rolling in, there is arguably no better time to invest in some salad inspiration – particularly when Chantal makes the recipes so interesting, easy to follow, and packed full of fresh and nutrient-dense ingredients.

Aside from helping you look good, a healthy diet that features a salad a day can actually help you to feel better too, offering a wide range of health benefits such as building strong bones, protecting your eyesight, preventing heart disease, and even improving your skin tone. It’s Chantal’s passion for, and understanding of, the important role played by good ingredients when it comes to health and wellbeing, that has fuelled her continued experimentation with innovative recipes that taste great – and leave you feeling your best!

‘I’ve always been more interested in the aspect of healthy eating, as opposed to cooking fancy meals,’ says Chantal. ‘From the outset, I’ve tried to make cooking simple, healthy, and accessible, by giving a lot of choice with loads of flavour!’

The Ultimate Salad Book features more than 100 tried-and-tested recipes for any event, using simple and nourishing ingredients, listed alongside beautiful and inspirational food photography. It also includes a yummy selection of make-it-yourself salad dressing recipes that will ensure you’re able to keep it interesting from one day to the next.

Every page carries the ever-present invitation to expand your dining horizons beyond serving salads as a simple leaf-based side dish, inspiring you to explore interesting flavour combinations that will see you enjoying salads for breakfast, lunch, dinner – and even dessert! It’s a stunning salad celebration that’s a must-have for food lovers, as well as those seeking to live a little more healthily, and longstanding fans of Chantal’s.

Photography: Courtesy Images