Avocado, Orange & Sea Vegetable Salad with Sprouted Seeds

This simple vibrant salad is easy to assemble and delicious served on its own as a light meal or as an accompaniment to seafood or pan-fried tofu. Sea vegetables are a useful source of iodine required for the production of thyroid hormones, which are important for a woman’s hormonal cycle as well as the development of an embryo. Bags of dried sea vegetables are available in most large supermarkets or health food shops.

• 30g/1oz mixed sea vegetables
• 2 large handfuls of rocket leaves
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced
• 1 orange, peeled
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 handful of sprouted seeds, such as alfalfa, mung bean etc

MISO & GINGER DRESSING

• 1 tbsp white miso paste
• ½ tsp peeled and grated root ginger
• 1 tbsp xylitol
• 3 tbsp mirin
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• sea salt and ground black pepper

1. Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a non-reactive bowl, season to taste and leave to one side.

2. Soak the sea vegetables in water for 5 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, then drain.

3. Put the rocket in a large bowl with the sea vegetables. Drizzle over a little of the dressing and toss gently. Divide the leaves between two plates and top with the avocado slices. Cut the orange into thin slices, then cut the slices into quarters. Scatter the orange, red onion and sprouted seeds over the salad. Drizzle over the dressing just before serving.

Serves: 2 • Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus 5 minutes soaking