If you can't take the heat...

In hot weather, you might feel that you have lost your appetite or really don't want to eat anything that's piping hot. I must add to this that this never happens to me - I don't remember ever having lost my appetite!!!

Here's a lovely idea for a summer supper. It can also be used as an accompaniment to fish or meat, but stands equally well as a meal in it's own right.

This satisfying salad comprises a bed of spinach leaves (containing many micronutrients,but especially vitamins C and K, and carotenes), followed by some cooked quinoa (a complex carbohydrate providing fibre and magnesium),. This has been topped with assorted roast vegetables. Here, I have used aubergine, courgette, red and yellow pepper and red onion, and finally the whole thing has been drizzled with tahini and sprinkled with za'atar, a Middle-Eastern spice blend.

Of course, this dish can very much be tailored to individual tastes using different leaves, types of grain, vegetables or dressings, however, the principle remains that this is a nutritious yet satisfying meal. It can be prepared in advance, eaten at home or taken as a packed lunch.