Coriander carrot soup and simple chicken salad

Looking for a delicious and healthy soup-and-salad pairing? Look no further! We'll share simple recipes for a chicken and tomato salad and a herbed coriander and carrot soup that will have your mouth watering.

High in protein and low in cholesterol-raising saturated fat, succulent chicken is a good meat to eat regularly. It contains all of the essential amino acids, including tryptophan, which boosts levels of serotonin in the body, helping to combat emotional fatigue. This recipe uses a generous amount of chicken to make a simple, tasty salad.

• This dish takes 35 minutes to prepare, 30 to marinate, and 15 to cook. It serves 4. Here's what you'll need:
• 75 ml (5 tbsp) olive oil, divided
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 crushed cloves garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 120 g (1/4 lb) each
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) balsamic vinegar
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) oil from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes
• Pinch of sugar
• 125 g (1/2 cup) watercress
• 125 g (1/2 cup) arugula leaves
• 10 halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 sliced cucumber
• 20 ml (4 tsp) finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1. Preheat your broiler to medium-high. In a large bowl, mix 45 millilitres (3 tablespoons) olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Cut skinless chicken breasts into three diagonal slices each and add them to the bowl. Turn the chicken in the oil mixture and let it marinate for about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make a dressing by mixing 30 millilitres (2 tablespoons) of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oil from sun-dried tomatoes, a pinch of sugar, and ground black pepper.
3. Transfer the chicken pieces to a nonstick baking pan and broil for eight minutes. Turn, baste with the marinade, and cook for another seven minutes or until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
4. In another large bowl, mix watercress, arugula leaves, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber.
5.  Divide the salad among four plates and arrange the grilled chicken on top. Drizzle with the dressing and scatter 5 millilitres (1 teaspoon) finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes over each serving. Serve with warmed focaccia or olive bread if available.

Each serving contains the following nutrients:

• 333 Calories
• 22 g Fat
• 3 g Saturated Fat
• 8 g Carbohydrates (1 g fibre)
• 25 g Protein

It is no myth that carrots help you to see in the dark, thanks to their high level of beta-carotene that the body converts to vision-enhancing vitamin A. Yet carrots also have cell-protecting properties for great-looking skin, plenty of fibre to aid digestion, and they're low in fat and calories. This delicious soup is a great way to add more carrots into your diet. You can even modify the recipe and give it a different flavour by using ground cumin instead of coriander. Don't be afraid to experiment!

• This dish takes 10 minutes to prepare and 45 to cook. It serves 4. Here's what you'll need:
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil or canola oil
• 5 carrots, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 5 ml (1 tsp) ground coriander
• 1 L (4 cups) hot vegetable stock
• Juice of half a lemon
• 60 ml (4 tbsp) chopped cilantro
• 20 ml (4 tsp) plain yogurt

1. Heat olive oil or canola oil in a pot over a medium-low heat and then add the carrots and onion. Sauté for five minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and coriander and stir occasionally for one minute.
2. Pour in hot vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat, let cool a little, and purée in a blender (or in the pot with a stick blender) until smooth.
4. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste. Gently reheat the soup but don't let it boil.
5. Just before serving, stir in fresh cilantro. Ladle into four bowls and drizzle five millilitres (1 teaspoon) of plain yogurt over each one before serving.

Each serving contains the following nutrients:

• 112 Calories
• 5 g Fat
• 1 g Saturated Fat
• 16 g Carbohydrates (4 g fibre)
• 2 g Protein

These soup and salad recipes are an excellent dinner combo, and are hearty enough to be a satisfying meal. Though they take a little while to cook, the prep time is short, which gives you lots of time to spend with your family or guests. Give these recipes a shot!