Noodle salad with prawns

This healthy and fresh salad recipe from personal trainer Michelle Bridges can help keep you in shape.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 × 100g packets dried green bean vermicelli noodles (or substitute regular vermicelli noodles)
• 500g peeled and deveined green (raw) king prawns
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers, very thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, very thinly sliced
• 200g baby mixed tomatoes, sliced
• ½ cup mint leaves
• 1 cup small basil leaves

Dressing

• 2 tbs tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbs honey
• ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tbs boiling water

Method

1. Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together in a small heatproof jug until the honey has dissolved. Set aside.
2. Place the noodles in a large heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave for 5 minutes or until the noodles have softened and are translucent. Drain well. Return to the bowl, add the dressing and toss to coat well. Set aside, tossing occasionally.
3. Heat a large chargrill pan over medium–high heat. Place the prawns and sesame oil in a bowl. Season to taste and toss to coat well. Chargrill for 2 minutes each side or until cooked and golden. Transfer to the bowl with the noodle mixture.
4. Add the cucumber, celery, tomato, mint and basil to the noodle mixture and toss gently to combine. Serve warm.

This is an edited extract from Keeping It Off by Michelle Bridges, published by Pan Macmillan. Photography: Rob Palmer