Try this tasty turkey salad with red cabbage

This is a lovely, crunchy salad for winter, full of contrasting tastes and tossed with an unusual dressing made from cranberry sauce and walnut oil. Red cabbage tends to stain the other ingredients, so serve the salad as soon as it's made.

• Preparation time: about 20 minutes.
• Serves 4.

Ingredients:

Salad

• 50 g (2 oz) pecans, coarsely chopped
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) caraway seeds
• 350 g (12 oz) skinless, cold roast turkey meat, diced
• 250 g (1 c) finely shredded red cabbage
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 carrots, grated
• 50 g (1/4 c) dark raisins

Dressing

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) cranberry sauce
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) walnut oil
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Put all the ingredients for the dressing into a salad bowl and whisk together until well blended and starting to emulsify.
2. Place the pecans and caraway seeds in a small, dry skillet and toast over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the pecans are golden and you can smell the nutty fragrance, 3 to 5 minutes. Add to a bowl and leave to cool slightly.
3. Put the turkey, red cabbage, celery and carrots into the bowl with the dressing. Add the toasted pecans, caraway seeds and raisins, and mix until all the ingredients are well coated with the dressing. Serve immediately.

• Cranberries contain a compound that helps to prevent E. coli bacteria from causing urinary tract infections.
• Red cabbage provides the B vitamin folate, vitamin C and potassium, making it a potent food for healthier blood pressure.

Each serving provides:

• Key nutrients: 360 calories, 180 calories from fat, 20 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 28 g protein, 19 g carbohydrates, 4 g fibre, 95 mg sodium.
• Blood pressure nutrients: 18 mg vitamin C, 56 mg magnesium, 629 mg potassium, 65 mg calcium.

Use white cabbage instead of red, and substitute apples for the carrots and raisins.

Summer Turkey Salad:

• Make the dressing with 45 millilitres (3 tablespoons) olive oil, 10 millilitres (2 teaspoons) Dijon mustard, 15 millilitres (1 tablespoon) honey, 30 millilitres (2 tablespoons) lemon juice, 10 millilitres (2 teaspoons) finely grated fresh ginger and season to taste.
• Stir the diced turkey into the dressing.
• Steam 250 grams (1/2 pound) fresh asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces, 250 grams (1/2 pound) small sugar snap peas, and 250 grams (1/2 pound) sliced new potatoes.
• Toss the vegetables with the turkey and dressing while still hot.
• Fold in 30 millilitres (2 tablespoons) snipped fresh chives. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Try this recipe tonight for a hearty turkey salad that's rich in vitamins and minerals.