Since locating the safety guard for my mandolin I’ve been slicing with a vengeance. Sweet and savoury oven baked crisps, coleslaws and potato bakes. Here is a gorgeous and fresh 5-2 challenge fast day idea using my mandolin and two of my favourite ingredients apples and fennel. Minimal cooking required, all the effort is in the assembly.

A deconstructed and stacked waldorf salad. Drizzled with a lemon and honey yoghurt dressing to dramatically reduce the calorie count. All the traditional elements are on the plate: apple, celery, grapes, walnuts and blue cheese . I’ve added a little lamb’s lettuce for its sweet, nutty flavour and vibrant green colour.  The idea to stack the apples was inspired by a post in The British Larder.  Visually appealing, a fast day feast for your eyes. A pretty plate of salad for just 208 calories a serve.

Deconstructed and Stacked Waldorf Salad with A Lemon and Honey Yoghurt Dressing
Inspired by The British Larder
Serves 4 (208 calories per serve)

2 small green Granny Smith apples (110 calories)
2 small red Pink Lady apples (110 calories)
1 small bulb fennel (38 calories)
2 medium celery stalks(12 calories)
1 small bunch (100g) red seedless grapes (70 calories)
50g (1/2 packet) mâche rosettes or lambs lettuce (14 calories)
25g walnuts (164 calories)
50g Castello Blue cheese (215 calories)

For The Dressing
1/2 cup Greek yoghurt (65 calories)
juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon (12 calories)
1 teaspoon honey (21 calories)

MAKE the dressing by combining the yoghurt, honey lemon zest and juice in a small bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside for the flavours to develop as you prepare the salad ingredients. Season to taste.
LIGHTLY toast the walnuts in a dry heavy based pan over a medium flame. Cool completely.
WASH and peel the celery, slice finely and keep covered with damp kitchen paper until needed.
PEEL and quarter the fennel bulb. Discard the core and slice finely on a mandolin into a bowl of acidulated water. Remove from bowl and dry thoroughly on paper towels just before slicing the apples
WASH the lettuce, apples and grapes. Dry thoroughly.
Slice the grapes in half. Set aside.

When Ready to Assemble the Salad
REMOVE the cores of the apples with an apple corer. Use a mandolin to slice the apples into fine slices.
ARRANGE the fennel and red and green apples in an alternating stack in the centre of each plate, lightly drizzling each layer with dressing.
SCATTER the lambs lettuce, celery, toasted walnuts and grapes  around the apple and fennel stack.
CRUMBLE the blue cheese and divide between the plates. Drizzle over a little more of the dressing and serve immediately.