My cousin says she is a tortured mom -- she has to cater to (literally) her two growing children.

For these two ravenous kids, shifting loyalty as far as food is concerned is a way of life; my cousin struggles to keep their tummies and taste buds satiated.

Of late, she has rustled up interesting vegetarian and non-vegetarian salads which, she says, are keeping her fault-picking offspring happy.

Here's what made these salads an attractive alternative, as far as I was concerned:

~ They are easy to cook.

~ They use simple ingredients available at any neighbourhood store.

~ They don’t take more than 10 minutes to prepare.

~ They are rich in nutritional value.

~ They can even double up as meals.

Text: Indrani Roy Mitra
Design: Uday Kuckian