Tag Archives: salad

Asian bean sprout and Chervil salad

Lunch and Light Meals, , , , ,

The delivery of Chervil In this weeks Organic food basket delivery has led to us experimenting with what to do with it. Dinner tonight was a simple pan fried salmon with this delicious, but very easy to make salad. The Chervil has a lovely aniseed flavor that really adds to the freshness of the dish.

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 Tbsp coconut aminos (or light soya sauce)
  • 1 Tbsp orange juice
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 Tbsp (not too hot) chili sauce

Salad

  • 150-200g bean sprouts (tauge)
  • 1/2 red capsicum (pepper), julienned
  • 1 orange, peeled and cut into segments, cut segments in half
  • large handful of fresh chervil, roughly chopped
  • Handful of chopped cashews, pan fried

Directions

  1. Finely slice (julienne) the capsicum
  2. Peel the orange and cut it into segment. Cut the segments in half to get chunks of orange approximately 1cm cubed
  3. Chop the fresh chervil roughly
  4. Chop a handful of cashews roughly and dry pan fry (without oil) them until they are golden brown.
  5. Place all the salad ingredients together in a salad bowl
  6. Combine all of the dressing ingredients together in a cup and stir well to combine
  7. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss to combine
  8. Allow the salad to come up to nearly room temperature by leaving it on the bench top for around 30 minutes. This also give the dressing ingredients time to  intensify in flavour
  9. Serve almost room temperature

 

Korean Carrot Salad

Dinner, , , , , , , , ,

Korean carrot salad

Living in Asia gives us the opportunity to explore its many flavours. The Korean kitchen is one we have been exploring more of recently. This is a very fresh tasting salad using all raw ingredients. It is easy to make, and fits into a vegan, vegetarian, or paleo lifestyle.

Ingredients

  • 1 large carrot, sliced into thin sticks
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2-3 spring onions, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced and chopped
  • handful of fresh coriander, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
  • 2 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp hot sesame oil (or 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp chili flakes)
  • pinch of salt

Directions

  1. Place the carrot, onion, spring onions, garlic and coriander into a bowl.
  2. Mix together the coconut aminos, sesame seeds and sesame oil in a small bowl to create the dressing.
  3. Stir the dressing through the salad.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Mahoney Harris – We Didn’t Feel Alone

Rucola, Spinach, Asparagus Salad

Lunch and Light Meals, , , , , , , , ,

Rucola, spinach, asparagus salad

The focus of our food philosophy is on prioritizing vegetables and fruit over other food groups, and making sure that we are feeding our bodies nutrient rich food. Living in the eternal heat that is Singapore has resulted in us eating a lot of salads, and having a salad for lunch is a great kick starter for the amount of vegetables that we are eating in a day.

This salad has become one of our favourites. Using both rucola and baby spinach leaves adds some interest to the lettuce base, while the beans or asparagus add a little more substance to the meal. The sesame seeds finish it off attractively, while also adding essential nutrients. You could also consider adding pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or pine nuts to the garnish, especially if you remove the parma ham to make it a vegetarian or vegan salad.

Ingredients

  • 150g rucola leaves
  • 150g baby spinach leaves
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • a few slices of parma ham (Prosciutto) (optional)
  • 75g green beans or small asparagus
  • coarse sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp black sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp white sesame seeds

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit)
  2. Lay the parma ham out on a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray. Cook in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until crispy
  3. Cook the beans or asparagus in a pot of boiling water that is lightly salted for 2-5 minutes until only just cooked. Remove from the pot and quickly wash under running water to cool them down and prevent further cooking.
  4. Wash the rucola and spinach leaves and place them in a salad bowl
  5. Spread the onion and beans or asparagus over the rucola and spinach
  6. Combine the sea salt, black pepper, olive oil and vinegar in a glass and stir well to combine. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad, and toss the leaves to coat them all.
  7. Stir the black and white sesame seeds together in a small glass or bowl to mix them up
  8. Spread the crispy parma ham over the salad, and top with a sprinkling of the sesame seeds to garnish.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Roadkill Ghost Choir – In Tongues

Green Mango Salad

Dinner, , , , , , , , ,

Green Mango Salad

We love Thai food and this green mango salad is a simplified version that is made sugar and soy free through the use of maple syrup and coconut aminos. It is great served with a Thai Green Chicken Curry or a Thai Pumpkin and Mushroom Curry.

Ingredients

  • Coconut oil
  • 5 red shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 cm fresh galangal, finely chopped
  • 1 red chilli, chopped (deseeded when using a hot chilli)
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1,5 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1/4 tsp maple syrup
  • Splash of water
  • Squeeze of lime juice
  • 1 raw green mango, peeled and cut into thin strips of 3 cm long
  • Handful fresh coriander, roughly copped
  • Few Thai basil leaves
  • 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped and with the middle stem of the leaf removed

Directions

  1. Fry the shallots, garlic, galangal and chilli in a little coconut oil for about three minutes.
  2. Add the coconut aminos, maple syrup, water and lime juice and give it a stir.
  3. Take the pan of the heat and add the mango, coriander, basil and kaffir lime.
  4. Mix well and serve with grilled salmon, Thai Green Chicken Curry or a Thai Pumpkin and Mushroom Curry.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Midlake – Antiphon

Lebanese Chicken Salad

Lunch and Light Meals, , , , , , , , ,

Lebanese Chicken Salad

Living in a hot climate we eat a lot of salads, and are always looking for new ideas to keep the meal interesting. This one combines chicken marinated in Lebanese Seven Spice Mix with a honey mustard dressing. You can make your own mustard at home or use store bought wholegrain mustard.

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 tsp Lebanese 7 spice powder
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 150g baby spinach leaves (or other lettuce leaves)
  • 1/2 cucumber, cut into chunks of 1cm
  • 5 radishes, sliced thinly (optional)
  • 1/2 a pomegranate, seeds removed
  • optional – you could also add some feta cheese

Honey Mustard Dressing

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Cut the chicken breasts into 1 cm strips. Place in a bowl
  2. Add the Lebanese seven spice powder and 1 Tbsp olive oil to the chicken. Sprinkle over a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine as a marinade.
  3. Pan fry the chicken over a moderate heat until it begins to turn golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  4. Wash the baby spinach leaves (or lettuce), and place the spinach, cucumber, and radish in a serving bowl.
  5. To make the honey mustard dressing, place the honey, mustard, olive oil, white wine vinegar, a pinch of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper into a glass or jar. Stir well to combine (or shake to combine in a jar).
  6. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss the salad to coat all leaves.
  7. Spread the chicken over the top of the salad.
  8. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds (and feta if you are using it)
  9. Serve the salad as a light meal for 2 people

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Peter Bjorn and John – Gimme Some

Avocado Vinaigrette Dressing

Condiments and Dips, , , , , , , ,

Avocado Vinaigrette dressing

In Singapore it is always salad weather, which means that we tend to eat them a lot. But continuing to get variation into our diet is important to us, we don’t like to eat boring! Last night I decided to spice up a chicken and lettuce salad with a little Avocado Vinaigrette. This looks a lot like a mayonnaise when it is finished, but has the tartness of a vinaigrette.

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • juice of half a lemon
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

  1. In a blender combine the avocado, vinegar, lemon juice, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper. Blend together
  2. Lift the lid of the blender just enough that you are able to pour in the olive oil in a continuous stream while the blender is still running. Note: do not take the lid off completely as you will end up with avocado all around your kitchen and that is not a pretty sight…
  3. Pour the olive oil into the blender in a slow steady stream so that it all combines together. The dressing will be a little bit runnier than mayonnaise, but with a similar consistency. Please don’t expect that it will taste like a mayonnaise though, because it has the tartness of a vinaigrette instead.
  4. Use as a dressing on a salad to make a Caesar style salad. We added lettuce leaves, sliced chicken, sliced cucumber, sliced radishes and mint leaves for a refreshing dinner salad.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Breaks Co-op – Sounds Familiar

Grilled Salmon with Green Mango Salad

Lunch and Light Meals, , , , , , , , , , ,

Grilled Salmon and Green Mango Salad

This is a very fresh, summary dish inspired by our recent trip to Thailand. While the mango salad takes a little bit of preparation work, there are no difficult techniques. Coconut Aminos and Kaffir lime leaves might not be familiar to you, so we have included some notes on these ingredients below.

Ingredients

  • 2 Salmon fillets
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper
  • 5 red shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 cm fresh galangal, finely chopped
  • 1 red chilli, chopped (deseeded when using a hot chilli)
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1,5 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1/4 tsp maple syrup
  • Splash of water
  • Squeeze of lime juice
  • 1 raw green mango, peeled and cut into thin strips of 3 cm long
  • Handful fresh coriander, roughly copped
  • Few Thai basil leaves
  • 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped and with the middle stem of the leaf removed

Directions

  1. Season the fillets with sea salt and black pepper.
  2. Fry the fish in a little coconut oil for a couple of minutes until done and set aside.
  3. Fry the shallots, garlic, galangal and chilli in the same pan as the fish for about three minutes.
  4. Add the coconut aminos, maple syrup, water and lime juice and give it a stir.
  5. Take the pan of the heat and add the mango, coriander, basil and kaffir lime.
  6. Mix well and serve with the fish.

About Kaffir Lime Leaves: The kaffir lime is a fruit native to tropical Asia including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. It is used in Southeast Asian cuisine. If the recipe calls for kaffir lime leaves and you can’t find any, skip the leaves. Don’t substitute. The fragrance is so distinct that it is irreplaceable.

About Coconut Aminos: Coconut Aminos is a Gluten Free replacement for Soy Sauce. It often comes as a shock for people who are new to their Gluten Free lifestyles that Soy Sauce contains Gluten (wheat is often the first ingredient), but not all soy sauces are created equal. There are Gluten Free Soy Sauces available (including from popular Soy Sauce brand Kikkoman), but Coconut Aminos is also a useful replacement, and available from good Health Stores.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: John Legend – Love in the Future

Grilled Courgettes with Pomegranate and Pesto

Lunch and Light Meals, , , , , ,

Courgette, pomegranate and pine nut salad Middle Eastern food is a real treasure trove of gluten and dairy free recipes, with delicious flavours. We love exploring Lebanese and Morrocon cuisines in particular, and this is inspired by the tastes of the region.

Ingredients

  • 2 large courgettes, sliced
  • Za’atar powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Toasted pine nuts
  • Coconut oil for frying
  • Olive oil
  • Sumac powder (for garnishing)

For the pesto

  • Large handful of mint
  • Large handful of basil
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • Handful of toasted pine nuts
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil

Directions

  1. Combine all of the pesto ingredients in a blender and blend well until a smooth but thick consistency.
  2. Brush the courgettes with a little coconut oil and sprinkle with a generous amount of za’atar and black pepper. Grill on a hot grill pan until grill marks show up on both sides.
  3. When done arrange on a big plate, top with basil leaves and pomegranate seeds.
  4. Top with some of the pesto, and sprinkle with a little olive oil and a little sumac powder to garnish.

About Za’atar Za’atar is the generic name for the herbs oregano, thyme, and marjoram. As a spice mix it is usually based on these dried herbs, combined with sesame seeds, salt, and sometimes sumac and other spices. Used widely in Arab cuisine, both the herb and spice mixture are popular throughout the Middle East.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: The Belt – In the Valley Below

 

 

Fig Salad with Grilled Salmon

Lunch and Light Meals, , , , , ,

Fig salad with grilled salmon

A super easy and quick lunch or light dinner this recipe brings out the flavours of the mediterranean with moorish figs and crisp toasted pine nuts. The addition of salmon fillets is an optional way to complete it for a full meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 bag of salad leaves
  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper
  • Handful of toasted pine nuts
  • 5 ripe figs, halved
  • 2 Salmon fillets
  • Coconut oil

Directions

  1. Wash the salad and place in a bowl.
  2. Add a splash of olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar and mix with the salad.
  3. Add the toasted pine nuts and a little sea salt.
  4. Cut the figs in half and dip the flat side in a little bowl of balsamic vinegar.
  5. Heat a little coconut oil in a frying pan and fry the figs for a couple of minutes flat side down.
  6. When the figs start to caramelise, take them out of the pan, cut the halves in 3 parts and add them to the salad.
  7. Season the salmon with sea salt and black pepper and fry skin side down first for a couple of minutes. When the fillets are halfway cooked, turn them over and cook the other side a little shorter than the skin side.
  8. Serve the salmon with the salad.

About Figs
Figs are the fruit of the ficus tree, which is part of the mulberry family (Moraceae). Figs have a unique, sweet taste and a soft, chewy texture. They are filled with slightly crunchy, edible seeds. Their natural sweetness meant that, before the days of refined sugars, they were often used as a sweetener.

Figs are native to the Middle East and Mediterranean and are one of the world’s oldest trees. The fig tree can be traced back to the earliest historical documents and features prominently in the Bible.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: St South – Slacks

 

 

 

 

Lamb Salad with Papaya, Pumpkin and Avocado

Lunch and Light Meals, , , , ,

Lamb salad papaya pumpkin avocado paleo
 
This is a delicious salad meal which tenderizes the lamb with papaya. You could also exchange the papaya for mango if it is difficult for you to obtain. 

Ingredients

For the dressing

  • Rind of half a lemon
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • Sea salt and pepper

For the salad

  • 1 small red onion, finely sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
  • 1 large bag of rocket or baby spinach leaves
  • 250 gr pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded and cut into cubes
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 400 gr papaya, peeled, deseeded and cut into cubes
  • 2 ripe avocados, cut into bite size pieces
  • 500 gr good quality lamb in cubes
  • Sea salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Start with the dressing. Put the lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano in a little bowl.
  2. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir. Set aside.
  3. Roast the pumpkin in the oven (200 degrees Celsius) for 30 minutes or in an Air Fryer at 200 degrees C for 10-15 minutes until done.
  4. Season the lamb with a generous amount of sea salt and black pepper.
  5. Heat a little coconut oil in a large skillet and fry the meat for a couple of minutes until brown all over. Be careful not to overcook your lamb, especially the smaller pieces can turn into rubber rather quickly.
  6. When the meat is done, put on a plate and leave to rest for at least 5 minutes.
  7. After resting, slice the meat into slices.
  8. Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl, add dressing, put the meat on top and enjoy!

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: The Map Room – The Map Room