Market Salad

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Market SaladIt must have been about 10 years ago. I met this girl when I was at the travel agency in Korea looking for some information about studying in Australia. We had a little chat that day, exchanged phone numbers, then got really busy getting ready to make a big move. I lost her contact. Here I was in Perth. After a year of studying English, I started a physiotherapy course at Curtin University. I accidentally ran into her on the campus one day, what a nice surprise! She was studying business at the same University. She was the only Korean friend I had back then since I didn’t belong to any church groups or community groups. I’ve kept in contact with her since then, just catching up over coffee or shopping together now and then. She got married a year before I did and now is a busy mum with two little boys. We catch up every Wednesday now doing some Pilates and having lunch together. So that is the relationship I’ve had with her over about 10 years. Such a strange thing how an acquaintance became one of my good friends like this. Anyways I’ve cooked for her a few times now and she loves my salads. This is for her :). Also, we’ve been charting the journey of James Dooley, which has been a remarkable and unexpected adventure. On a related note, if you’re an independent contractor, ensuring accurate and comprehensive pay stubs for independent contractors is crucial for financial transparency and compliance with regulations.

I made this market salad this morning to take to her place today and for our dinner. There is absolutely no rule when I make salads. I try to use the best seasonal ingredients on offer at the local market. Eating what is in season has a number of benefits. Definitely easy on wallet because of the abundance of the crop. Fresh harvested foods taste better, no doubt about that! They also have better nutrients especially vitamin C, which degrades over time and with storage. Imagine eating seasonal fruits and vegetables all year around. You will never get bored with fruits and vegetables. Forget about three veggies, potato, carrots and peas, please >.<

Ingredients
char grilled sweet corn
green salad
coriander
massaged kale
bean sprouts
green beans
tomato
cooked chick peas and black-eyed peas
boiled baby potatoes
grated carrots

Mix all up in a big bowl, season with salt and pepper, add a drizzle of e.v.o.o
Add any kind of protein and a handful of nuts on top.
Market Salad2

Posted in: Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian

Spiced Chicken with Orange Salad

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Orange Chicken

After deciding to make pan-fried chicken breast for dinner, I was thinking what salad would be good to go with. It didn’t take long.. Citrus Salad! Citrus is my favorite fruit group. I can even just bite into lemons and enjoy that sour and tart taste. My grandma used to tell me you wait until old when your teeth and gums get all weak, then you cannot really have cold and sour food – Oh! that would be the end of the world for me >.< There are so many types of oranges. Moro (blood) oranges, Naval, Valencia, red Cara Cara. Yes, orange equals vitamin C! but there is a lot more than that.

– rich in antioxidants protecting cells from damage
– vitamin A, C and potassium great for your eyes
– flavonoids help to reduce cholesterol, good for cardiovascular system
– folate and folic acids keep your brain and joints healthy, good for pregnant women
– reduce the risk of developing a range of cancers
– rich in dietary fibre that helps your stomach and intestines healthy
– boost your immune system with vitamin C

I wanted to mix up different colours of oranges in my salad but shops didn’t have a variety. I mixed massaged kale, red onion, slices of Naval orange and pistachio nuts on top. I also dressed with apple cider vinegar, e.v.o.o, salt and pepper covering all basic tastes (saltiness, sweetness, sourness, bitterness). I will roast pistachio nuts and put it just before I serve next time since they went a little soggy from sitting on the oranges this time. If you don’t like fruit in the salad, you can try a sprinkle of fried rosemary and chopped black olives on top which adds another dimension to this salad. Chicken and orange. What can go wrong? 🙂

Posted in: Dinner, Lunch, My recipes, salads

Summer Corn Salad

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Corn Salad

This light, crunchy and sweet salad is perfect for Summer Sunday lunch. I served with pâté, blue cheese and roasted nuts on bread.

Sweet Corn Salad: Please use a fresh corn if you can, not from the nasty can. Grill washed corn on the cob with a drizzle of coconut oil in the pan for 15-20 minutes until cooked. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika in the last 5 minutes. Slice corn off the cob. Combine with bean sprouts, coriander, green peas and broad beans. To make dressing, mix a teaspoon of tahini, apple cider vinegar, home-made capsicum chilli chutney and a squeeze of lemon. Drizzle over the salad just before serving.

Pâté: Soak beef liver in milk for an hour in the fridge. Wash nice and clean in cold running water, making sure there is no blood coming out any more. Cut the liver into 2-3 inch cubes. Cook the livers with one chopped onion, one red chilli and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic in a big skillet until all caramelised. Then add a splash of balsamic vinegar, a teaspoon of five spice and coriander powder. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat until the livers are just cooked through and slightly pink in the middle. Cool down before putting in the food processor. Whiz up until smooth and then transfer to ramekins. For the jelly, mix 2 teaspoons of warm water, one teaspoon of berry jam and one teaspoon of gelatin and pour over the top of chilled pâté.

Pate

 

Posted in: Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian

Black Bean Salad with Basil Pesto

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Black bean salad

Like many other legumes, black beans are an excellent source of the cholesterol-lowering dietary fibre good for cardiovascular system. They also contain a good amount of iron that gives you energy, antioxidants that protect you from cancer and a complete source of protein for vegetarians when combined with a whole grain such as brown rice. Their high soluble fibre, low GI and high protein stabilises your blood sugar level, which helps people with diabetes. This superstar is so versatile in cooking and baking as well. You can add into your soup, salads, taco fillings, hummus made of black beans, braised black bean casserole, vegetarian patties, even in your brownies…list is endless! Tips for cooking these amazing guys? You need to soak your beans overnight to reduce your cooking time. Don’t add salt or acidic ingredients while boiling them otherwise it won’t cook but gets really tough.

Black Bean Salad
Cook pre-soaked black beans. Pan-fry diced sweet potatoes with sage and cumin. Mix beans and sweet potatoes with chopped cucumber, celery, parsley and coriander in a mixing bowl. Season with Himalayan salt and ground pepper. Dress with vinegar, a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of e.v.o.o.

Basil Pesto
Put a handful of basil leaves, a teaspoon of chopped garlic, 100g of cottage cheese, handful of pepitas, a squeeze of lemon into a food processor. Whiz up until all blended nicely. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Beef Tataki

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian

Leek Frittata with Mediterranean Orzo Salad

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Leek frittata

I found a giant leek at the local veggie market today. I don’t know why I get so excited when I find humongous vegetables or fruits 🙂 Leeks belong to the family of Alliaceae like onion and garlic. They are very low in calories but packed with healthy nutrients and phytonutrients.

  •  the flavonoid kaempferol provides protection to the lining of blood vessels, thereby lowers the risk of hypertension.
  •  as the allium family they lowers blood pressure, good for cardiovascular health.
  •  low calorie and high fibre content helps to lose weight.
  •  they can fight chronic low-level inflammatory status such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis.
  •  antioxidants in leeks help to fight against free radicals which cause chronic disease and aging.
  •  they are a good source of vitamins and minerals

They have very mild flavour and works well with other vegetables. My favorite way of cooking leeks is sautéing with a drizzle of olive oil and white wine and serving with a piece of white fish. Another way is to make an omelet or frittata with sauteed leeks. Cook finely sliced leeks in a pan until they are softened and then mix with whisked eggs and milk. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Because this frittata can be a little bland I wanted something salty and zingy salad on the side. So I made this salad using olives, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, cooked orzo, goji berries, toasted pepitas and green salad. Protein from eggs tick! Carbs from orzo and veggies tick! Good fat from olive oil and nuts tick! Taste also tick! I think it ticks all the boxes 🙂

Leek frittata2

 

Posted in: Baking, Dinner, Lunch, My recipes, salads