Category Archives: Salad

Beef log with Quinoa Salad

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Another simple Christmas lunch idea.  The meat is marinated in  red wine vinegar, cumin, ground fennel and chili flakes.  The fennel brings out the flavour of the meat.  The quinoa salad takes less than thirty minutes to prepare, cook the quinoa, add spinach,  nuts and drizzle red wine vinegar,  The red wine chilli sauce is a great sauce to drizzle over the beef and salad. 

To make this juicy beef log you need:

2.5kg beef log

2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon chilli flakes

1 tablespoon ground coriander

Method

In a large bowl add the vinegar, oil, soy sauce and spices.  Mix well.

Pour the marinade over the lamb and season with salt and pepper.  Cove the meat with cling wrap and place in the fridge and leave overnight.

Preheat oven to 220 degresss

Place meat in the baking tray and cook for 1 to 1.5 hours or to your liking.   

Remove the meat and let it rest for ten minutes than slice.

Tip

Before cooking the meat, make sure it is at room temperature after removing it from the fridge.

 

Quinoa Salad

The quinoa salad is a simple dish to make.  All you need:

1 cup Quinoa

Handful of spinach

1/3 cup olives

Handful of walnuts

Handful of dried cranberries

Method

Cook quinoa according to packet instructions.

Once quinoa is ready and cooled remove a salad plate and place the quinoa, spinach, olives, nuts and cranberries and mix.

To make the red wine vinegar chilli  sauce you need:

1/2 red wine vinegar

1 red chilli

salt and sugar to season.

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix.  Taste to your preference.  

 

Chicken Tikka with Steamed Veggies

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This was not my dinner choice for today, I  wanted to make a stir fry but I changed my mind after reading the stir fry  recipe. I  wasn’t happy with the ingredients combination so I did an old favourite recipe, Chicken Tikka and topped with green vegetables. Best decision for dinner.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Tikka

750g chicken thighs

¼ onion chopped

2 crushed cloves of garlic

1 tbsp. fresh grated ginger

2 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tsp. ground coriander

3 tsp ground cumin

3 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plain yogurt

 

For the Steamed Vegetables

1 small broccoli cut in floreats

1 cup frozen peas

150g snap peas cut in half

150g green beans cut in half

Method

For the chicken tikka

In a food processor add the onion, garlic, ginger, spices, lemon and salt,  yogurt.  Blend mixture until it’s combined.

Add the chicken in the mixture and coat. Let it marianate for an hour or longer.  (The longer the better).

Once ready for cooking. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a chargrill pan on medium heat. Add the chickens and cook chicken through.

 

For the Steamed Vegetables

Boil water in a kettle.  Once the water is boiled add it in a saucepan.

Place all the vegetables in the steamer and place the steamer on top of the saucepan to steam the vegetables.

Steam vegetable for 3-5 minutes or to your liking.

Note

This dish serves 4

Enjoy the steamed veggies with: Mustard Lamb

Mustard lamb with Cauliflower and Potato Mash

 

Try theses dishes

Spicy Grilled Steak

Pumpkin Mash and Steak

Chili and Honey Barbeque chicken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barramundi with Roasted Vegetables

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Barramundi is found in Western Australia and is loved for its taste.  In my opinion Barramundi is tastier than salmon.  In this recipe the Barramundi is coated in curry powder, turmeric and cinnamon.  The roasted vegetables are seasoned with Moroccan spices which goes well with the fish.

Ingredients

For the Barramundi

1 tbsp. curry powder

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp turmeric

1 tbsp. coconut oil

4x200g Barramundi fillet

Salt for seasoning

For the Roosted Vegetables

1 tsp Moroccan spices (feel free to increase for an extra kick)

400g canned chick peas

4 baby potatoes

6 baby carrots

¼ cauliflower

½ red capsicum

½ an onion

Handful of Spinach

oil to drizzle

Salt (optional)

 

Method 

Preheat oven to 220°c Fan Force

Line two baking trays with non stick baking paper or use a non stick tray.

For the vegetables

Chop the baby potatoes quarterly, chop the carrots in half, cut cauliflower in florets, slice the onions and capsicum.  Drain the chickpeas and rinse  in cold water.

Add the potatoes, cauliflower, carrots and chickpeas in the tray, season with Moroccan spice and salt if using, drizzle olive oil over the vegetable and mix.  Put it in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the vegetables and add the onions and capsicum and bake for a further 10 minutes.

While the vegetable are in the oven chop some spinach and put in the salad bowl you are going to serve with.

Once the vegetables are ready and still hot, add to the spinach and use a salad spoon to mix all the ingredients.

For the Barramundi

Heat the coconut oil in the pan and add the barramundi for two minutes on each side,

Place  the barramundi on the second  tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or to your liking.

 

Note 

This dish serves 4

You can have the roasted vegetables with mustard lamb, check out the recipe for mustard lamb,   Mustard lamb with Cauliflower and Potato Mash.

The barramundi goes well with spinach rice.  Check out the recipe for  spinach rice.  Spinach Rice and Sambal Salmon

 

Try these other fish dishes

Cajun Spiced Snapper with Broccoli and Green Beans

Prawn Stir Fry

Spinach Rice and Sambal Salmon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken and Vegetable Patties with Kale Salad

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The chicken and vegetable patties can be used to create a burger.  Alternatively,  the Pattie can be served with a side of  baked potatoes or with fresh kale salad. The chicken mince is combined with  sweet potatoes, spices and tamari.

Ingredients

For the patties

400g chicken mince

2 tbsp. tamari’

1 tbsp. fresh grated ginger

1 garlic clove crushed

1 large carrot grated

1 cup grated  sweet potato

½ a cup chopped coriander

Spray oil.

For the kale salad

1 cup carrots

1 cup red cabbage\

1 cup kale leaves

Lemon to serv

 

Method

For the Patties

Preheat oven to 220ºC fan force.

Remove a baking tray and line it with non stick baking paper.

Add the chicken mince, grated ginner, garlic, sweet potatoes, coriander,  tamari in a bowl and mix or add the ingredients in the food processor and blend.  The mixture should be sticky.

Mould them into burger shapes.  If it is to sticky to mould, put a portion of the mixture on the tray and mould it.  Make 4 patties

Spray the patties with oil.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.

For the kale salad

Add all ingredients in a bowl and mi.

Squeeze lemon over the salad.

 

Note

This dish serves 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buckwheat Salad

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I tried buckwheat rice for the first time and it’s tasty. It is similar to brown rice and you can have it with a salad or a curry.    I made a bucket salad with roasted chicken, cauliflower, onion and red peppers. Topped with lettuce, nuts and balsamic vinegar.

Ingredients

150 g Chicken breast or thighs

¼ cup cooked buckwheat

150g cauliflower

¼ onion

¼ capsicum

3-4 lettuce leaves

a handful of almonds

1 tbsp. balsamic

½ tsp. Cajun Pepper

½ tsp. paprika

Salt and pepper to season

 

Method

Preheat fan forced oven to 220ºC digress.

Remove two trays.  One tray, place the chicken on the tray and season with salt, pepper and Cajun spices.  (Feel free to use your own spices). Place in the oven and cook through.

Mix the paprika with the cauliflower, onion and capsicum.  Bake for 15 minuter or to your liking.

Boil the buckwheat rice according to packet instructions.

Chop lettuce and put on serving plate.  Add the buckwheat, the roasted vegetables and chicken. Pour Balsamic over the salad and enjoy.

 

Note

This dish serves one.

 

Try these salads

Beetroot and Carrot Salad

Leftover Chicken Salad

Spicy Chicken Salad

 

 

 

 

 

Spicy Chicken Salad

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I made a new salad today. The chicken was cooked with spices and combined in a salad with baked sweet potato, red cabbage and spinach. I felt the baked sweet potatoes cut through the spice in the chicken and the red cabbage added a nice texture to the dish.

For the Spicy Chicken

150 g chicken
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 onion
1 garlic
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt

For the Salad
2 cups Spinach
1 cup red cabbage
125g sweet potato
A handful of almonds or cashew nuts
1 tbsp. lemon or your favourite salad dressing

Method
For the chicken
Add olive oil in a pan. Cook onion in a medium heat until it’s soft.
Add garlic and spices, cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add chicken and coat with spices. Cook chicken until it is properly cooked.

For the Salad
Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees for fan forced.
Layer a tray with baking paper and place chopped sweet potato on the tray. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until it’s crunchy.
Place spinach, cabbage and nuts in a bowl. Add the cooked chicken and sweet potato and squeeze some lemon.

Note
Feel free to bake the chicken instead of frying it. Add the olive oil, paprika, cumin, salt and Cayenne pepper in a bowl and mix. Coat chicken and place it in the oven to bake. Once chicken is ready place it on the salad.
You can boil the sweet potato instead of baking it.

Try these lunch dishes

Beetroot and Carrot Salad

Leftover Chicken Salad

Buckwheat Salad

Beetroot and Carrot Salad

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A healthy salad to whip up for lunch.  I combined spinach, carrot, beetroot, slice of meat and nuts and squeezed lemon over the salad.

Method
2 cups spinach
1 Carrot
150 g lean meat
Handful of nuts
1/2 cup beetroot
dressing of your choice

Method
Add all vegetables, nuts and meat in a bowl and add your favourite dressing.

 

Note

Try these Salads

Spicy Chicken Salad

Buckwheat Salad

Leftover Chicken Salad

 

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Leftover Chicken Salad

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If you have leftover chicken meat or fish try this salad.  It is  filled with nuts and seeds which is good for you as well as spinach and grilled haloumi cheese.

Ingredients
1/4 cup couscous
Leftover Chicken
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. pepitas seeds
1 tbsp. cashew nuts
35 g haloumi cheese
1/4 lemon or 1 tsp. vinegar
Handful spinach or salad leaves

Method
Put couscous in a bowl and place 1/4 cup of hot water and cover with a towel or cling wrap.
After a five minutes, fluff couscous with fork.
Add chicken, haloumi, olive oil, lemon, seeds, nuts and leaves and combine.
Season with salt and pepper.

Notes

This dish serves one
Feel free to use other seeds or nuts or chop two dates or apricots.

Try these left over dishes 

Buckwheat Salad

Spicy Chicken Salad

Roast Chicken Pizza