Asparagus and lentil salad with Grana Padano

Create a salad bed of hand cut lettuce, shredded beetroot, thinly sliced tomatoes and any other green salad you might have in your refrigerator. Cover with cooked bacon pieces (to taste) and a small tin of lentils – if you don’t want to cook lentils from scratch. Season with good quality bought or home made Ceaser salad dressing.

In the meantime wash and chop in 2 or 3 cm long pieces a bunch of green asparagus and stir fry for about 6 minutes with soya pieces and some sea salt to taste. When ready,  arrange on  the salad whilst still very warm. Sprinkle heavily with grated Grana Padano and ground pepper.

 

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Spicy quick chicken a’ l’arrabiata.

 

Mix together:

• 5 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs dried origano
• 1 tsp hot paprika powder (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp chicken spice (optional)
• juice of one lemon
• 150 ml white wine (optional)

pour the above over 4 chicken breasts or thighs and bake in a 230 oC oven for 45/50 mins.  Nothing could be easier or tastier!

Tip: serve with roasted pumpkin as in above.

 

Quick and tasty broccoli muffins

Mix the following in a blender, pour into paper cupcake cups and bake at 200oC for 40 mins or until beautifully golden brown.  I thought this would make a great healthy and fun variation on the broccoli patties by baking rather than frying them.

• 2 boiled (or shh… microwaved) potatoes
• 300g steamed broccoli
• 100 g grated cheese of your choice
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1.5 tsp sea salt
• fresh ground pepper to taste
• 2 beaten eggs
• 6 tbs ground flaxseed – for a great healthy twist

Serve with fresh green salad and a side mix of half ketchup, half mayo – although I found the muffins tasty enough not to require the latter.

Probably the easiest but tastiest salad dressing you could make

Put in a blender, or just cut into small pieces and mix thoroughly, the following:

8 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1.5 tsp sea salt

1 bunch fresh mint

1 bunch fresh coriander (you can also use parsley if coriander is not your thing)

some flaxseed (optional)

3 or 4 spring onions

juice of one lemon

You can spread the above on a normal green salad, or delicious on a bed of grilled aubergines or courgettes.

Easy summer quinoa and salmon salad

Quinoa is all about what you mix it with, and this quick recipe blends the following healthy ingredients nicely.

You will need:

1 chopped cucumber

Half an iceberg lettuce, chopped

200g sugar snaps or any other similar crunchy vegetables, cooked 5 mins in lightly salty boiling water

150g quinoa – follow the pack for instructions on how to cook (I cooked for 8 mins and then added the sugar snaps and cooked for a further 5 mins, to save on time and effort)

300 g baked salmon at 210oC for 12 mins, sprinkled with ground sea salt and pepper

Mix the above, and sprinkle with some olive oil and serve with a side dressing very easily made from:

250g creme fraiche or yogurt

15g dill

 

 

 

Easy Lasagne Salad

This is one of my favourites, easy to make, looks great and can be eaten cold, so excellent if you have friends over and juggling time with other dishes.

• packet of basil, lightly cut in pieces
• approx. one garlic clove (pressed)
• 8 tbls olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 6 tasty tomatoes cut in thin slices
• 2 mozzarellas, also in thin slices
• 1 packet lasagne pasta
• 1 pack rucola or any other fresh small salad

Mix the basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and tomatoes and allow to stand.  Cook the pasta for around 8-9 mins in salty water.

Starting with a layer of pasta apply the basil mixture followed by the mozzarella and rucola.  Apply another layer of pasta and do the same.  Finish up with a pasta layer, seasoned and topped with cheese of your choice, preferably parmesan.

For those who are lactose intolerant, you can replace mozzarella with goat cheese and works just the same.

Serves 4, as a starter.