Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Salad · Sauces

Best Caesar Salad dressing

December 16, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

This recipe is great as it par-cooks the egg for those who are worried about salmonella!

Serves 4 to 6

1 large egg
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 tsp anchovy paste to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Immerse the egg in a small pan of boiling water. Remove the pan from the heat and cover it for 10 minutes.
Remove the egg from the water and let it cool for 10 more minutes.

Mince the garlic in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. While the motor is running, add the lemon juice, anchovy paste and pepper and process to combine.
Crack the egg, then spoon it out of the shell into the food processor feed tube.
Pulse the egg with the other ingredients until combined.
Add the oil in a small steady stream until emulsified.
Whisk in 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese.
Taste for seasoning, and sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the salad.

Remaining ingredients of a caesar salad

Chopped Romaine lettuce
Croutons
Grated parmesan cheese

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Salad · Vegan · Vegetable-related

Szechwan Slaw (CleanCuisine)

December 16, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

I intend to make this as a side on Christmas Eve alongside the crown roast of pork This is delicious and tangy with the freshly grated ginger giving it a real fresh and clean taste. It’s also great with a piece of broiled salmon as a very low fat meal

Serves 8

The Szechwan Dressing

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red chile flakes
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
salt to taste

The salad

3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 large red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
4 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
1 large carrot, coarsely grated
1/4 lb snow peas, sliced thinly and diagonally
1/8 cup black sesame seeds
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

To prepare the dressing

In a bowl combine the vinegar, canola, sugar, ginger, red chile flakes, cilantro and salt. Set aside

To prepare the salad

Toast the almonds until golden brown and they start to smell great! You can use a toaster oven or regular oven. It should take about 7 minutes at 350F. Set aside to cool or do in advance.

Combine the red and green cabbages, red pepper, scallions, carrot, snow peas and sesame seeds.

Fifteen minutes before serving time, toss the cabbage mixture with the dressing, as this allows the flavors to meld while keeping the crisp vegetables intact.

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Salad · Whole30 compliant

Asian avocado salad

September 23, 2012January 7, 2017 Belinda

This is lovely and a bit different with the Asian dressing complementing the avocado beautifully.
A simple but very effective starter

Serves 4

2 ripe Haas avocados
mixed greens

Dressing

1 tbsp white sesame seeds
2 tbsp safflower oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp Chinese pepper mix (Equal amounts of whole black, white and Szechuan peppers, toasted then ground in a spice mill. You will be able to keep this for quite a while)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger

Dressing
Toast the sesame seeds in a small ungreased skillet set over a high heat until they are light golden.
Combine the sesame seeds with the remaining ingredients in a jar and shake well.

Cut the avocados in half, seed and thinly slice.
Place some mixed leaves on 4 salad plates. Fan an avocado half across each bed of greens.
Shake the dressing in the jar and then drizzle it over the avocado.
Serve at once

Asian flavors · Curry · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Grains · Nuts · Salad

Curried rice salad with raisins and toasted almonds

September 10, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Salad

Lentils and quinoa with avocado, arugula and burrata cheese

August 23, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

I made this up a couple of nights ago as Ollie was coming to stay the night and he’s been trying to be vegetarian for health reasons. Since the kidney transplant he’s been recommended to minimize meat as it contains Creatinine.
I had some leftovers and wanted to make something vegetarian. It is delicious and well worth trying.
It’s also delicious for the next few days to have cold for lunch!

1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1lb vacuum pack of cooked puy or green lentils (available from quite a few supermarkets and they last months in the fridge)
2 good handfuls or fresh baby arugula
1 large avocado or 2 small ones, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tub of Italian burrata cheese (it usually has 2 balls of cheese in it)

Dressing
5 tbsp good olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar (you could try lemon juice too)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Put all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to emulsify. Set aside.

Cook the quinoa in the chicken or vegetable broth according to the instructions on the packet. Tip cooked the quinoa into a serving bowl.

Remove the lentils from the packaging and put into a microwave- proof container. Heat through on high for about 3 minutes. Break up lentils with a fork, then tip into the serving bowl with the quinoa and mix together with a fork. Pour in all but 2 tbsp of the dressing and mix well.

Gently mix the arugula leaves and avocado cubes into the quinoa/lentil mixture, so the avocado is covered with the dressing and the arugula starts to wilt in the heat.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside to cool for about 30 minutes.
When you are about to serve, break the burrata cheese into big chunks and dot over the salad. Pour the reserved dressing over the burrata and serve

Gluten Free · Meat · Nuts · Salad

Grilled asparagus,mozzarella, prosciutto and melon salad

August 9, 2012February 11, 2016 Belinda

Thank you to Giada De Laurentiis for this recipe. I like to serve this with a fillet of broiled wild salmon on the side.

4 -6 servings

3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
1 lb asparagus
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tbsp
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 small melon (about 12 oz) peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2″ cubes
4 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 3/4″ cubes
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the prosciutto in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. bake for 12- 14 minutes until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Chop the prosciutto into 1/4″ pieces
Place a grill pan over medium high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. In a medium bowl toss together the asparagus and 2 tsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2- 3 minutes each side until crisp tender.
In a medium bowl combine the lemon juice and 2 tbsp olive oil. Whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the melon and mozzarella cheese and toss until all ingredients are combined.
Arrange the asparagus on a platter. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the melon and mozzarella cheese on top of the asparagus.
Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette over the top. Sprinkle the prosciutto and pine nuts on top and serve.

To toast the pine nuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 8 to 12 minutes until lightly browned

Asian flavors · Fish · Gluten Free · Nuts · Poultry · Salad

Marie Claire’s Vietnamese prawn and chicken salad (CleanCuisine)

August 9, 2012February 8, 2016 Belinda

This is so light and tangy and one of the best salads I know. Well worth making and wonderful for entertaining in the summer!

Serves 4 – 6

12 oz small cooked prawns
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp fish sauce
4 tbsp lime juice
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
15 fresh mint leaves, finely sliced
1 tsp sugar
2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded
2-3 carrots, grated
4 oz snow pea sprouts or other sprouts
1&1/2 English cucumbers peeled, seeded and diced
6 scallions (spring onions) , finely sliced
3 x baby cos (romaine) lettuce, finely sliced
1 -2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
optional 1/3 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts
optional 1 avocado, cubed

Peel the prawns and put them in a bowl
In a small bowl, combine the cumin, fish sauce, lime juice, olive oil, sesame oil, mint and sugar.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then pour the mixture over the prawns and toss until the prawns are well coated.
Add the chicken, carrot, snow pea sprouts, optional cubed avocado, cucumber, spring onion and lettuce.
Lightly toss together then pile onto a serving platter or into individual bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds. (dry roasted peanuts)

Fish · Gluten Free · Salad · Whole30 compliant

Cilantro, lime and sardine salad in avocado halves

July 9, 2012January 7, 2017 Belinda

I am posting this because it is a really delicious, quick lunch dish that is packed with calcium, protein, Vitamin B12, Omega 3 and 6 via the sardines and avocados.
It’s a sort of retro dish, and you can also use smoked trout instead of sardines.

Serves 2

1x 3.75 oz can boneless, skinless sardines packed in oil, drained
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbsp good mayonnaise (or Whole 30 compliant mayonnaise)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice, divided
1 ripe avocado
salt and pepper
salad greens
Good granary bread, optional

In a small bowl combine the drained sardines, cilantro, mayonnaise and 2-1/2 tsp of lime juice.
mash together thoroughly with a fork and season to taste with the pepper and a pinch of salt, if needed.
Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Using a large spoon, with a wide shallow bowl, scoop each avocado half from it’s skin, run the tip of the spoon around the edge of the avocado to loosen it, then plunge the spoon between the skin and flesh. Keep the back of the spoon as close to the skin as possible, and work from the wider to the narrower end of the avocado.
Rub each half with the remaining 1/2 tsp lime juice to prevent discoloration.
To serve, scoop half of the sardine mixture into the hollow of each avocado. Serve over dressed salad greens if desired.