Warm honeyed sweet potato salad

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Yesterday there were hopeful signs of Spring in the air. I left my heavier jacket at home, and embraced the shining sun and blue skies when I went to collect Miss C from school.

Today? Well sadly I can’t say the same thing. The temperature has dropped, my heavy jacket was definitely required for the school drop off, and I can hear the rain falling steadily as I sit here typing.

But chilly days make for great ‘catch up on work’ days, so I’m doing just that. Starting with a long overdue post – on a recipe that has become quite a favourite in our household nonetheless!

Warm Honeyed Sweet Potato Salad.

A.k.a. a great compromise when you want salad for dinner, but the weather calls for something warm too.

I really love how quickly this salad comes together. It would be a lovely little side dish, although it easily extends to a main course.

IMG_8682 Simply – sweet potatoes – sliced and drizzled with spices and honey – then roasted. Piled atop a bed bed of lettuce and purple cabbage, and sprinkled with parsley, almonds and persian feta. Completed with a warm honey vinegar dressing.
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But now…where did I put my slippers??

Warm Honeyed Sweet Potato Salad (serves 2)

  • 1 large sweet potato, scrubbed and sliced
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbs honey
  • 2 cups mesculin lettuce
  • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
  • 2 tbs flaked almonds
  • 2 tbs persian feta
  • 2 tbs chopped parsley
  • 1tbs white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  1. Preheat oven to 200C, and line a baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Place sweet potato on tray, and spray with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with cumin and cinnamon, and drizzle with 1tbs honey. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until tender.
  3. Meanwhile, combine 1 tbs honey, vinegar and juice in a small dish, and microwave until warmed through.
  4. Place salad leaves and cabbage into two large serving bowls. Top with the cooked sweet potato, almonds, feta and parsley. Drizzle with warmed dressing.

Warm Chicken and Quinoa Salad

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If I needed any reassurance that we are a long way from Summer, the fact it was minus 4 on my morning walk was proof enough. Crunchy white grass met me as I stepped outside, and the neighbourhood cars were covered with a thick layer of frost.

I was pretty warm with my 4 layers of clothing on (plus gloves and beanie), admittedly, although my nose wouldn’t stop running and I returned home with a nice ‘red cheek’ glow.  And my cravings throughout the day were a long way from the salads I normally have for lunch. Instead I opted for a big plate of comforting pasta, without a moment’s hesitation.

Although salads do tend to lose their appeal in Winter, this one was still a winner. The fact it was warm probably helped, and the quinoa added a nice feeling of ‘bulk’ to what was, in all reality, a rather light dinner.

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I opted to oven-bake the chicken (free house heating!), although you could quite easily pan-fry the chicken too – if that is your preference.  And feel free to play around with the ingredients – depending what you have on hand!

IMG_8147 Warm Chicken and Quinoa Salad (serves 2)

  • 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked per packet directions
  • 2 x small chicken breasts (or one large)
  • Juice and zest of half a lemon + extra
  • 1 tbs olive oil  + extra
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 1tsp minced lemon grass
  • chopped sundried tomatoes and pitted kalamata olives (as many as you like)
  • A few handfuls of baby spinach
  • 1/2 cucumber, diced
  • The kernels from one corn-cob
  • 1/2 avocado (or more if you like), sliced
  • a handful of chopped parsley and coriander + extra to serve
  1. Preheat oven to 200C.
  2. Combine the lemon juice, zest, oil, ginger and lemon grass in a small bowl.
  3. Place chicken and  in a baking dish, and pour over the oil mixture. Turn to coat well. Bake for 40 minutes or until cooked through.
  4. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients, and divide among serving bowls. Top with the sliced chicken and remaining herbs. Drizzle with a little olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

What about you? Do you crave salads in Winter?

Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl

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What a wet and wild weekend that just was!

We stayed mostly in the warmth and comfort of home, with some baking and lots of games being the name of the weekend. We did, however, sneak out for a little parents-only dinner which was rather lovely too – and we are officially converted to the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of Uber!

And while I finished the weekend with a belly-warming balsamic roast beef, with all the Sunday roast sides, I made a promise to myself that I would clear the archives first before posting “live”.

And this spectacular sweet potato buddha bowl has been lying dormant in the archives for too long, despite being quite the tasty mid-week meal.

And not to mention healthy.

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Inspired by a Taste Magazine recipe (you can find the recipe online here), it took less than half an hour to make. I used quinoa in place of freekeh, and built the salad with roasted sweet potato, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, kale (that had been ‘massaged with olive oil), and some crunchy salad seeds.

Made all the more special with a spicy roasted capsicum sauce on the side (simply roasted capsicum, blanched almonds, chilli flakes, olive oil and balsamic vinegar – processed until smooth).
IMG_6678 Yes, friends, this is now one of my favourite ‘go to’ salads. Great for lunch, and substantial enough for dinner too.

BBQ Pork Rainbow Salad

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The slow cooker is well and truly ‘out’ on our kitchen bench at the moment, and a lot of curries and stews are appearing on our weekly menu. However, a review of my photo archives revealed a couple of salads that were simply too delicious not to share.

Such as this BBQ Pork Rainbow Salad, that was inspired by a Taste Magazine edition (although I can’t for the life of me find the actual recipe anywhere!)

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What  I do remember, is that it was super easy to throw together. Loaded with lots of different vegetable, textures and tastes. Resulting in a dinner that was not only nutritious, but also packed with flavour. And colour.

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I purchased the BBQ pork from our local Chinese takeaway, which sat perched atop a big salad – built with lettuce, avocado, red cabbage, celery, red onion, carrot and some sauteed bok choy. Finished with some chopped red chilli and ginger, to taste.

IMG_7588Definitely a salad that I will be making again!

Roasted pumpkin, quinoa and feta salad

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It’s safe to say, I’m a salad girl.

Perhaps it was ingrained in me when I was young – when a big bowl of salad would make an appearance on the family dinner table every other night. Although, on reflection, those salads were pretty standard and definitely reflective of the time. No mesculin or interesting tomato varieties – just plain ol’ icerberg lettuce, white onion, carrot and cucumber, topped with sliced cheddar cheese and drizzled with, most probably,  French dressing. Out of a bottle.

Then came high school, when I would usually spend my lunch money on a freshly made salad roll (being sure to ask for ‘no beetroot’ as it made the roll soggy by lunchtime).

Flash-forward to uni, where my love of salad continued. In fact, with a ‘poor’ uni student budget meaning a lot of my meals consisted of hot chips and beer from the uni pub after class, I really looked forward to the treat of a warm chicken salad a few times a week from a  favourite local cafe.

Over the years, my salads have become a little fancier. The local greengrocer stocks a good range of interesting salad leaves, tomato varieties and I should probably take out shares in avocados given the amount I consume!  And while cheddar cheese doesn’t normally feature in my salads any more, other cheeses, such as feta, sure do!

I’ve heard that famous catch-cry  “you don’t win friends with salad”,  but l I beg to differ. For a salad that graced our dinner table over the weekend, when we had some dear friends around for a BBQ, did not disappoint. And I’m pretty sure that our friendship remains intact. Despite salad, a roasted pumpkin and feta salad in fact, being served.

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I could give you the recipe – but there really is not a lot to it. Simply slices of jap pumpkin and red onion, drizzled with olive oil and baked for 30 minutes at 180C. Then drizzled again – this time with balsamic vinegar – and roasted for a further 20 minutes until golden.

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Combined with a cup of cooked quinoa (I used white as that was what I had), a pile of mesculin and a cup of various mini tomatoes which I had halved. Finished with a liberal amount of crumbled feta and a squeeze of lemon juice.

IMG_7961 Yes I think this love affair will be a long one!

What about you? Are you a salad fan?

Chilli lime turkey salad bowl

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Do you ever find yourself grabbing the same thing off the shelves when it comes to grocery shopping?

I certainly tend to head to  ‘regular’ sections and throw staple items into the trolley without much thought. This is particularly so now that the ability to linger in the aisles and casually consider any new additions is generally thwarted by the kids demanding blueberries or yoghurt (or sneaking treats into the trolley while my eyes are looking elsewhere…)

But on a recent shopping trip,  I skipped our regular pack of chicken, and replaced it with turkey. A protein that I really do enjoy – although often forget about outside the Christmas period.

And with the addition of a few other ingredients, I was quite pleased with the end result.

A chilli lime turkey salad bowl.

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The dressing – made with chilli sauce, oil, cumin, garlic, lime juice and brown sugar – had just the right balance of spice and sour.

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Half was used as a marinade for the turkey, the other half used as a dressing over the salad.

And, as for the rest of the salad bowl, well this saw us using up whatever we had on hand. There was some leftover brown rice from a previous meal, salad leaves, cherry tomatoes, capsicum and avocado. Finished with a sprinkling of feta and chia seeds.

IMG_7596 A lovely (non Christmas) use for the turkey!

Chilli lime turkey salad bowl (serves 2)

  • 300g turkey steaks
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 2 tbs lime juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbs chilli sauce
  • 1/2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • Salad ingredients – we used salad leaves, brown rice, sliced avocado, sliced capsicum, cherry tomatoes, feta and chia seeds
  1. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Place the turkey in a glass dish, and spread with half the dressing. Cover and place in the fridge for a few hours to marinate.
  3. Heat a little olive oil in a frypan over a medium heat. Cook the turkey steaks for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile – build a salad with your chosen ingredients in 2 bowls. Slice the turkey and divide among the bowls. Top with the feta cheese, chia seeds and the remainder of the dressing.

What about you? Are you a fan of turkey?

 

Spicy Thai Beef Salad

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IMG_5321 “Hello December.  Where did you sneak up from?” Anyone else feeling as if 2015 has been a bit of a time-warp!? But the weather is warm and we are officially in ‘count-down’ mode to a little break over Christmas, so we really can’t complain! And salads are well and truly back on the menu. On this occasion, it was a Spicy Thai Beef Salad. Dressed with all the usual ingredients you might find in such a salad – lime juice, sugar, garlic, chilli and coriander. IMG_5303IMG_5313 Drizzled over lettuce, carrot, onion, tomato and avocado. Oh and some beautiful fillet steak , of course, that had been cooked on the BBQ. IMG_5318 Yes, friends, Summer in this (non-air conditioned) house is all about keeping the oven off and the BBQ on! IMG_5320 What about you? Do you like to cook outdoors when the warmer weather arrives?

Sweet potato, broccoli and quinoa salad

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IMG_2976 Taking a look back into the depths of my photo archives, I was shocked to see that this tasty little dish had not found its way onto the blog. For if I remember correctly, it was rather delicious – and a perfect lighter meal when the warmer weather hits. Sweet potato, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with ground cumin and coriander. Roasted for 40 minutes at 200C. . IMG_2973 Combined with a cup of cooked quinoa, baby spinach, steamed broccoli florets and cherry tomatoes. IMG_2975 Piled high, and finished with a sprinkle of slivered almonds and dressed with this gorgeous spiced beetroot finishing vinegar. The perfect sweet / sour combination to pull the whole dish together. IMG_2974IMG_2980 Definitely a salad that I see us making more often now that Spring has arrived! What about you? Discovered any delicious salad combinations recently?

Tahini chicken caesar salad

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IMG_2991 Yes, friends, my love for tahini is ever strong. Particularly when it comes to adding a little nuttiness to dressings and sauces – you will always find me grabbing for the tahini. IMG_2985 On one such occasion, quite a while ago now, I had a craving for caesar salad. But not the usually calorific caesar salads you will find in the shops or on the cafe menu. Nay – a lightened up version. IMG_2986 With tahini and yoghurt as the main dressing ingredients, jazzed up a little more with the addition of garlic, dijon, lemon juice and worcestershire sauce. IMG_2987 And, as for the rest of the salad, the chicken was given a little citrus kick with another favourite ingredient of mine – lemon pepper! IMG_2983 Grilled then piled upon a bed of dressed crunchy cos lettuce and cucumber. Finished with a sprinkling of parmesan and a boiled egg on the side. IMG_2988 I loved the tangy dressing – of which the tahini was key. Coupled with the zingy grilled chicken…delish! IMG_2989 So easy to put together – and a lovely healthy take on the original. Tahini Caesar Salad Dressing  (serves 2)

  • 2 tbs natural yoghurt
  • 1 tbs tahini
  • 1tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  1. Whisk all ingredients together until well combined. Add a little water if the dressing is too thick. Season to taste.

What about you? What is your favourite homemade dressing?

Pearl barley, turkey and asparagus salad with lime tahini dressing

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IMG_3973 I cant help but feel a little sorry for the ol’ traditional grains. For with the emergence of the new ‘cool’ grains (freekeh, millet, teff… I’m looking at you!) well some of the ones I grew up with seem to have been forgotten.  Perhaps even labelled a little dorky. I’m sure they will be rediscovered again by the populous at some point, but for now they appear to have been cast to one side. Or to the back of the pantry, at least. Well not in this household. For I am loving pearl barley at the moment. Cheap, quick and easy to prepare, and so much more versatile than simply being a a staple in my Mum’s vegetable soup! IMG_3955IMG_3956 Recently, I cooked up a batch of pearl barley and used it as the ‘filler’ in our dinner salad. Combined with zucchini, grilled asparagus, mint, chives and craisins – and dressed in a lime/tahini dressing, well it was a rather tasty addition to our weekly menu plan. IMG_3963 On this occasion, I opted to add some grilled turkey breasts for a little extra protein kick. But I have no doubt the salad would have worked fine by itself as a vegetarian main or side dish. IMG_3969 Yes, pearl barley, I have not forgotten you or your wonderful nutty chewiness! You are a keeper, for sure. Pearl barley, turkey and asparagus salad – serves 2

  • 1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed
  • 1 bunch asparagus
  • 1 zucchini, cut into ribbons
  • mint leaves and chopped chives
  • 1 tbs craisins
  • 2 turkey breast steaks, pan-fried and sliced.
  • 1 tbs tahini
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  1. Place pearl barley in 1.5 cups water in a small saucepan. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes or until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, spray asparagus with a little olive oil and season. Grill until tender then slice. Blanch zucchini in boiling water, then drain.
  3. Combine the tahini, olive oil and lime juice in a small bowl, and set aside.
  4. Place prepared pearl barley, asparagus, zucchini, herbs and craisins in a bowl and toss to combine. Divide among serving plates, top with sliced turkey and drizzle with the lime tahini dressing.

What about you? Are you a fan of pearl barley?