Jicama Salad
1 medium sized jicama (or 2 large Granny Smith apples) julienned
1 large carrot julienned
3 shallots thinly sliced
2 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds
1 large handful of cilantro roughly chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves cut into thin strips
1 long red chilli, seeded and cut into thin strips
Dressing:
1/4 cup of lime juice
3 tbsp of fish sauce
4 tbsp of brown sugar
1 large clove of garlic minced
Combine dressing ingredients. Toss everything together. I like to make this about an hour before eating to let it marinate.
1 medium sized jicama (or 2 large Granny Smith apples) julienned
1 large carrot julienned
3 shallots thinly sliced
2 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds
1 large handful of cilantro roughly chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves cut into thin strips
1 long red chilli, seeded and cut into thin strips
Dressing:
1/4 cup of lime juice
3 tbsp of fish sauce
4 tbsp of brown sugar
1 large clove of garlic minced
Combine dressing ingredients. Toss everything together. I like to make this about an hour before eating to let it marinate.
Thai Garden Salad
~ greens of your choice 3-4 cups (today I used finely sliced kale and romaine because it's what I had)
~ 1 cup of bean sprouts
1/2 red, yellow or orange pepper chopped
10 - 15 sugar snap peas trimmed and chopped in half
1/2 cup of roasted cashews (peanuts would also work)
1/2 cup of fresh herbs (cilantro, mint and/or basil)
Really you can use whatever you like or have in your fridge. In the cookbook, Jamie lists all sorts of ingredients but the above ingredients are my favourite combination.
Dressing:
4 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of sesame oil
1 tbsp of soya sauce
a good pinch of brown sugar
1 tbsp of ginger freshly chopped
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
1 fresh red chilli chopped
1 large handful of fresh cilantro and basil chopped
Mix well in a jar.
~ greens of your choice 3-4 cups (today I used finely sliced kale and romaine because it's what I had)
~ 1 cup of bean sprouts
1/2 red, yellow or orange pepper chopped
10 - 15 sugar snap peas trimmed and chopped in half
1/2 cup of roasted cashews (peanuts would also work)
1/2 cup of fresh herbs (cilantro, mint and/or basil)
Really you can use whatever you like or have in your fridge. In the cookbook, Jamie lists all sorts of ingredients but the above ingredients are my favourite combination.
Dressing:
4 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of sesame oil
1 tbsp of soya sauce
a good pinch of brown sugar
1 tbsp of ginger freshly chopped
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
1 fresh red chilli chopped
1 large handful of fresh cilantro and basil chopped
Mix well in a jar.
Zesty Potato Salad
1 bag of small potatoes 1.5 lb (halved if too big to be bite size)
1 zucchini sliced into half inch slices
1 red pepper quartered
1 white or red onion sliced into half inch slices
cilantro for garnish
couple tbsp of olive oil
salt and pepper
Dressing:
1/2 cup of mayo
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 tbsp of chopped shallot
2 tbsp of chopped cilantro
1 clove of garlic minced well
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1/2 tsp of celery salt
1/2 tsp of salt
lots of pepper
The dressing for this salad is better if it has time to party in a bowl so I always make it earlier in the day and let it sit for a few hours in the fridge. To make it simply mix all the ingredients for the dressing together.
Heat up your barbecue. Toss the potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper and throw in a barbecue basket (roasting in the oven is also an option). Cook over a medium heat on the barbecue. Toss them every 5 minutes so they are cooked on all sides. Cook for ~10-12 minutes. You can do the rest of the veggies when the potatoes are halfway done.
Toss the zucchini, onions and peppers in olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill on a medium heat on the barbecue. When coloured on one side, flip and cook on the other side. Keep a close eye on the veggies as they can overcook quickly. When done, remove from the barbecue and chop into bite size pieces. Add the veggies to the potatoes and add dressing as necessary. You may not need all the dressing. Top with cilantro leaves. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled, although I prefer slightly warm.
1 bag of small potatoes 1.5 lb (halved if too big to be bite size)
1 zucchini sliced into half inch slices
1 red pepper quartered
1 white or red onion sliced into half inch slices
cilantro for garnish
couple tbsp of olive oil
salt and pepper
Dressing:
1/2 cup of mayo
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 tbsp of chopped shallot
2 tbsp of chopped cilantro
1 clove of garlic minced well
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1/2 tsp of celery salt
1/2 tsp of salt
lots of pepper
The dressing for this salad is better if it has time to party in a bowl so I always make it earlier in the day and let it sit for a few hours in the fridge. To make it simply mix all the ingredients for the dressing together.
Heat up your barbecue. Toss the potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper and throw in a barbecue basket (roasting in the oven is also an option). Cook over a medium heat on the barbecue. Toss them every 5 minutes so they are cooked on all sides. Cook for ~10-12 minutes. You can do the rest of the veggies when the potatoes are halfway done.
Toss the zucchini, onions and peppers in olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill on a medium heat on the barbecue. When coloured on one side, flip and cook on the other side. Keep a close eye on the veggies as they can overcook quickly. When done, remove from the barbecue and chop into bite size pieces. Add the veggies to the potatoes and add dressing as necessary. You may not need all the dressing. Top with cilantro leaves. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled, although I prefer slightly warm.
Zesty Potato Salad
~ 2 lbs of potatoes
1 zucchini sliced into half inch slices
1 red pepper quartered
1 white or red onion sliced into half inch slices
Dressing:
1/2 cup of mayo
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 tbsp of chopped shallot
2 tbsp of chopped cilantro
1 clove of garlic minced well
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1/2 tsp of celery salt
1/2 tsp of salt
lots of pepper
The dressing for this salad is better if it has time to party in a bowl so I always make it earlier in the day and let it sit for a few hours in the fridge. To make it simply mix all the ingredients for the dressing together.
Fill a large pot of cold water and add potatoes and a little salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender. Drain and let cool. When the potatoes have cooled slightly, but are still a little warm, cut them into bite size pieces, toss with half the salad dressing and set aside.
Toss the zucchini, onions and peppers in olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill on a medium heat on the barbecue. When coloured on one side, flip and cook on the other side. Keep a close eye on the veggies as they can overcook quickly. When done, remove from the barbecue and chop into bite size pieces. Add the veggies to the potatoes and add more dressing as necessary. You may not need all the dressing. Top with cilantro leaves.
~ 2 lbs of potatoes
1 zucchini sliced into half inch slices
1 red pepper quartered
1 white or red onion sliced into half inch slices
Dressing:
1/2 cup of mayo
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 tbsp of chopped shallot
2 tbsp of chopped cilantro
1 clove of garlic minced well
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1/2 tsp of celery salt
1/2 tsp of salt
lots of pepper
The dressing for this salad is better if it has time to party in a bowl so I always make it earlier in the day and let it sit for a few hours in the fridge. To make it simply mix all the ingredients for the dressing together.
Fill a large pot of cold water and add potatoes and a little salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender. Drain and let cool. When the potatoes have cooled slightly, but are still a little warm, cut them into bite size pieces, toss with half the salad dressing and set aside.
Toss the zucchini, onions and peppers in olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill on a medium heat on the barbecue. When coloured on one side, flip and cook on the other side. Keep a close eye on the veggies as they can overcook quickly. When done, remove from the barbecue and chop into bite size pieces. Add the veggies to the potatoes and add more dressing as necessary. You may not need all the dressing. Top with cilantro leaves.
Creamy Asian Slaw
4 cups of cole slaw mix
3 - 4 green onions chopped
1/2 cup of cilantro chopped
Dressing:
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of mayo
!/4 cup of red onion diced
juice of a lime
1/2 tsp of celery salt
salt and pepper
Make the dressing ahead of time by mixing all the ingredients together. Let it sit in the fridge for a bit. When ready to serve, mix the dressing with the cilantro, cole slaw mix and green onions. You may not need all of the dressing. This salad can stay in the fridge for 2 - 3 days.
4 cups of cole slaw mix
3 - 4 green onions chopped
1/2 cup of cilantro chopped
Dressing:
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of mayo
!/4 cup of red onion diced
juice of a lime
1/2 tsp of celery salt
salt and pepper
Make the dressing ahead of time by mixing all the ingredients together. Let it sit in the fridge for a bit. When ready to serve, mix the dressing with the cilantro, cole slaw mix and green onions. You may not need all of the dressing. This salad can stay in the fridge for 2 - 3 days.
Grilled Corn Salad
3 corn on the cobs husked
1 cup of black beans (about ½ can)
~10 cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half
2 green onions sliced
⅓ cup of chopped cilantro
½ tsp of cumin seeds lightly toasted (just warm them up in a dry fry pan)
1 clove of garlic minced
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of lime juice (the juice of 1 lime)
Salt and pepper
Mayo
Taco seasoning
There are 2 ways to do this. I like to grill the corn with mayo and taco seasoning on it but if you are under a time crunch you could just throw some olive oil, salt and pepper on the corn and grill it. Either way the salad will be yummy but obviously the taco seasoning gives a little extra flavour to your salad.
So the first thing you have to do is prepare the corn. Cover in mayo and then generously sprinkle taco seasoning on all sides. Heat up the grill and then grill the corn over a medium heat, turning them every few minutes to ensure colour on all sides. When the corn is cool enough to handle, stand a cob in a bowl and using a sharp knife, slice down the cob, removing all the kernels. Do all the cobs and set aside.
Make the dressing by mixing the olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Mix all the salad ingredients together and add the dressing as well as the toasted cumin seeds. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves 4 as a side dish.
3 corn on the cobs husked
1 cup of black beans (about ½ can)
~10 cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half
2 green onions sliced
⅓ cup of chopped cilantro
½ tsp of cumin seeds lightly toasted (just warm them up in a dry fry pan)
1 clove of garlic minced
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of lime juice (the juice of 1 lime)
Salt and pepper
Mayo
Taco seasoning
There are 2 ways to do this. I like to grill the corn with mayo and taco seasoning on it but if you are under a time crunch you could just throw some olive oil, salt and pepper on the corn and grill it. Either way the salad will be yummy but obviously the taco seasoning gives a little extra flavour to your salad.
So the first thing you have to do is prepare the corn. Cover in mayo and then generously sprinkle taco seasoning on all sides. Heat up the grill and then grill the corn over a medium heat, turning them every few minutes to ensure colour on all sides. When the corn is cool enough to handle, stand a cob in a bowl and using a sharp knife, slice down the cob, removing all the kernels. Do all the cobs and set aside.
Make the dressing by mixing the olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Mix all the salad ingredients together and add the dressing as well as the toasted cumin seeds. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves 4 as a side dish.
Throwback Shrimp Salad (this is for 4 servings)
16 - 20 peeled and deveined shrimp (I used 31-40 count)
1 - 2 tbsp of Spicy Montreal Steak Spice
1 tbsp of olive oil
3/4 of an iceberg lettuce chopped
1/2 a pepper chopped
1 stalk of celery chopped
1 small tomato chopped
2 green onions chopped
Dressing:
1/2 cup of mayo
2 tbsp of ketchup
2tbsp of chopped parsley
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1 tsp of Spicy Montreal Steak Spice
Toss the shrimp in the Montreal Steak Spice and olive oil. If cooking on a barbecue, best to use some sort of tray. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes on each side. Keep an eye on them as they can cook very quickly. If cooking on the stovetop, heat a large saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the shrimp making sure they all have their own space. when pink on one side, flip and cook a minute or two on the other side. Remove from the heat.
Divide the salad ingredients between four bowls. You can really add anything you want but I like the colours and contrast of the ingredients listed. Mix your dressing ingredients together and taste test. Top each salad with 4 -5 shrimp and then add dollops of dressing. Place the extra dressing on the table in case some want more.
16 - 20 peeled and deveined shrimp (I used 31-40 count)
1 - 2 tbsp of Spicy Montreal Steak Spice
1 tbsp of olive oil
3/4 of an iceberg lettuce chopped
1/2 a pepper chopped
1 stalk of celery chopped
1 small tomato chopped
2 green onions chopped
Dressing:
1/2 cup of mayo
2 tbsp of ketchup
2tbsp of chopped parsley
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1 tsp of Spicy Montreal Steak Spice
Toss the shrimp in the Montreal Steak Spice and olive oil. If cooking on a barbecue, best to use some sort of tray. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes on each side. Keep an eye on them as they can cook very quickly. If cooking on the stovetop, heat a large saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the shrimp making sure they all have their own space. when pink on one side, flip and cook a minute or two on the other side. Remove from the heat.
Divide the salad ingredients between four bowls. You can really add anything you want but I like the colours and contrast of the ingredients listed. Mix your dressing ingredients together and taste test. Top each salad with 4 -5 shrimp and then add dollops of dressing. Place the extra dressing on the table in case some want more.
Balsamic Beet and Spinach Salad
1 medium size beet, roasted and cut into 8 quarters****
2 cups of spinach
2 tbsp of walnuts
a small chunk of feta
4 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
Heat a pan over medium heat, drop the walnuts in. Let them heat up and toss them around a bit. When they are warm and smelling like walnuts, remove them and set aside. Add the oil to the same pan and let it heat up. When hot, add your quartered beets. Add some salt and pepper and give the beets a good toss around. Continue to saute them for 4-5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and toss well. Saute for another 2-3 minutes and then turn off the heat.
Divide the spinach into 2 bowls. Add some crumbled feta to each bowl then place 4 quarters of beet into each bowl and then spoon the hot oil/balsamic mixture onto the salads. Top with the walnuts. Serve immediately.
1 medium size beet, roasted and cut into 8 quarters****
2 cups of spinach
2 tbsp of walnuts
a small chunk of feta
4 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
Heat a pan over medium heat, drop the walnuts in. Let them heat up and toss them around a bit. When they are warm and smelling like walnuts, remove them and set aside. Add the oil to the same pan and let it heat up. When hot, add your quartered beets. Add some salt and pepper and give the beets a good toss around. Continue to saute them for 4-5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and toss well. Saute for another 2-3 minutes and then turn off the heat.
Divide the spinach into 2 bowls. Add some crumbled feta to each bowl then place 4 quarters of beet into each bowl and then spoon the hot oil/balsamic mixture onto the salads. Top with the walnuts. Serve immediately.
Grape Tomato Salad
2 cups of grape tomatoes halved
1/3 cup of torn basil leaves
small chunk of feta
1 garlic clove minced
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbs of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
Combine the oil, garlic and vinegar. Set aside. Place your halved tomatoes in a bowl with the torn basil. Crumble the feta over tomatoes and gently combine. Add the dressing, a little salt and a fair amount of pepper. Gently stir and serve within the hour. If you want to serve later, wait to add the basil until before serving.
2 cups of grape tomatoes halved
1/3 cup of torn basil leaves
small chunk of feta
1 garlic clove minced
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbs of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
Combine the oil, garlic and vinegar. Set aside. Place your halved tomatoes in a bowl with the torn basil. Crumble the feta over tomatoes and gently combine. Add the dressing, a little salt and a fair amount of pepper. Gently stir and serve within the hour. If you want to serve later, wait to add the basil until before serving.
Punjabi Chickpea Salad
aka - Robert's Salad
1 can of chickpeas rinsed and drained
2 lemons juiced
1 large tomato chopped
½ cucumber chopped
½ onion diced
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro (use your own preference with this)
2 tsp of black cumin seeds
3 tsp of chat masala (National/Shan/Kissan)
1/2 tsp of salt
Mix it all together and eat like there is no tomorrow. If you want this to last many days in the fridge, don't add the cilantro and tomatoes until ready to eat.
aka - Robert's Salad
1 can of chickpeas rinsed and drained
2 lemons juiced
1 large tomato chopped
½ cucumber chopped
½ onion diced
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro (use your own preference with this)
2 tsp of black cumin seeds
3 tsp of chat masala (National/Shan/Kissan)
1/2 tsp of salt
Mix it all together and eat like there is no tomorrow. If you want this to last many days in the fridge, don't add the cilantro and tomatoes until ready to eat.
Zesty Potato Salad
~ 2 lbs of potatoes
1 zucchini sliced into half inch slices
1 red pepper quartered
1 white or red onion sliced into half inch slices
Dressing:
1/2 cup of mayo
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 tbsp of chopped shallot
2 tbsp of chopped cilantro
1 clove of garlic minced well
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1/2 tsp of celery salt
1/2 tsp of salt
lots of pepper
The dressing for this salad is better if it has time to party in a bowl so I always make it earlier in the day and let it sit for a few hours in the fridge. To make it simply mix all the ingredients for the dressing together.
Fill a large pot of cold water and add potatoes and a little salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender. Drain and let cool. When the potatoes have cooled slightly, but are still a little warm, cut them into bite size pieces, toss with half the salad dressing and set aside.
Toss the zucchini, onions and peppers in olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill on a medium heat on the barbecue. When coloured on one side, flip and cook on the other side. Keep a close eye on the veggies as they can overcook quickly. When done, remove from the barbecue and chop into bite size pieces. Add the veggies to the potatoes and add more dressing as necessary. You may not need all the dressing. Top with cilantro leaves.
~ 2 lbs of potatoes
1 zucchini sliced into half inch slices
1 red pepper quartered
1 white or red onion sliced into half inch slices
Dressing:
1/2 cup of mayo
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 tbsp of chopped shallot
2 tbsp of chopped cilantro
1 clove of garlic minced well
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1/2 tsp of celery salt
1/2 tsp of salt
lots of pepper
The dressing for this salad is better if it has time to party in a bowl so I always make it earlier in the day and let it sit for a few hours in the fridge. To make it simply mix all the ingredients for the dressing together.
Fill a large pot of cold water and add potatoes and a little salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender. Drain and let cool. When the potatoes have cooled slightly, but are still a little warm, cut them into bite size pieces, toss with half the salad dressing and set aside.
Toss the zucchini, onions and peppers in olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill on a medium heat on the barbecue. When coloured on one side, flip and cook on the other side. Keep a close eye on the veggies as they can overcook quickly. When done, remove from the barbecue and chop into bite size pieces. Add the veggies to the potatoes and add more dressing as necessary. You may not need all the dressing. Top with cilantro leaves.
Asian Style Chickpea Salad
1 can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
1/3 cup of chopped cucumbers
1/3 cup of chopped celery
1/3 cup of chopped red pepper
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
Dressing:
1 tsp of sesame oil
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 clove of garlic finely minced
lots of sriracha flakes (optional, could also use chilli flakes or fresh chilli)
salt and pepper
Make dressing and mix and with salad ingredients. It is better if it has some time to get to know itself in the fridge.
1 can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
1/3 cup of chopped cucumbers
1/3 cup of chopped celery
1/3 cup of chopped red pepper
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
Dressing:
1 tsp of sesame oil
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 clove of garlic finely minced
lots of sriracha flakes (optional, could also use chilli flakes or fresh chilli)
salt and pepper
Make dressing and mix and with salad ingredients. It is better if it has some time to get to know itself in the fridge.
Vermicelli Shrimp Salad
12 – 15 raw shrimp
½ package of vermicelli noodles
½ cup of peanuts
one tomato quartered thinly
1/4 cup of thinly sliced shallots (or red onion)
big handful of cilantro roughly chopped
2 tsp of fish sauce
juice of one lime (about 3 tbsp)
one red chilli chopped finely
3 cloves of garlic finely minced
1 tsp of ginger finely minced
1 tsp of oil and 1 tsp of butter
Montreal steak spice (optional)
In a small bowl, mix lime juice, fish sauce, 1/2 the garlic, ginger and chilli. Set aside. Cook vermicelli by putting it in boiling water but turn off the boiling water and just let it soak for 2-3 min. It is very easy to overcook it if you keep the water boiling. While it is soaking, heat the oil and butter in a fry pan. Add the shrimp and garlic and cook just for a minute or two on each side, until pink (I often add a little Montreal steak spice while frying the shrimp). Remove from pan and set aside. Drain noodles and rinse in cold water. Mix all the ingredients together, toss well. Taste, add more of what you must.
Variations:
shrimp/ground pork/ground turkey
peanuts/flavoured peanuts/cashews
lime juice/lemon juice (should be fresh)
veggies/snow peas or asparagus (could be thrown into the hot water for a minute or two with the noodles)/cucumber/bean sprouts/grated carrot/peppers of any colour/chopped basil
12 – 15 raw shrimp
½ package of vermicelli noodles
½ cup of peanuts
one tomato quartered thinly
1/4 cup of thinly sliced shallots (or red onion)
big handful of cilantro roughly chopped
2 tsp of fish sauce
juice of one lime (about 3 tbsp)
one red chilli chopped finely
3 cloves of garlic finely minced
1 tsp of ginger finely minced
1 tsp of oil and 1 tsp of butter
Montreal steak spice (optional)
In a small bowl, mix lime juice, fish sauce, 1/2 the garlic, ginger and chilli. Set aside. Cook vermicelli by putting it in boiling water but turn off the boiling water and just let it soak for 2-3 min. It is very easy to overcook it if you keep the water boiling. While it is soaking, heat the oil and butter in a fry pan. Add the shrimp and garlic and cook just for a minute or two on each side, until pink (I often add a little Montreal steak spice while frying the shrimp). Remove from pan and set aside. Drain noodles and rinse in cold water. Mix all the ingredients together, toss well. Taste, add more of what you must.
Variations:
shrimp/ground pork/ground turkey
peanuts/flavoured peanuts/cashews
lime juice/lemon juice (should be fresh)
veggies/snow peas or asparagus (could be thrown into the hot water for a minute or two with the noodles)/cucumber/bean sprouts/grated carrot/peppers of any colour/chopped basil
Potluck Soba Salad
3 bundles of soba noodles
~ 3 cups of veggies (julienned carrot, peppers, snow peas, green onions, cucumbers)
2 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
Sauce:
3 tbsp of soya sauce
juice of 2 limes (~4 tbsp)
1 tbsp of veg oil
1 tsp of sesame oil
1 large clove of garlic minced
1 tbsp of ginger minced
Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions. I cook them for 3 mins and rinse them with cold water and set them aside. Chop all your veggies and mix the ingredients for the sauce together. Mix all of the ingredients together and serve. This can be refrigerated then served and sits well for a day in the fridge. If your soba noodles are clumped together when you go to mix everything together, just rerinse your noodles and use your fingers to loosen them up.
3 bundles of soba noodles
~ 3 cups of veggies (julienned carrot, peppers, snow peas, green onions, cucumbers)
2 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
Sauce:
3 tbsp of soya sauce
juice of 2 limes (~4 tbsp)
1 tbsp of veg oil
1 tsp of sesame oil
1 large clove of garlic minced
1 tbsp of ginger minced
Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions. I cook them for 3 mins and rinse them with cold water and set them aside. Chop all your veggies and mix the ingredients for the sauce together. Mix all of the ingredients together and serve. This can be refrigerated then served and sits well for a day in the fridge. If your soba noodles are clumped together when you go to mix everything together, just rerinse your noodles and use your fingers to loosen them up.
Broccoli and Sweet Potato Salad with Garlic Mustard Dressing
3 tbsp of white or red wine vinegar
2 tbsp of whole grain mustard
2 cloves of finely minced garlic
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley
salt and pepper
2 sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
2 broccoli stalks and heads chopped with stalks peeled and chopped
olive/veg oil for tossing
salt and pepper
Mix the dressing ingredients together well.
When I cook broccoli, I peel and chop the stalk and place them on the bottom of the steamer then put the florets on top. I like crunch in my broccoli so I don't steam it for much longer than 3-5 minutes.
Peel and chop the sweet potato and toss in olive or veg oil, enough to cover (one to two tbsp). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven, tossing halfway through.
Once you have steamed your broccoli and roasted the sweet potatoes, toss with enough garlic mustard dressing to coat. Taste test to see if more seasoning is necessary then serve.
3 tbsp of white or red wine vinegar
2 tbsp of whole grain mustard
2 cloves of finely minced garlic
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley
salt and pepper
2 sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
2 broccoli stalks and heads chopped with stalks peeled and chopped
olive/veg oil for tossing
salt and pepper
Mix the dressing ingredients together well.
When I cook broccoli, I peel and chop the stalk and place them on the bottom of the steamer then put the florets on top. I like crunch in my broccoli so I don't steam it for much longer than 3-5 minutes.
Peel and chop the sweet potato and toss in olive or veg oil, enough to cover (one to two tbsp). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven, tossing halfway through.
Once you have steamed your broccoli and roasted the sweet potatoes, toss with enough garlic mustard dressing to coat. Taste test to see if more seasoning is necessary then serve.
Imagination Salad
About 4 cups of spinach
3 peppers cut into thirds
1/2 cup of cilantro chopped
1/2 cup of cashews unsalted
3/4 cup of feta cheese (goat cheese would work well also)
Dressing:
2 shallots minced
2 cloves of garlic minced
juice of half a lemon
3 tbsp of olive oil
3 tbsp of soya sauce
Heat up your barbecue and brush your peppers with olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper on them. Grill them over a medium heat until they have some nice colour but still have a little firmness. When done, slice the peppers and add to your bowl of spinach. Heat up the olive oil over medium heat and add the shallots and garlic, saute for 4-5 minutes until translucent and smelling yummy. Add the lemon juice and soya sauce and heat through. Add all the ingredients to the salad and toss with the hot dressing.
About 4 cups of spinach
3 peppers cut into thirds
1/2 cup of cilantro chopped
1/2 cup of cashews unsalted
3/4 cup of feta cheese (goat cheese would work well also)
Dressing:
2 shallots minced
2 cloves of garlic minced
juice of half a lemon
3 tbsp of olive oil
3 tbsp of soya sauce
Heat up your barbecue and brush your peppers with olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper on them. Grill them over a medium heat until they have some nice colour but still have a little firmness. When done, slice the peppers and add to your bowl of spinach. Heat up the olive oil over medium heat and add the shallots and garlic, saute for 4-5 minutes until translucent and smelling yummy. Add the lemon juice and soya sauce and heat through. Add all the ingredients to the salad and toss with the hot dressing.
Kinky Quinoa Salad
1 cup of quinoa rinsed
1 3/4 cup of chicken broth
3 cloves of garlic - 1 smashed and 2 minced well
2 kaffir lime leaves (if you have them)
1/2 cup of toasted nuts (I used cashews, but peanuts and almonds are also tasty)
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
1 cup of chopped feta
8 - 10 cherry or grape tomatoes halved
4 - 5 cups of veggies (asparagus, mushrooms, onions, cauliflower, peppers, zucchini)
around 15 - 20 small shrimp
1/4 cup of olive oil and some extra for brushing on the veggies
juice of a lemon
1/4 cup of soya sauce
3 tbsp of olive oil
salt and pepper
seasoning salt
I cook my quinoa in my rice cooker and the measurements above work perfectly for the rice cooker. If you are cooking it on the stove it should also work but keep an eye on it. Cook your quinoa with the chicken broth instead of water and put in the smashed clove of garlic along with the kaffir lime leaves if you have them. When done, remove the garlic and leaves.
While this is cooking, warm up your barbecue. Brush whatever veggies you are using with olive oil then season with salt and pepper. If you are using beef, chicken or pork, instead of shrimp, also brush with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Grill the meat before the veggies so it has time to rest. If you are using shrimp they are very quick to grill so can be done after the veggies. Grill your veggies until they have a nice char but still have some crunch. If you are doing shrimp as I did, then toss them with olive oil and seasoning salt and lay them on a barbecue tray. Grill them on a medium heat and keep a close eye on them as they can cook very quickly. Time varies depending on the size of the shrimp.
I make a simple dressing for this salad which is the juice of a lemon, soya sauce, olive oil and the rest of the garlic (2 minced cloves) and if you like some heat then throw in some chilli flakes or a chopped fresh chilli.
Chop your veggies and meat and mix everything together. You are going to need a really big platter. If you are doing a meat, it looks nice to slice it and lay it on top of the salad. This will feed a lot of people. Enjoy!
1 cup of quinoa rinsed
1 3/4 cup of chicken broth
3 cloves of garlic - 1 smashed and 2 minced well
2 kaffir lime leaves (if you have them)
1/2 cup of toasted nuts (I used cashews, but peanuts and almonds are also tasty)
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
1 cup of chopped feta
8 - 10 cherry or grape tomatoes halved
4 - 5 cups of veggies (asparagus, mushrooms, onions, cauliflower, peppers, zucchini)
around 15 - 20 small shrimp
1/4 cup of olive oil and some extra for brushing on the veggies
juice of a lemon
1/4 cup of soya sauce
3 tbsp of olive oil
salt and pepper
seasoning salt
I cook my quinoa in my rice cooker and the measurements above work perfectly for the rice cooker. If you are cooking it on the stove it should also work but keep an eye on it. Cook your quinoa with the chicken broth instead of water and put in the smashed clove of garlic along with the kaffir lime leaves if you have them. When done, remove the garlic and leaves.
While this is cooking, warm up your barbecue. Brush whatever veggies you are using with olive oil then season with salt and pepper. If you are using beef, chicken or pork, instead of shrimp, also brush with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Grill the meat before the veggies so it has time to rest. If you are using shrimp they are very quick to grill so can be done after the veggies. Grill your veggies until they have a nice char but still have some crunch. If you are doing shrimp as I did, then toss them with olive oil and seasoning salt and lay them on a barbecue tray. Grill them on a medium heat and keep a close eye on them as they can cook very quickly. Time varies depending on the size of the shrimp.
I make a simple dressing for this salad which is the juice of a lemon, soya sauce, olive oil and the rest of the garlic (2 minced cloves) and if you like some heat then throw in some chilli flakes or a chopped fresh chilli.
Chop your veggies and meat and mix everything together. You are going to need a really big platter. If you are doing a meat, it looks nice to slice it and lay it on top of the salad. This will feed a lot of people. Enjoy!
Spicy Carrot Salad (Som Tam)
3 large carrots, peeled and grated
2 handfuls of string beans, trimmed and cut in half
half a cup of peanuts (unsalted) *
2 cloves of garlic
1 dried or fresh chilli (bird’s eye is the authentic chilli to use but another or part of another will do, adjust to your taste)
juice of a lime
2 tsp of fish sauce
tbsp of brown sugar
I use a very large mortar and pestle to make this salad. You can use a Ziploc and a mallet (flat side) or heavy pot instead. First smash the garlic and chilli inside the bag. When well mashed, add some of the lime juice and some of the carrot. Smash. Add more carrot. Smash. You want to break the fibres of the carrot so they absorb the other flavours you are adding. Add more juice, brown sugar and half the fish sauce and the rest of the carrot. Smash right good. Add half the string beans. Smash. Add the rest of the fish sauce, lime juice and string beans (the order in which you add the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar makes no difference.) Smash. Have a taste. It should be spicy and tangy with a touch of sweetness. If it is not salty enough, add more fish sauce, if too spicy add a little more brown suagr. Empty into a bowl and stir in the peanuts.
*I always buy raw peanuts and brown them myself in a pan over a medium heat. No oil is necessary but you must watch them as they can burn easily.
3 large carrots, peeled and grated
2 handfuls of string beans, trimmed and cut in half
half a cup of peanuts (unsalted) *
2 cloves of garlic
1 dried or fresh chilli (bird’s eye is the authentic chilli to use but another or part of another will do, adjust to your taste)
juice of a lime
2 tsp of fish sauce
tbsp of brown sugar
I use a very large mortar and pestle to make this salad. You can use a Ziploc and a mallet (flat side) or heavy pot instead. First smash the garlic and chilli inside the bag. When well mashed, add some of the lime juice and some of the carrot. Smash. Add more carrot. Smash. You want to break the fibres of the carrot so they absorb the other flavours you are adding. Add more juice, brown sugar and half the fish sauce and the rest of the carrot. Smash right good. Add half the string beans. Smash. Add the rest of the fish sauce, lime juice and string beans (the order in which you add the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar makes no difference.) Smash. Have a taste. It should be spicy and tangy with a touch of sweetness. If it is not salty enough, add more fish sauce, if too spicy add a little more brown suagr. Empty into a bowl and stir in the peanuts.
*I always buy raw peanuts and brown them myself in a pan over a medium heat. No oil is necessary but you must watch them as they can burn easily.
Thai Tofu Salad
1 block of firm tofu
1 medium carrot grated
½ red bell pepper julienned
~ 15 snow peas julienned
⅓ cup of chopped cilantro
2 tbsp of soya sauce
few tbsp of veg oil
some toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Dressing:
1 heaping tbsp of natural peanut butter (do not substitute with PB with sugar)
2 tbsp of soya sauce
juice of 1 lime
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 tbsp of ginger finely chopped
2 tbsp of water
1 shallot finely chopped
Begin by pressing your tofu under a plate. I usually place the block of tofu on a plate and then add a bigger plate on top with another bowl or something mildly heavy on top of the plate. Leave it for 20 min or so then drain off all the water and pat the tofu dry with paper towel. Chop into one inch cubes and heat your veg oil in a large fry pan. When the oil is hot, add the tofu, enough to just cover the bottom of the pan. You may have to do in batches if you have a smaller fry pan. Let the tofu cubes go for a good 4-5 minutes before flipping. Try to brown as many sides as you can. I cooked mine for about 20 min, giving it a good “swish-flip” every 4-5 min. When they looked nicely browned I added the soya sauce and turned off the heat. Give them a good swish around so they get covered and then let them cool off.
Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together (I used a little food processor because my peanut butter was very stiff). Just before serving toss all the salad ingredients with the dressing. Top with some toasted sesame seeds.
1 block of firm tofu
1 medium carrot grated
½ red bell pepper julienned
~ 15 snow peas julienned
⅓ cup of chopped cilantro
2 tbsp of soya sauce
few tbsp of veg oil
some toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Dressing:
1 heaping tbsp of natural peanut butter (do not substitute with PB with sugar)
2 tbsp of soya sauce
juice of 1 lime
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 tbsp of ginger finely chopped
2 tbsp of water
1 shallot finely chopped
Begin by pressing your tofu under a plate. I usually place the block of tofu on a plate and then add a bigger plate on top with another bowl or something mildly heavy on top of the plate. Leave it for 20 min or so then drain off all the water and pat the tofu dry with paper towel. Chop into one inch cubes and heat your veg oil in a large fry pan. When the oil is hot, add the tofu, enough to just cover the bottom of the pan. You may have to do in batches if you have a smaller fry pan. Let the tofu cubes go for a good 4-5 minutes before flipping. Try to brown as many sides as you can. I cooked mine for about 20 min, giving it a good “swish-flip” every 4-5 min. When they looked nicely browned I added the soya sauce and turned off the heat. Give them a good swish around so they get covered and then let them cool off.
Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together (I used a little food processor because my peanut butter was very stiff). Just before serving toss all the salad ingredients with the dressing. Top with some toasted sesame seeds.
Lentil and Mushroom Laap
¾ cup green lentils
⅓ cup red lentils
2 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
2 cloves of garlic
1 bird’s eye chilli
the juice of 1 lime (about 3 tbsp)
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 cups of water
¼ cup of roughly chopped mint
¼ cup of roughly chopped coriander
¼ cup of roughly chopped basil (I used Thai basil)
3 tbsp of olive oil
2 cups of thickly sliced mushrooms (I used white, cremini and shitake)
1 medium shallot thinly sliced
Put 2 cups of water, the green lentils, kaffir lime leaves and 1 clove of garlic smashed into a pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn down to a simmer for about 45 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy. If more water is needed or needs to be drained when they are done please adjust. Remove the leaves and clove of garlic and discard.
In a small saute pan add your uncooked red lentils and lightly brown over a medium heat. Keep an eye on them and shake them frequently for even browning. Once they have turned a nice light brown around the edges, remove them from the heat. Put them into a mortar and pestle and smash and grind them until they have broken down. You don’t want them to be powder, they should still have a little texture.
Heat an oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Put the sliced mushrooms in a pile in the middle of the cookie sheet and pour the olive oil over them and toss. Spread them out so they are not too crowded. Bake for 20 minutes.
For the dressing, cut the last clove of garlic into chunks and put into the mortar pestle. Use as much or as little of the chilli as you want. I used ¾ of mine but I shook out a few of the seeds and then chopped into pieces and put in the mortar. Smash the chilli and garlic together until they are like a paste. Add the fish sauce and lime juice and mix well.
Toss together your lentils, mushrooms, shallot, herbs, dressing and 2 tsp of the smashed red lentils. Taste and adjust, should be sour, spicy, salty and delicious.
¾ cup green lentils
⅓ cup red lentils
2 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
2 cloves of garlic
1 bird’s eye chilli
the juice of 1 lime (about 3 tbsp)
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 cups of water
¼ cup of roughly chopped mint
¼ cup of roughly chopped coriander
¼ cup of roughly chopped basil (I used Thai basil)
3 tbsp of olive oil
2 cups of thickly sliced mushrooms (I used white, cremini and shitake)
1 medium shallot thinly sliced
Put 2 cups of water, the green lentils, kaffir lime leaves and 1 clove of garlic smashed into a pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn down to a simmer for about 45 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy. If more water is needed or needs to be drained when they are done please adjust. Remove the leaves and clove of garlic and discard.
In a small saute pan add your uncooked red lentils and lightly brown over a medium heat. Keep an eye on them and shake them frequently for even browning. Once they have turned a nice light brown around the edges, remove them from the heat. Put them into a mortar and pestle and smash and grind them until they have broken down. You don’t want them to be powder, they should still have a little texture.
Heat an oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Put the sliced mushrooms in a pile in the middle of the cookie sheet and pour the olive oil over them and toss. Spread them out so they are not too crowded. Bake for 20 minutes.
For the dressing, cut the last clove of garlic into chunks and put into the mortar pestle. Use as much or as little of the chilli as you want. I used ¾ of mine but I shook out a few of the seeds and then chopped into pieces and put in the mortar. Smash the chilli and garlic together until they are like a paste. Add the fish sauce and lime juice and mix well.
Toss together your lentils, mushrooms, shallot, herbs, dressing and 2 tsp of the smashed red lentils. Taste and adjust, should be sour, spicy, salty and delicious.
Mango Salad
1 mango grated*
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
½ a sliced red pepper
1/3 cup peanuts*
4 – 5 torn lettuce leaves (I usually use romaine or green leaf)
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup of cilantro roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lime (about 3 tbsp)
2 tsp of fish sauce
1 small red finger chilli finely chopped
Firstly, mix the lime juice, fish sauce and chilli together in a little dish. If you can’t find the right chilli then use chilli flakes, maybe 1 - 2 tsp. As the chilli sits in the liquid it infuses and makes the dressing spicier so keep this in mind if you don’t want it too spicy. You could also use more mint and cilantro in your recipe if it suits your taste and you could add more lettuce if you want this salad to feed more. Mix the salad ingredients together and add the dressing before serving.
*Try to buy a mango that is firm but has a little give to it. You don’t want a really ripe one as they are hard to grate and so sweet. If that is all you have then you can still use it just use a knife to dice it rather than grate it.
*I always buy raw peanuts and toast them over a medium heat in a fry pan (no oil). Keep an eye on them and shake them frequently so they evenly brown. If you can't get raw peanuts make sure you use unsalted ones.
1 mango grated*
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
½ a sliced red pepper
1/3 cup peanuts*
4 – 5 torn lettuce leaves (I usually use romaine or green leaf)
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup of cilantro roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lime (about 3 tbsp)
2 tsp of fish sauce
1 small red finger chilli finely chopped
Firstly, mix the lime juice, fish sauce and chilli together in a little dish. If you can’t find the right chilli then use chilli flakes, maybe 1 - 2 tsp. As the chilli sits in the liquid it infuses and makes the dressing spicier so keep this in mind if you don’t want it too spicy. You could also use more mint and cilantro in your recipe if it suits your taste and you could add more lettuce if you want this salad to feed more. Mix the salad ingredients together and add the dressing before serving.
*Try to buy a mango that is firm but has a little give to it. You don’t want a really ripe one as they are hard to grate and so sweet. If that is all you have then you can still use it just use a knife to dice it rather than grate it.
*I always buy raw peanuts and toast them over a medium heat in a fry pan (no oil). Keep an eye on them and shake them frequently so they evenly brown. If you can't get raw peanuts make sure you use unsalted ones.