Tag: salad

tahinispinachsalad
05Feb

Tahini salad jar

  January is often known as the month when we stop doing things. Smoking, eating chocolate, drinking alcohol.  Every single one of my friends is cutting something out of their life this January thinking that they overdid it in December. By now very few are still going strong. This year I took the perspective to add good stuff rather than focusing on taking out the bad. Salad mainly. Everyday now I am aiming for a minimum of 5 cups of vegetables a day. I must say sometimes I have to force myself to push those last leaves into my mouth but boy, do I feel better for it. After three weeks of very little processed food (the odd cake still features) my husband convinced me of having burger and chips (yes I blame him). The next day I woke up with the worst hangover I have ever had. The power of food is really astounding, hindsight makes you think that it should have been obvious – junk food makes you feel like junk – but there’s nothing like an aversive reaction to keep the new year change going strong into February. To keep my veggies interesting I have been trying
2 mins read
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05Jul

Classic vinaigrette

Let’s not talk about Brexit today. Let’s talk about how to make classic vinaigrette.  I have always been confused when I have searched for vinaigrette recipes I get a liquid version of it, like a salad dressing. That’s not the version I grew up to love. I decided to recreate my family’s version of vinaigrette after I got a whiff of cheiro-verde.  Cheiro-verde is what we call the mix of parsley and coriander leaves in Brazil. You’ll often find the market sells this mixture together. The smell is a throwback one for me, if you add cumin and the noise of a pressure cooker, I am right in my grandma’s kitchen. So this is the recipe with the classic vinaigrette I have always known, with cheiro-verde. In my opinion it’s better than a salad dressing, you can add it to anything: rice, couscous, quinoa, salads and even as a side to grilled sausages. Classic vinaigrette (serves 4-6) 100g cherry tomatoes  1 small red onion  Bunch of flat parsley  Bunch of coriander  Juice of 2 limes 30ml olive oil Salt to taste 1. Finely chop the onion, tomatoes and herbs and place it all in a bowl 2. In a separate bowl
2 mins read
750 Views
22Feb

Beetroot and apple salad with walnuts

We all have a dish in our repertoire that we never change, right? Grilled chicken breast, classic salad dressing and the same cake every Saturday. It’s not a bad thing, it often means we have found a really good recipe, but sometimes it means we’re in a cooking rut. I tried beetroot for the first time at 14 and it was mainly because I was anaemic. My grandma knew it was a vegetable full of iron, so she would cook it for me, slice, season and add a drizzle of olive oil just for me. So this is the way I have always prepared them, and I love them this way. But in the interest of trying something new I added texture to my beloved beetroot, and I was so pleased with the result. As we are a lactose free household this recipe works well for us, but some crumbled feta on top would be an amazing addition. Beetroot and apple salad with walnuts 2 beetroots, cooked 1 apple 100g walnuts 1 shallot 1 tbsp chopped parsley 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1tsp whole grain mustard 1 tsp honey Salt and pepper to season Method: 1. Grate
2 mins read
579 Views
01May

Meat stuffed Syrian bread (Arayes), hummus and fattoush salad

Each and every culture has classic dishes, different approaches to mixing spices and different ways to prepare food and I love this, I love experimenting with new recipes, going to different shops looking for ingredients that are still unknown to me. And then I wait with bated breath for the final result. It’s like travelling without leaving your own kitchen. I have been meaning to make a simple but special dinner and decided to add a Lebanese twist to it. I must admit that Lebanese cuisine is not that unknown to me as I grew up with my grandma’s Lebanese cooking. However I feel it is time for me to give my own twist to these familiar recipes which bring back so many amazing childhood memories. Wish I could go back in time. I made 3 different recipes to make up my dinner menu but they are all very versatile. For instance Arayes are great as a light lunch or snack to have with friends and a bottle of beer or wine. The Hummus can also be used as a dip for vegetables, spread for sandwiches or added to fish, chicken or lamb. And lastly the salad, refreshing with the
4 mins read
954 Views