Thai Salad, great with chicken

Thai cuisine has a great range of salads from purely vegetarian to this classic.

Thai salads make an excellent dinner or side any time of the year.

And this Thai salad is perfect to serve with chicken.

It could be as easy as grabbing a BBQ chicken and shredding the meat.

...then tossing the meat thru the salad.

Or a great side with lemon and garlic marinated chicken breast.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

Served with Lemon Garlic Chicken

Dressing

2 Tbsps Coconut Milk (I use Lite) 

1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
1 Tbsp Palm Sugar, (I used liquid, but caster sugar is a great substitute) 
1 Tsp Sweet Chilli Sauce
1 Tsp Lime Juice
2 Kaffir Lime Leaves, centre vein removed, finely sliced
 
150g Baby Salad Leaves
1/3 Cup Canned Water Chestnuts, sliced
1/2 Red Onion, finely sliced
1 Tsp Galangal, finely chopped (Ginger is a great substitute) 
1 Green Chilli, seeds removed, finely sliced
1/3 Cup Mint, coarsely chopped
1/3 Cup Coriander Leaves, coarsely chopped
50g Roasted Peanuts, roughly chopped


METHOD

For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a lidded jar. Shake well until well combined.

Mix together in a bowl - salad leaves, water chestnuts, onion, galangal, chilli and herbs. (If using a BBQ chicken, shred and toss thru until well combined.)

Garnish with peanuts and drizzle with dressing.

Italian Shepherd's Pie

This Shepherd's Pie has a little Italian influence with

oregano, passata and parmesan potato topping.

It's one of our favourite dishes and there are never any leftovers.

INGREDIENTS (Makes 6 Individual Pies)

Potato Topping
1.2 kg Potatoes, peeled, coarsely chopped (approx 6 large) 
1 Tsp Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Parmesan, finely grated
1/3 Cup Parsley, coarsely chopped (optional)
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper

1 Brown Onion, halved, finely chopped
1 Carrot, peeled, finely chopped
1 Celery Stick, ends trimmed, finely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
500g Pork Mince
500g Veal Mince
600g Can Tomatoes, finely chopped 
1 1/2 Cups Passata (tomato pasta sauce)
2 Tsps Dried Oregano
1 Tsp Oil


METHOD

Preheat oven to 220°C.

Potato Topping

Cook the potato in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender.

Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

Place the potato, reserved cooking liquid and extra oil in a large heatproof bowl.

Use a potato masher or fork to mash until smooth.

Add the parmesan and parsley and stir to combine.

Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Filling

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft.

Add the pork and veal mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until the mince browns slightly.

Add the tomato, passata and oregano to the mince mixture. Bring to the boil.

Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.


Putting It Together

Divide the mince mixture among six 375ml (1 1/2-cup) capacity ovenproof ramekins.

Top with the potato mixture.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until the potato mixture is golden brown.

Serve immediately.

Bibimbap

I couldn't let the Korean food boom pass by without joining in.

Bibimbap (BEE-beem-bop):

One of the most popular dishes in Korean cuisine,

bibimbap is a nutritious rice dish of

steamed rice, pre-cooked vegetables and meat.

Whilst the list of ingredients looks daunting, don't be put off by it. 

There are only 7 ingredients in essence: 

Steak, Rice, Egg, Cucumber, Spinach, Capsicum & Chilli Sauce.

 If you are wanting to try something different, this is definately your dish!

Join the Korean Food Boom!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

3 Thick Steaks, eye or sirloin (approx 230g each)

Oil Spray

Steak Marinade - or 3 Tbsps Oyster Sauce could be substituted

3 Tbsps Fish Sauce

2 Tbsps Soy Sauce

2 Tsps Sugar

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/4 Tsp Ground Coriander

1/4 Tsp Ground Black Pepper

Pickled Cucmber

1 Lebanese Cucumber, thinly sliced

1 Tsp Caster Sugar

1 Tbsps Rice Wine Vinegar

1 Bunch of English Spinach, stems removed.

4 Eggs

3 Cups of Cooked Steamed Rice

1/2 Capsicum, deseeded and thinly sliced

Chinese Chilli Sauce

METHOD

Stir marinade ingredients together and pour over the steaks. Turn the steaks several times to ensure they are covered with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes.

Prepare the vegetables whilst the steak is marinating.

Combine cucumber, sugar and vinegar in a small bowl, and set aside to marinate.

Boil a jug of water. (And if wanting to cook rice, start now)

Heat a large fry pan over a high heat. When hot, add oil spray and the marinated steaks and sear for 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare; or an extra 2 minutes each side for medium-well.

Transfer the steaks to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil, and leave to rest for 4 minutes.

Respray the frying pan, break in eggs and fry until the edges of the white are becoming golden and yolks are starting to set.

Pour boiled water over the spinach to wilt, then drain well.

To Serve:

Thinly slice the meat.

Divide the rice between four bowls.

Top the rice with sliced beef, pickled cucumber, spinach, capsicum, fried eggs, and sesame seeds.

Serve with Chinese chilli sauce.

Maple Salmon and Spinach

My infactuation with Salmon and Maple Syrup

has turned up again on our dinner plate.

I just love the combination!

This easy baked salmon recipe gets its sweet and tangy flavour

from four ingredients: orange juice, maple syrup, garlic and ginger.

Pair with wilted spinach for simple, elegant dinner.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

1/2 Cup (125ml) Orange Juice

1/3 Cup (80ml) Maple Syrup
2 Tsp Ginger, freshly grated
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
4 x 180g Salmon Fillets, I like the skin on
Oil Spray 

Wilted Spinach
300g Baby Spinach Leaves
1 Tsp Oil
3 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
2 Tbsps Pine Nuts, toasted


METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Place orange juice, syrup, ginger and garlic in a small pan over medium heat, and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes or until slightly reduced and syrupy.

Reserve half the maple glaze.

If using the salmon with the skin on, sear the skin in a fry pan for 2 minutes to crisp up.

Place salmon on a lined oven tray.  (If using the salmon with the skin on, place it skin side down on the tray.)

Use remaining glaze to brush over salmon fillets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until cooked to your liking, brushing salmon with reserved glaze halfway through cooking.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frypan over high heat.

Add the garlic and stirfry for 2 minutes.

Add the baby spinach leaves and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, until just wilted. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, divide the wilted spinach and salmon fillets among four serving plates, and drizzle salmon fillets with any remaining reserved glaze.

Pineapple Salsa

Summer Pineapple isn't just great in 

freshly squeezed juices or fruit salad -

it is an extremely tasty ingredient in this fresh savoury salsa.

This salsa is the perfect condiment for

chicken or seafood served with a bed rice or a simple salad.

INGREDIENTS

500g Fresh Pineapple, peeled, core and eyes removed, cut into 1cm cubes
1/2 Salad Onion, finely chopped
1 Long Green Chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
2 Tbsps Coriander, coarsely chopped
2 Kaffir Lime Leaves, finely chopped 

Dressing
2 Tbsps Lime Juice
2 Tbsps Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tsp Caster Sugar

METHOD

Combine pineapple, onion, chilli, coriander and lime leaves in a bowl.

Mix together in a seperate bowl the lime juice, vinegar and sugar until well combined and sugar has dissolved.

Add the dressing to the pineapple salsa, then stir to combine. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

Smoked Salmon & Asparagus Salad

This is a great healthy lunch salad.

The dressing is what makes this salad sensational.

The combination of maple syrup and dijon mustard,

gives a fabulous burst of flavour.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2)

200g Smoked Salmon, cut into 3cm pieces (can be rolled ) 

1 Bunch of Asparagus

100g Cherry Tomatoes

2 Cups of Salad Greens

1/4 Salad Onion, finely sliced

1 Tbsps Pinenuts, toasted

Oil Spray

Dressing

3 Tbsps Maple Syrup

2 Tbsps Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp Oilve Oil

METHOD

Lightly spray a frying pan or grill pan with oil spray, andplace over a medium to high heat.

Pan fry the asparagus for 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and pan fry for another 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool. Cut asparagus into 3cm pieces.

Dressing

In a small bowl, mix maple syrup, mustard and oil with a wire whisk until well combined.

To Serve

Arrange salad greens on a platter, then top with salmon, asparagus, tomatoes, and onion. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve immediately.

For lunch on the go or at the office







Tandoori Lamb Platter - Easy Entertaining

This is a great Indian inspired platter.

It is simple and sensationally tasty.

Entertaining is made very easy with this platter.

Prepare, arrange, sit back and allow everyone to help themselves!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

Tandoori Lamb

1kg Lamb Backstraps (approx 3 to 4)

1/4 Cup Tandoori Paste

Sweet Potato Chips

2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, scrubbed and mandolined into thin slices

Oil Spray

1/2 Tsp Sea Salt

Salsa

1/2 Salad Onion

3 Tomatoes, deseeded, finely chopped

1 Lebanese Cucumber, deseeded, finely chopped

1/4 Cup Coriander, finely chopped

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Chutney Sauce

1/3 Cup Mango Chutney (use Hot Mango Pickle if you enjoy spicy food)

1/3 Cup Natural Yoghurt

1 Tbsp Coriander, coarsely chopped

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

3 Tbsps Cashews

50g Spinach

4 Mini Naan Breads, warmed thru (optional)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Tandoori Lamb

Combine lamb and tandoori paste in a non-metallic bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, if time permits.

Heat a large frying pan over a medium to high heat. Spray lightly with oil. Cook lamb for 4 to 5 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Remove to a plate. Cover loosely with foil, and allow to sit for minutes. Thin slice against the grain.

Sweet Potato Chips

Divide sweet potato slices, in a single layer between two baking paper lined oven trays. Spray lightly with oil. Sprinkle with salt. Place on lower oven rack, bake for 20 to 25 minutes,turning once.

Chutney Sauce

Combine chutney, yoghurt, lemon juice and coriander in a bowl.

Salsa

Combine tomatoes, cucumber, lemon juice, coriander and onion in a bowl.

Naan (if using)

Place naan on a large baking tray. Warm thru for 10 to 15 minutes. Tear into large pieces.

To Serve

Arrange lamb, spinach, cashews, chutney sauce, sweet potato chips, salsa, and naan on a large platter. Serve immediately.

Thai Beef Salad

Thai food is one of my favourite cuisines.

I just love the combination of Thai flavours, particularly in salads.

This Thai Beef Salad is fabulous for a

casual summer lunch or a great weeknight dinner.

Despite the number of ingredients, this is a really easy and delicious salad.

The preparation (approx 20 minutes) can be done in the afternoon,

so that the beef can be cooked 15 minutes prior to serving.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 3)

3 x 220g Fillet Steaks (I used Rib)

Oil Spray

MARINADE:

3 Tbsps Fish Sauce

2 Tbsps Soy Sauce

2 Tsps Sugar

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/4 Tsp Ground Coriander

1/4 Tsp Ground Black Pepper

SALAD:

100g Mixed Salad Leaves

1 Lebanese Cucumber, deseeded, and finely sliced

1 Carrot, julienned

1 Small Red Onion, finely sliced

1/4 Cup Coriander, coarsely chopped

1/4 Cup Mint, coarsely chopped

4 Kaffir Lime Leaves, finely sliced

1 Large Green Chilli, finely sliced

DRESSING:

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

2 Tbsps Fish Sauce

2 Tbsps Lime Juice

1 Tbsp Raw Sugar

METHOD

Stir marinade ingredients together and pour over the steaks. Turn the steaks several times to ensure they are covered with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes, but no longer than 4 hours.

Meanwhile, place all the dressing ingredients in a screw top jar. Shake until well combined. Set aside.

In a salad bowl, combine salad leaves, cucumber, carrot, onion, coriander, mint, lime leaves and chilli.

Heat a large fry pan over a high heat. When hot, add oil spray and the marinated steaks and sear for 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare; or an extra 2 minutes each side for medium-well.

Transfer the steaks to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil, and leave to rest for 4 minutes.

Slice the steaks as thinly as you can.

Arrange the combined salad ingredients on a serving platter or individual plates. Drizzle with dressing, and top with thinly sliced beef.

Serve immediately.



Chicken, Beetroot and Chickpea Salad

This is a great salad to have for lunch.

Easy to prepare, extremely satisfying,

whilst having mouth watering flavours.

Poached chicken breasts are succulent and tender,

making them a great alternative to store-bought chicken.

I poach a few breasts at the beginning of the week

to use in our lunches: Sandwiches or Salads.

For lunch on the go or at the office

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2)

1 Chicken Breast, poached and thinly sliced (method below)

70g Baby Rocket

1 Small Cucumber, halved length ways

200g of Canned Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsps Mint, coarsely chopped

225g Can of Sliced Beetroot, quarter or halve the slices

1/2 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced

50g Feta, crumbled (optional)

Salt and Pepper, to season

Dressing

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsps Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 Tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Garlic Clove, minced


METHOD

For the dressing: place olive oil, vinegar, mustard and garlic in a small screw-top jar. Shake to combine.

Combine cucumber, rocket, chickpeas, onion and mint in a salad bowl.

Top with beetroot and chicken. Season to taste.

Just before serving, drizzle the salad with dressing and crumbled feta (if using)

INGREDIENTS to Poach Chicken



1 Chicken Breast, boneless and skinless

2 Cups of Water or Chicken Stock, fat free, low sodium

2 Tsps Dried Mixed Herbs (optional)

1 Bay Leaf (optional)

METHOD to Poach Chicken

Place chicken breasts in bottom of a small, heavy-bottomed pot. They should fit in a single layer but fit quite snugly.

Cover chicken with broth or water. Add herbs and bay leaf.

Bring to a boil, then quickly reduce heat to low so that the water is barely at a simmer.

Partly cover and gently simmer for 10 minutes.

Turn off heat completely, and allow chicken to remain in hot water for 15-20 minutes.

Slice or shred chicken.

Bang Bang Prawn Salad

Bang Bang Salad not only has a great name,

it is a beautiful crisp noodle salad with prawns

and a more-ish peanut dressing.

Ready in 20 minutes, this tasty salad 

is also fantastic with chicken or tofu.

Bang Bang Salad with Poached Chicken

 

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

180g Soba Noodles

3 Shallots, thinly sliced

1 Cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, deseeded and thinly sliced

200g Bean Sprouts

250g Prawns, cooked and peeled

Dressing

3 Tbsps Crunchy Peanut Butter

4 Tbsps Lite Coconut Milk

3 Tbsps Sweet Chilli Sauce

METHOD

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions then rinse under cold water and drain thoroughly.

In a small saucepan over a low heat, melt together the peanut butter, coconut milk, sweet chili sauce and half the shallots.

Once the ingredients are melted and well combined, add 1 to 2 Tbsps of water to loosen the dressing. It needs to be at a drizzling consistency.

Mix the noodles, cucumber and beansprouts together and arrange on a serving platter.

Top with the prawns, and drizzle over the peanut sauce and scatter over the remaining scallions.

Marinated Lamb, Spinach & Sweet Potato Salad

This salad is extremely versatile from a great weeknight dinner 

to a casual weekend lunch with friends.

It is a delicious summer meal that never fails to impress

as it’s so aromatic and bursting with flavour and colour.

A great side salad for any meal even without the lamb.

Great Side Salad without the Lamb

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

500g Sweet Potato, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes
Olive Oil Spray
1 Tsp Ground Cumin
1 Tsp Ground Coriander
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Tbsp Olive Oil 
600g Lamb Backstrap
80g Baby Spinach
1/2 Salad Onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsps Pitted Kalmata Olives
1/4 Cup Walnuts Pieces 
40g Feta Cheese, crumbled

Dressing
2 Tbsps Olive Oil
2 Tbsps White Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Honey


METHOD

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.

Combine oil, garlic, cumin and coriander in a shallow dish. Season with salt and pepper. Brush over lamb backstraps until well coated.
(If you have time allow the lamb to marinate in the fridge for up to 2 hours)

Meanwhile, line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place potato, in a single layer, on tray.

Spray with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and tender. Set aside.

Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook lamb, for 2 minutes each side.

Place into the  hot oven and cook for about 4 mins for medium rare, or to your liking.

Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil. Set aside for 5 minutes. Thinly slice on the diagonal.

Meanwhile, to make dressing: place oil, vinegar and honey in a bowl. Whisk to combine.

Prepare the salad by combining spinach, onion, olives, walnuts, feta, and sweet potato in a large bowl.


To Serve:

Arrange the salad on a large serving platter. Drizzle with dressing. Top with sliced lamb.

Serve immediately.

Thai Beef with Chilli Dipping Sauce

This easy beef recipe is known in Thailand as "Crying Tiger Beef".

It is a fabulous summer meal, marinade the meat and

make the dipping sauce the night before then throw the dinner together FAST.

Excellent recipe for casual dinner parties.

The Chilli Dipping Sauce is very spicy yet the bursts of freshness from the

lime and coriander make it a celebration for the taste buds.

But, definitely adjust the chilli to your liking!

It is an extremely addictive dish and great for the health conscious!

INGREDIENTS ( Serves 4)

4 x 200g Eye Fillet Steaks

Oil Spray

MARINADE:

3 Tbsps Fish Sauce

2 Tbsps Soy Sauce

2 Tsps Sugar

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/4 Tsp Ground Coriander

1/4 Tsp Ground Black Pepper

CHILLI DIPPING SAUCE:

3 Tbsps Fish Sauce

3 Tbsps Lime Juice

1 Tsp Caster Sugar

1 Shallot, finely sliced

1 Tsp Dreied Chilli Flakes

1 Green Green, finely chopped

METHOD

Stir marinade ingredients together and pour over the steaks. Turn the steaks several times to ensure they are covered with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes.

While steak is marinating, make the chilli sauce.

Place all sauce ingredients together in a bowl and stir. Taste-test for a balance of spicy, sour, and sweet. Add more fish sauce if you'd like it saltier, or more sugar if too sour for your taste. Set aside.

Heat a large fry pan over a high heat. When hot, add oil spray and the marinated steaks and sear for 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare; or an extra 2 minutes each side for medium-well.

Transfer the steaks to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil, and leave to rest for 4 minutes.

Take the steaks and slice as thinly as you can.

Place on a plate together with the chilli dipping sauce and steamed rice, with Asian greens.

ENJOY!