Courgette, Feta and Mint Salad

Recipe taken from Balance Magazine, published by Diabetes.org

4-Ingredient Lunches – simple, delicious meals you can throw together in minutes …

Serves: 2 Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 12 mins

Per Serving 146g:

Carbs: 1.7g Cals: 69 Sugars: 1.1g Fat: 4.5g Sat Fat: 2g Salt: 0.49g
Protein: 4.7g Fibre: 1.3g

1 portion of fruit and veg

Ingredients:
1 small courgette
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tsp sunflower oil
2 large handfuls rocket
25g feta cheese, cubed
Mint leaves, chopped (25g)

Method:

Preheat grill to medium-high
Cut the courgette into 0.5cm slices, toss in a bowl with the lemon juice and oil
Grill for 4-6 mins each side, until lightly browned.
Mix the courgette through the rocket, add the feta, season with black pepper and serve.

Crunchy Carrot and Apple Salad

Recipe taken from Balance Magazine published by diabetes.org

4-Ingredient Lunches – Simple, delicious meals you can throw together in minutes …

Per Serving 138g
(without sesame)

Carbs: 12.7g Cals: 89 Sugars: 11.1g Fat: 3.2g Sat Fat: 0.5g
Salt: 0.05g Protein: 0.6g Fibre: 3.2g

1 portion of fruit and veg

Serves: 2 Prep time: 5 mins

Ingredients:
1 carrot
1 green apple
2 medium radishes
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons olive oil

Method:
1. Peel and coarsely grate the carrot and apple. Put in a serving bowl.

2. Finely chop the rashes and add to the bowl with some lemon juice and oil.

3. Season well with black pepper and toss until thoroughly mixed.

4. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds (optional) and serve.

Citrus Prawn Ceviche Tostadas with Charred Sweetcorn and mashed avocado

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (October 2018) and taken from “Salad Feasts: How to assemble the perfect meal” by Jessica Elliott Dennison.

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 35 mins

Ingredients :
8 small shop-bought corn tortillas
1 tblsp vegetable oil
60g tinned sweetcorn in water (drained weight)
250g peeled raw king prawns
Juice of 3 limes
2 baby shallots or 1 banana shallot, peeled
3/4 tsp chilli flakes
1 grapefruit
4 radishes, finely sliced
2 avocados, halved and stones removed

Step One : First, preheat the oven to 180oC / Gas Mark 4. Divide the tortillas between a few baking trays, brush with the oil, then bake for 5-8 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.

Step Two : Meanwhile, heat a medium frying pan, until smoking. Rinse the sweetcorn, drain completely, then add to the pan (you don’t need any oil). Cook for 3-5 minutes or until nicely charred with little black marks. Transfer to a place to cool.

Step Three : Next, if not already deveined, make a small incision along the back of the prawns and remove the dark black line (the digestive tract). Place the prawns in a medium dish or bowl, then squeeze in the limes. Slice the shallots into rounds as finely as you can and add to the bowl along with the chilli flakes. Leave for 7 minutes, then turn the prawns over and leave for another 7 minutes. By this point, they should be pink and ‘cooked’.

Step Four : Next, cut away the top and bottom of the grapefruit, then carefully slice away the peel and white pith. Slice out each segment, then finely chop the flesh (discard the membranes). Add to the prawns along with any grapefruit juice. Gently stir in the radishes.

Step Five : Scoop out the avocado flesh and roughly mash with a fork.

Step Six : Take the crispy tortillas, ceviche mixture charred sweetcorn and mashed avocado to the table in attractive serving dishes. Allow everyone to build their own tostadas.

Step Seven : You can also shallow fry the tortillas in a pan of hot vegetable oil until golden. Be sure to drain on kitchen paper, seasoned with salt.

Tuna, red onion, potato and rocket salad

Recipe courtesy of Co-op Food Magazine.

Serves : 6 (as a side dish)

Ready in 30 minutes

Ingredients :
300g fresh tuna steak
1 tsp olive oil
650g baby new potatoes
1 medium red onion (chopped)
1 tblsp capers (optional)
1 bag rocket leaves

Dressing :
1 dessertspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tblsp olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)

Step One : Heat a griddle or frying pan until hot. Add a tsp of oil to the pan and then cook the tuna on both sides until done. Cool a little, then chop into chunks.

Step Two : Boil the potatoes in a separate pan of water, drain and mix in the tuna.

Step Three : Add the chopped onion and capers (if using). Put all the dressing ingredients into a clean jar and shake until emulsified the add to salad mix.

Step Four : Store in fridge or cool bag until needed. When ready to eat, toss the rocket leaves into the salad and serve.

Salute the Salad : Farro, Herb-baked Tomatoes, Roast Carrots and Parmesan

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (May 2016) and taken from “Savour : Salads for all seasons” by Peter Gordon.

Farro is a grain that has had a lot of attention in recent years. I enjoy its texture and often use it in salads such as this. Roast tomatoes are great in summer, when cooking makes them even sweeter. In cooler months, roasting improves the flavour of hothouse-raised ones.

Serves 6 as a starter or side dish

Serve at room temperature

Ingredients :
300g farro, rinsed and drained
1/2 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 tblsp baby capers
2 tblsp red wine vinegar
3 carrots (use orange and purple ones), peeled and tops cut off, halved lengthways
4 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
6 plum tomatoes, halved lengthways
1 tsp roughly chopped oregano
1/2 tsp chopped rosemary
2 handfuls rocket
50g parmesan, shaved with a sharp knife

Step One : Preheat the oven to 170oC / 350oF / Gas mark 4. Put the farro into a medium pan, cover with 3 cm of cold water and add the onion and bay leaf. Bring to the boil and put a lid on the pan. Reduce the heat to a rapid simmer and cook until the grains are tender, about 40 minutes. Add 1 tsp of flaky salt after 20 minutes. Drain in a colander, then transfer to a large bowl. Taste for seasoning and mix in the capers and vinegar. Leave to cool.

Step Two : While the farro is cooking, lay the carrots in a roasting dish, drizzle on 2 tblsp of the oil and half the thyme, season with salt and pepper and add 2 tblsp of water. Roast for about 30 minutes; until you can easily insert a sharp knife through them. Cut each into 5 or 6 pieces.

Step Three : Lay the tomato halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment (to make it easier to clean). Mix the oregano, rosemary and the remaining thyme and 2 tblsp of oil and drizzle this on the tomatoes. Sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the tomatoes have shrunk a little and coloured slightly.

Step Four : To serve, toss the rocket loosely through the farro and divide among your plates. Sit the carrots and tomatoes on top, pour on any roasting juices and then scatter with parmesan shavings.

Salute the Salad : Grilled Carrots, Manchego, Orange, Agave, Pecans and Sultanas

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and taken from “Savour : Salads for all seasons” by Peter Gordon.

This relatively simple salad will seem all the more fabulous if you use a few different colours of carrots. I found the combination of just two colours worked well and decided against using purple ones. I’ve also made this using baby carrots, which looks and works a treat. Manchego is a fantastic ewes’ milk cheese from La Mancha, near Madrid, in Spain. If you prefer, you can use British Wigmore or Berkswell, Italian Pecorino, or some other firm ewes’ milk cheese – something you can shave or slice over the top. Agave syrup is a fabulous, earthy, sweet syrup, which complements the pecans – replace it with maple syrup if you can’t find it.

Serves 4 as a starter

Serve warm or at room temperature

Ingredients:
600g carrots, peeled, halved lengthways
3 tblsp olive oil
2 oranges, segmented
3 tblsp agave syrup (or use maple syrup)
50g sultanas (or golden raisins)
100g pecans, toasted and chopped
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
handful salad leaves (perhaps rocket)
60g manchego

Step One : Steam or boil the carrots in salted water for 6 minutes. If using baby carrots, cook for 4 minutes. Tip into a colander and leave to drain. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper, then cook in a heavy based pan until coloured on both sides and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes depending on their size. Leave to cool.

Step Two : Mix the orange segments with any of their juice you can squeeze from the ‘core’. Add the agave syrup, sultanas and pecans. Leave for 10 minutes, then mix in the remaining oil. Leave for at least 20 minutes to allow the sultanas to soak up some of the liquid, tossing from time to time. Just before serving, mix in the spring onion.

Step Three : To serve, lay the carrots on a platter or individual plates. Scatter on the salad leaves, then spoon on the orange, sultana and pecan mixture. Thinly shave the manchego on top just before you serve it.

Book Ideas : Outdoor Feasts

Cookbooks to bring fresh crunch to your meals (ideas from Psychologies Magazine – August 2019):-

A Perfect Day for a Picnic by Tori Finch

2. Every Day Is Saturday by Sarah Copeland

3. The Salad Bowl by Nicola Graimes

4. Andalusia by Jose Pizarro

Grilled Courgettes with Basil, Mint and Lemon

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and taken from Summer Every Day by Acland Geddes and Pedro Da Silva.

Grilled courgettes

Serves : 4

Ingredients:
4 courgettes, sliced lengthwise
Olive oil, for brushing
1 garlic clove, crushed
Grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
2-3 sprigs fresh mint leaves, chopped
Small bunch of fresh basil, chopped
A handful of roasted hazelnuts

Step One : Warm a ridged grill pan or barbecue until it’s smoking hot. Brush the courgette slices with olive oil and cook on both sides until nicely charred. Remove from the pan.

Step Two : Mix together the crushed garlic, lemon juice, mint, half the basil and a good glug of olive oil. Pour over the grilled courgettes. Scatter with the remaining basil, roasted hazelnuts and the lemon zest. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Smoked Trout with Chicory, Apple and Almond Slaw

Flavours and textures that work together in the same way as Waldorf salad. Crunchy apple and leaves, toasted almonds and fresh dill, all delicious with the trout. If you want to make the slaw in advance, fold the sliced apple in some lemon juice before combining with the other ingredients to prevent browning, and reserve the toasted almonds until you are ready to serve.

Serves : 4

The Dressing Ingredients:
2 tblsp dill, roughly chopped
125ml (4 fl oz) soured cream or crème fraiche
A good squeeze of lemon juice
Seasoning, to taste

The Salad Ingredients:
200g (7oz) smoked trout fillet, torn into slivers
2 sweet apples, cored, halved and sliced into fine batons
2 medium heads of chicory, separated into leaves and finely sliced lengthways
2 heaped tblsp flaked almonds, lightly tasted in a hot, dry frying pan

Step One : Beat together the dressing ingredients and fold into the salad ingredients (reserve a few flaked almonds).

Step Two : Arrange a small pile of slaw on each plate, top with slivers of trout and dress with remaining almonds.

Tastes of Ghana – Ghana-Fied Caesar Salad

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (June 2017) and taken from Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen by Zoe Adjonyoh.

How about putting a little extra bag into everyone’s favourite dish, the classic Caesar salad, with some tasty Ghanaian ingredients?

Serves : 4

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 heaped tablespoon Jollof Dry Spice Mix
1 tblsp rapeseed oil
5-6 dried smoked herring, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes, or 1 can of anchovies
1 large Cos (Romaine) lettuce, leaves separated and roughly chopped or torn into large pieces
1 tblsp sustainable palm oil or carotene oil, for drizzling

For the croutons:
4 thick slices of hard dough bread (butter bread), or crusty white bread
4 tblsp rapeseed oil or olive oil

For the dressing:
50g (1 3/4 oz) Parmesan, shaved
5 tblsp Shito Mayo
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tblsp white wine vinegar
1 tblsp rapeseed oil and olive oil

Step One : Make the croutons. Preheat the oven to 180oC / 356oF. Cut the bread into 2-3 cm cubes and spread on a tray. Sprinkle over the oil and some sea salt, then toss together. Bake for 7-8 minutes, turning halfway so that they brown evenly. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Step Two : Season the chicken with the Spice Mix in a bowl, then add the oil and toss.

Step Three : Heat a frying pan, add the chicken and fry for about 4 minutes on each side. Set aside. Drain the fish and break up into smaller pieces.

Step Four : For the dressing, mix half the cheese with the Shit Mayo, garlic and vinegar in a bowl. Loosen with the oil and season to taste with sea salt.

Step Five : Put the lettuce in a large bowl and scatter over the chicken with half the croutons. Add half the dressing and toss together lightly. Top with the remaining chicken, croutons and fish, then drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle the cheese on top and, or a dash of Ghanaian flavour, drizzle over the palm oil. Serve.