Goody Salads – Retro Hippie Cook

Broccoli, Broccolini and Almond Salad with Tahini Soy Dressing

I have been going mad for greens – especially on hot summer nights. Super healthy and super yummy what is there not to like when you mix those yummy greens with nuts and seeds.

Ingredients for the Salad

2 large cloves of garlic chopped
2 flowers of broccoli chopped
1 bunch of broccolini chopped
1 large handful of spinach leaves chopped
10 baby tomatoes quartered
1 small handful of mint leaves chopped
1 small handful of chives chopped
A generous handful of sesame seeds
A generous handful of almonds
A generous handful of flaked almonds

Ingredients for the Sauce

1/2 cup of tahini
A good splosh of soy sauce
A good splosh of lemon juice
1 heaped teaspoon of sugar
Water to thin to desired consistency

To Create

Gently fry the chopped garlic cloves, the stalky ends of the broccoli and broccolini that are good to eat until the broccoli is nearly cooked then add all the seeds and nuts and continue to stir fry until these are brown then set aside

Stir fry the broccoli and broccolini until cooked but not soggy.

Combine all ingredients, the chopped tomatoes, spinach, mint leaves, chives, nuts and broccoli mix.

Serve with the sauce on the side.

Chicken Salad with Lentils and Kefir dressing

My kids say this is their all time favourite salad. So when I make it I do so in a huge tray as I know it’s all going to get eaten.

Ingredients

For the dressing
1 cup of probiotic kefir milk or yogurt
lemon juice to taste
1 teaspoon of tumeric

For the salad

2 large chicken breasts, butterflied and cut in half sideways to make thinner
curry paste of any kind (I used korma)
1 finely diced red onion
1 tablespoon on cumin powder
1 400g can of lentils or equivalent fresh and cooked
1 large diced tomato
1/4 cup of white wine
1 big bunch of coriander leaves
150g cashews
2 large handfuls of fresh spinach leaves sliced roughly
1 cucumber sliced thinly lengthways
1 large carrot sliced thinly lengthways (I used a mandolin for the carrot and cucumber)
250 grams of sliced mushrooms

To Create

Rub the chicken all over with the curry paste until well covered, then sear in a pan until cooked through and set aside to rest

In the same pan fry the diced red onion, cumin powder and cashews until the onion is cooked. Add the lentils and stir fry for a minute or two to distribute flavour.

Add the sliced mushrooms, diced tomato and wine and continue to stir fry until the mushrooms are cooked and wine absorbed. Set aside

Slice the chicken into strips, now add all ingredients including carrots, cucumber, spinach and coriander. Serve cold with the sauce on the side.

Seared Tuna with Olive, Feta and Pomegranate Couscous

It is getting so hot in tropical Queensland that meals which require very little cooking, are healthy and quick to make, are essential. Tuna, egg and olives make such a happy trio. I created this last night and we settled back with our bowls of yummy couscous and tuna, under the ceiling fan and chilled out with Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.

For four hungry people

You will need

4 Tuna Steaks – You can use Tempeh for a Veggie Option

2 Cups of dry Couscous. I use corn couscous because we are gluten free and this is available in most supermarkets in the health section

4 Eggs boiled hard, shelled and chopped

1 cup of chopped Olives

I red Capsicum finely diced

125 grams of Feta cheese

1 bunch of finely chopped fresh Coriander (otherwise known as cilantro)

1/4 cup of Lemon juice

1/4 cup of Pomegranate syrup (sometimes called Pomegranate Molasses)

1 Lemon

Optional extras

1/2 cup of toasted Pine Nuts

The seeds of one Pomegranate

To Make it

Prepare the Couscous by putting the dry couscous into a large bowl and pouring over 4 cups of boiling water. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Whilst this is happening I pop on the eggs to boil. When the couscous has absorbed most of the water and is fluffy and soft to eat drain it in a sieve and run it under the cold tap. This will stop the cooking process and stop it from becoming gluggy. Place the well drained cold couscous into a large bowl.

Add

The Olives, diced red capsicum, most of the chopped coriander keeping some aside for garnish, crumble in the feta cheese, 1/4 cup of lemon juice and the 1/4 cup of pomegranate molasses. If you are adding pomegranate seeds and/or toasted pine nuts pop them in now too.

Combine well until the pomegranate molasses and lemon juice are thoroughly spread throughout the couscous.

Set aside and sear the Tuna Steaks on both sides

To Serve

Place the couscous salad into bowls, place the sliced Tuna steaks on top, sprinkle on the diced egg and remaining coriander.

Add a 1/4 lemon to each plate so eaters can squeeze over their tuna

Easy Peasy Poke` Bowl

We love this Poke` on hot tropical nights when heating up the oven is an absolute no. It’s fresh, healthy and super quick to make, more importantly it’s super super yummy. There are many variations on Poke bowls and this is mine.

These are ingredients you will need for each person.

1 Cup of chopped mixed greens. Any greens will do. I use spinach and beetroot leaves and occasionally throw in some blanched broccoli or asparagus.

1/2 Cup of diced Tomato

1/2 Cup of diced Cucumber

1/2 Cup of diced avocado

1/4 Cup of crushed Macadamias

140 gram fillet of diced Salmon or Tuna – make sure its really fresh and a good colour

Put all these ingredients into a bowl.

Now make the dressing and again these are the ingredients for each person

1 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce

1 Teaspoon of Wasabi

1 Dessertspoon of lemon juice

1 Teaspoon of Sesame Oil

1 Teaspoon of Horseradish Cream

Chilli as you like it.

Stir well with a fork until combined.

Pour the dressing over the Salad and toss through, coating the fish in the dressing.

Sprinkle on

1 finely chopped sheet of Nori Seaweed

1 Dessertspoon of Sesame Seeds

Now enjoy how great and refreshed this makes your body feel after eating it.

Quinoa with Veggie Chips

It is so hot in Cairns and we wanted a dinner that was light, healthy and meant no baking. So I created this salad topped with a yogurt sauce. Meals that show off the beauty, colour and flavour of simple vegetables are always my favourites. We loved it and hope you do too.

Ingredients

I cup of Quinoa

2.5 cups of water

1 massel stock cube

2 tablespoons of pine nuts

1 sweet potato

1 eggplant

1 red capsicum

100 grams of natural yogurt or greek yogurt

3 tablespoons of lemon juice

2 tablespoons of minced garlic

2 tablespoons of tomato pesto

1 tablespoon of coconut oil or olive oil

oil to sauté

salt

optional

parsley to top

asparagus to add some green

Cook the Quinoa

In a saucepan place

1 cup of quinoa

2.5 cups of water

1 massel vegetable stock cube or a teaspoon of stock powder

Cook for 20 minutes until the water has been absorbed by the quinoa

Whilst it’s cooking

Lightly brown 2 tablespoons of pine nuts and set aside

Prepare and Cook the veggies

Slice the vegetables in strips and place one type of vegetable at a time into a heated and lightly oiled pan and sauté until cooked and browned. When each vegetable is cooked set aside and do the next one.

When all vegetables are cooked place the 2 tablespoons of garlic and the 2 tablespoons of tomato pesto in the pan and lightly cook then add the cooked vegetables and sauté for a further 3 minutes until the vegetables are well coated with the garlic and tomato.

Prepare the Quinoa

When the quinoa is cooked add 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice (you will need the rest for the yogurt) and the pine nuts and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and lightly stir through the quinoa.

Prepare the Yogurt Sauce

Mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt through the yogurt

To serve

Place the quinoa in each serving bowl or plate, top with the vegetable chips and spoon over yogurt.

Dukkah Egg and Chicken Salad

This is a such an easy salad to toss together, so healthy and fresh and it’s my girls favourite salad. Often if I’m short of time I take short cuts and use store bought dukkah and sesame dressing. I’m including my recipe for dukkah and dressing so if you want to make the whole thing yourself you can.

This make 4 ample serves for hungry eaters.

Ingredients

500 grams of Chicken fillets
4 eggs boiled for 8 minutes
4 freshly cooked baby beetroots
1 bunch of freshly steamed asparagus (don’t over cook it, you want a crispness to it)
4 handfuls of fresh salad greens of any type
1/2 cup of sesame and pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Dukkah – or make your own (recipe below)
Japanese creamy sesame dressing (or make your own)

Ingredients for the Dukkah

4 tablespoons of pistachios (almond, hazelnuts are a good alternative)
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of pepper
4 good slices of lemon peel

Throw all this into a food processor and blitz, (adjust the pepper if you don’t like it too hot)

Sesame Dressing

2 dessertspoons of tahini
1/4 cup of sesame oil
3 dessertspoons of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

mix the oil into the tahini, slowly add the lemon juice so it doesn’t curdle, add salt and pepper

Making the Salad

Coat the chicken strips in the dukkah and fry until cooked and golden brown.
Peel the hard boiled eggs, rinse but don’t dry and coat each egg in the dukkah.
Cut the eggs into four pieces

Place a handful of greens on each plate.
Add the beetroot, asparagus, egg, chicken strips.
Sprinkle with the pumpkin and sesame seeds.
Drizzle with the dressing.

Happy Days! The Neal family favourite salad

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