Mustard vinaigrette

 

You may be getting sick of salads but I bet you that’s because your dressings are boring or your toppings haven’t changed.

Add a spark (and definitely a zing) to your next dinner/lunch salad with this little ditty.

Veggies in here included sliced zukes, cukes, kale, romaine, spinach, green onion, tomato and the Tofurky Lightly Seasoned Chicken product.

Ingredients: 
2 tbsp grainy German mustard

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp chickpea miso

1/8 cup water

1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper

Method: 

Whisk all ingredients together with a fork and drizzle over salad. Works well with hot protein as well as cold.

Watermelon salad

I threw this recipe together in a matter of minutes armed with the challenge to continue eating six to seven 2-300 calorie meals per day in preparation for a fitness competition. Somehow, I forgot to take a snapshot…so I had some fun with this classic guy.

This recipe  is a compilation of all remnants from my fridge and I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients: 

J100 g fresh Watermelon

100 g chopped Avocado

85 grams extra  firm Tofu chopped – toast this in a pan or leave raw ( I left raw in this recipe)

Optional – 15g crumbled Boursin garlic cheese

30g toasted pumpkin seeds

.5 tbsp Mint leaves chopped

1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Method: 

On stove-top lightly toast pumpkin seeds until browned.

Chop all ingredients and layer watermelon, avocado and tofu. Top with remaining ingredients and serve.

Warning – works out FAR better if you layer rather than try to toss everything – I tried both ways and layering is definitely the way to go for flavour and presentation.

Nutritional Info: 

537 Calories

41.2 gms fat

23.9 carbs

23.9 Protein

Super Summer Potato Salad – Vegan

Potato Salad is a staple for summer. This version of my usual had a great flavour to it – I hope you enjoy the creamy sourness of it. Not to worry, you will not suffer from bitter beer face in the least.

I’m a bit more salad than I am potato on this one so the guilt for gorging is nearly non-existent.

Ingredients:

6 medium red potatoes cubed, boiled and set aside to cool

2 cups julienne carrot

1 cup diced celery

3 tbsp diced chive

1 head diced green curly kale

1/2 cup diced pickled asparagus spears

1.5 cups veganaise

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp grainy German mustard

Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:

Once potatoes have cooled nearly completely to room temperature, place all items in large bowl and mix until coated thoroughly. Do not over mix – your potatoes will become mushy.

Refrigerate for 1 day if you can before serving. This recipe tastes the best on days 2 and 3.

Will store in the fridge for a week.

Serves 6 as a delicious side to any traditional BBQ fare.

Thai Asparagus salad

This salad can be made in a variety of ways however, egg is traditionally asian. If you have an egg like substance OR some flavourful tempeh, those work amazingly well as well.

I think this is a great lunchtime or brunch recipe. I had this for dinner after a big gym session and felt like a needed a little something more. If you feel like you are missing something with this dish – I say add some lightly steamed Farkay noodles or some other small noodle to warm up your greens just a smidgeon.

Ingredients: 

1 romaine heart

1 handful peashoots

2 cups kale

1/2 long English cucumber, sliced

1 bunch asparagus ends removed

1/4 cup fresh chopped mint

1/2 cup fresh chopped basil (thai basil if you can find)

1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro

4 eggs OR vegan thai tempeh

4 tsp oil for cooking

Fresh thai peppers diced to top (optional)

My favourite homemade FAUX FISH SAUCE

Method:

Create fish sauce and allow to sit for at least 1/2 the day.

On stovetop in saucepan bring 1/2 an inch of water to a boil. Add asparagus, cook with lid on for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and chill in fridge.

Prep your salad veggies in a bowl and set aside/refrigerate.

Eggs: Beat/whisk individually in small bowl. In small pan heat 1 tsp of oil for each egg or as needed. Add whisked egg to hot oil and cook until a little egg crepe is created. Remove from heat. Repeat for 3 remaining eggs.

Roll egg crepes into a tubes and slice thinly – set aside.

Toss cucumbers and asparagus in a heavy helping of fish sauce and allow to marinate/coat for 5 minutes.

Top salad with marinated veggies, egg and diced peppers if desired.

Beauty greens.

Serves 4

Pear & Arugula Salad

Health of the Irish to you!

After being abroad where FRESH leafy greens are the hottest commodity around, I felt like I needed to up my ruffage. As luck would have it it’s also St. Patricks day.

I created a nearly 100% green salad with just a few ingredients which I have given some ideas of how to interchange to suit your pantry.

Zippy, salty and with just enough crunch, this is a perfect base camp salad from where you can choose a tonne of flavourful paths.

Ingredients: 

1 pear sliced

5 dates pitted and chopped (try raisins or apricots if you have no dates)

2 cups green kale, torn

2 cups arugula

1 cup pea shoots, chopped

1 green onion diced

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, roasted on the stovetop

1/4 cup asiago or crumbled goat cheese – or none

Dressing:

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp grape seed oil

3.5 tbsp grainy, german or dijon mustard

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

I picked up some fantastic chili salt in Vienna in January which I used and LOVED.

Method:

Combine all ingredients, toss with dressing and top with cheese and pumpkin seeds.

Serves 2 as a meal, 4 as a side.

Roasted beet & kale salad with hemp

 

 

January is here. It’s time to get on the fit train. This is an easy and protein-packed salad to help you on your way.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

 

Ingredients: 

6 small beets washed

1 head kale torn into bite-sized pieces

1 medium tomato diced

2 tbsp hemp seeds

1/2 tsp Rosemary salt

1 tsp Dried rosemary

1 tbsp Spiced olive oil

Cracked tri-colour pepper to taste

Dressing: 

1/3 cup water

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

3 cloves garlic

1.5 tbsp raw miso

1 tbsp tahini

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp cracked pepper

Method: 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Wash beets and quarter. (I never peel my beets…but you can choose to if you wish)

Toss in salt, rosemary, pepper and oil.

Arrange on non-stick or greased baking sheet and roast for 1 hour turning often or at least every 15 minutes. Bake until they are easily pierced with a fork.

Once cooked set aside to cool.

In the meanwhile, wash and prepare remainder of veggies

Dressing: I use a hand blender for all my dressings – it is the easiest method and then leaves you with any remaining dressing in a nice small container….Braun is a decent model.

Place all dressing ingredients in hand blending vessel. Blend for 1 minute.

Coat kale and tomatoes in dressing, top with cooled beets and hemp seeds.

Serves 4.

Sexy Salad

Feeling the need for a great salad with a tonne of flavour? One that takes the place of meat after a tough workout? Well, this little ditty is sure to satisfy. No time? There’s no excuse here…this one is VERY quick and VERY dirty – in that “I’m going as a catholic schoolgirl for Halloween this year” kind of way.

I used my homemade creamy dressing recipe to top this salad.

Ingredients:

Mesclun greens
Pea shoots
Arugula
Butter lettuce
Shaved carrot
Heirloom radishes
1/8 cup chopped pecans
1/8 cup pumpkin seeds
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne
pinch salt
pinch ground pepper
1/2 tsp grape seed oil

Method:

Wash, prep and rinse as many greens as you want.

On stove top heat saute pan to medium heat, add oil. Wait 1 minute. Add nuts/seeds. Sprinkle nuts and seeds with spices and cook until just slightly browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Top salad with spiced warm nut mixture and drizzle with Creamy Dressing! I opted to add nutritional yeast as well.

HEALTHY TIPS: 

Nutritional yeast – great B vitamin supplement for vegans/vegetarians

Grape seed oil – great alternative oil for cooking – doesn’t become cancerous/carcinogenic

Pecans – antioxidant and packed with over 19 vitamins & minerals