Revisiting Old Favourites

   

It feels like forever since my food blogging days; always coming up with new recipes, testing, taking photos, creating. Nowadays my cooking is pretty limited and my mother-in-law is incredibly helpful creating beautiful Japanese meals for my husband and our daughter. So I mostly cook for myself (vegetarian meals) and on weekends often bake something as well. Here are a few of my favourite recipes, revisited. You can view the whole recipe index here.

I can't go past a good salad and these are some of my all time favourites

Rich Mineral Salad - amazing with buckwheat, papaya, spinach and fresh herbs. This salad is packed with flavour!

Skin Beauty Salad - full of good oils essential for your skin. I love how simple, yet nutritious this salad is.

Greenlicious Kale Salad - who doesn't love kale? Enough said, this salad is definitely in my top 5 of all time. The simple tahini dressing is to die for.

A few "heartier" meals

Earth Bowl - full or protein to keep you full for longer and I love the addition of pomegranate. Perfect for summer or winter!

Cauliflower curry - I'm normally not a curry-girl, but this is not too oily and it's super fresh.

Red lentil and sweet potato soup - a staple dish I make most weeks, especially in the cooler months.

Another lentil dish! Roasted cauliflower with lentils - perfect hearty meal for winter, I love this one.

The sugar-free coconut granola with almond milk makes a delicious breakfast.

And for a quick snack, these coconut balls are so so addictive. These are also so good to bring along for long trips, as they're packed with energy.

One of my recent favourites has been this banana bread. Works every time without a fail!

Spring is in full swing here in Sydney and we've had some beautiful, warm days. I cannot help, but crave for lighter meals like fresh salads and green smoothies. There are lots of fresh seasonal fruit available as well, making every meal a colourful feast!

Greenlicious Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

It's been a busy weekend at home, catching up on housework and everything else that has piled up during the past few very busy weeks. With warmer weather I have been craving for everything green, including juices and smoothies, but also more and more salads. This kale salad, delicious and full of good oils, was a real energy booster after a long walk in the near by park.

Greenilicious Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

(serves 2)

1/2 big bunch of kale, washed and stems removed

1 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced

2 green onions (shallots), finely sliced

a handful of walnuts

pinch of salt (optional)

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons flaxseed oil

Tahini Dressing

2 generous tablespoons of tahini

1/2 small lemon, juiced

1-2 tablespoons  water

1. Massage the kale until wilted and tender. Add avocado, green onions and walnuts. Season with salt and pepper and toss in the oil. 

2. Whisk tahini, lemon and water in a jug and stir through the salad.

Cherry and Camembert Salad

Happy New Year!

I'm starting the New Year with this summery salad that combines some of my favourite flavours: sweet cherries and dried cranberries with creamy Camembert, toasted nuts, peppery greens and tangy balsamic vinegar. I love salads like this on a summer's day - light, but perfectly filling to get you going until the next meal.

There are no exact measurements as I like to throw in ingredients as I please. Just follow your taste buds to adjust the flavours accordingly.

Cherry and Camembert Salad

a couple of big handfuls of mixed salad leaves

a handful of fresh cherries, halved and stoned

a few sliced of Camembert or Brie (in room temperature)

a small handful of mixed nuts, toasted until fragrant

a couple of tablespoons of dried cranberries

2 tablespoons of good balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil

Mix all and enjoy!

Quick Green Bean Salad

It's a sunny Sunday here in Sydney and there is no way I'm spending it in the kitchen! This green bean salad is perfectly quick to prepare before heading out to the balcony to enjoy some lunch and sunshine. Happy Sunday all!

 Quick Green Bean Salad

(serves 2)

a few handfuls of baby spinach

a few handfuls of green beans

3 tablespoons raw buckwheat 

3 tablespoons slivered almond

a good pinch of salt

pepper, to taste

1 small orange, juiced

a few tablespoons of good olive oil

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

feta or parmesan, to serve (optional)

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the beans and leave for a couple of minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Chop the beans in half (or to bite-size pieces).

2. Toast buckwheat and almonds on a dry frying pan for a few minutes, stirring continuously. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Whisk orange juice, olive oil and ACV in a bowl. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl and serve immediately. Add feta or parmesan, if you wish.

Wholesome Couscous Salad + A Slow Recovery

Hello dear friends!

Sorry for the silence here on the blog lately. I am finally starting to feel better after being hit hard with fever, chest infection and borderline pneumonia. I spent the whole weekend lying flat and was unable to even sit up without feeling nauseous. Not being able to eat well for days made me so weak that I fainted early on Saturday morning and my husband had to call an ambulance because I was not responding to him. Fortunately the paramedics didn't think it was necessary for me to go to the hospital so we just saw a doctor later that day and I was given a cure of antibiotics. Needless to say I have never been this sick in my life. I must have caught a super virus from our travels which then went, well, viral because I was already rundown from jetlag. I am starting to feel better already, but need to take it easy for a few more days.

This couscous salad takes me right back to Provence, once again. It is hard to believe that the wedding only happened a little over 5 weeks ago and that we've only been back in Australia for two weeks. It really feels like it's been ages since our time in my hometown and travels in France! This salad was inspired by all the local produce I was able to find fresh in season and those beautiful olives and olive oil we had everywhere in France. It is a definite summer favourite, but you could easily adapt the recipe and make it suitable for any season you like. Roasted root veggies in winter would certainly go just as well, I think.

I'll be concentrating  on work and home-improvements in the near future so things can be a bit quiet here for a while. I have quite a few more photos from our honeymoon to share with you, but they will have to wait until I get my laptop back. Hope you are all enjoying whatever season you are in and are all in good health!

Wholesome Couscous Salad

(serves 4)

250g couscous

vegetable stock

1 long cucumber

200g cooked chickpeas

2 small carrots

1/2 red onion

2 small eggplants

2 small zucchinis

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

olive oil

salt, pepper, to taste

fresh parsley

fresh basil

mixed olives

 

1. Cook couscous in hot vegetable stock. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.

2. Chop cucumber into cubes, peel and coarsely grate the carrots. Set aside.

3. Chop zucchini and eggplants into cubes. Heat oil in a large pan, add the zucchini and eggplant and cook for a few minutes. Stir in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Set aside.

4. Mix together couscous, chickpeas, carrots, cucumber, finely chopped red onion and cooked vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, finely chopped fresh herbs and some balsamic and olive oil. Toss in the olives. Serve room temperature. 

Autumn slaw with tofu mayo

 

I love autumn! I get so excited to see new produce at the farmers' markets - out with the exotic summer fruit, in with the earthy root vegetables, pumpkins and apples!  There is no better way to celebrate the new season than with a simple dish that embraces fresh ingredients. This autumn slaw with white cabbage, carrots and Brussels sprouts is a perfect example. There is absolutely no need for heavy egg-based mayonnaise, as a home-made tofu mayonnaise will give you all the creaminess and taste you need. Super easy, super fast and super tasty! 

Happy Autumn!

Autumn Slaw with Tofu Mayonnaise

(serves 2)

1/4 white cabbage, thinly sliced or grated

3 small carrots, grated

5-8 Brussels sprouts

2 green shallots, thinly sliced

300g silken tofu

1 tablespoon tamari

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper

(pinch of salt)

1. Peel the outer leaves off the Brussels sprouts. Bring water to boil in a small saucepan and add the sprouts. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then drain off the water and let cool slightly. Thinly slice the sprouts and mix in a large bowl with grated cabbage, carrots and green shallots. 

2. Place tofu, tamari and nutritional yeast in a blender. Season with lime or lemon juice, pepper and a tiny pinch of salt, if necessary. Blend until smooth and silky. Pour the mayonnaise on top of the mixed vegetables and stir well to combine. Leave the slaw for 20-30 minutes for the flavours to develop.

Purslane and Dandelion Salad with Tempeh Croutons

Have you tried adding weeds to your salads and green juices yet? Dandelion, nettles and purslane are amongst the top weeds we should all be eating! They are all packed with vitamins and minerals and purslane is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids! Dandelion adds a perfect pepperiness to salads or green juices and smoothies, nettles are delicious in soups and pancakes and purslane can be used in salads, green juices, soups, stir-fries, you name it. The whole plant is edible, so even if you'd only use the tips of purslane to salads, you can certainly juice the stems or chop them up and add into soups.

This salad is no doubt my recent favourite. I adore the texture and the flavours of the leaves, but also love the addition of tempeh croutons. In all its simpleness, this salad ticks all the boxes of a wholesome meal - there are good fats from avocado and purslane, vitamin E from sunflower seeds, protein and magnesium from tempeh and tons of vitamins from the green leafy plants. Plus it's tasty too, of course!

 

Purslane and Dandelion Salad with Tempeh Croutons

bunch of fresh purslane

bunch of fresh dandelion leaves

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1/2 large avocado

Tempeh Croutons

 

300g tempeh

75ml water

2 tablespoons Bragg's all-purpose seasoning (or tamari)

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 clove of garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon flaxseed oil

1. Cut the tempeh into 1 cm cubes. Combine water, all-purpose seasoning, apple cider vinegar and grated garlic in a small bowl. Heat the mixture in a frying pan and add the tempeh. Cook for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool. 

2. Heat olive oil in a frying pan, add the tempeh cubes and fry on each side until browned. Season with oregano and continue to cook for a further couple of minutes.

3. Pick the purslane and dandelion leaves and arrange on a large platter. Toast the sunflower seeds and sprinkle them on top of the leaves. Cut the avocado into cubes and add that in as well. Finally scatter the croutons on top. Drizzle with some flaxseed oil, if you wish. Serve immediately.

 

 

Finnish Christmas with a Twist: Rosolli - Christmas Salad

 

My 'Finnish Christmas with a Twist'-menu would not be complete without rosolli, a humble vegetable salad that so unconditionally belongs to a Finnish Christmas table. You may have noticed the abundance of beetroot recipes in this blog lately, but please allow me to squeeze one more in, as the gorgeously ruby root vegetable is definitely the quintessential ingredient in this salad. 

I've tweaked the dish slightly, replacing normal potato with sweet potato, adding in some spring onions and leaving out the traditional gherkins plus the sour cream sauce. Nevertheless, this simple salad will most certainly be part of my Christmas table and I am more than happy to share the recipe with you.

Enjoy!

 

Rosolli

(serves 4-6)

3 medium size beetroot

3-4 carrots

1 medium size sweet potato

2 green onions

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

pinch of sea salt

1. Wash all the vegetables well (do not peel the vegetables at this point as they will hold their shape better with peels on) and place the beetroot in a large casserole. Top the beets with water and bring the water to boil. Let simmer until the beets are just tender. Drain and leave to cool. 

2. Cut the carrots and sweet potato in equal size chunks and place in a casserole. Top with water and boil until tender. Drain (reserve this water as it makes a delicious broth!) and leave to cool.

3. Peel the vegetables and cut into small cubes. Thinly slice the green onion and add that in. Season the vegetables with sherry vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Serve as a side dish.

Sprouted chickpea salad

I am not sure why it's taken me so long to share a sprouts recipe here on the blog, but one reason might be that sprouting is something I do occasionally rather than on a regular basis (although I buy sprouts regularly), and having been just bitten by the sprouting bug (again), I couldn't resist sharing a recipe with you. I must warn you, however, that there may be many more sprouts recipes to follow in the near future!

My earliest memories of sprouting are from well over 15 years ago when I had learned about sprouting at school and was eager to give it a try at home. Mum helped me choose an easy seed to start with (alfalfa), and so I went and bought some seeds (a lot of them, in fact) without realising just how many sprouts I'd end up with. Needless to say there were plenty of seeds to keep me busy for a while, but I was so happy just to be growing something. Plus I really loved the taste of sprouts!

Even now, sprouting gives me all the same joy, and I think it's so exciting to see the sprouts grow over a few days. There is certainly a sense of accomplishment, as though I had actually grown the whole produce myself. I also love the versatility of the sprouts - you can sprout just about anything from alfalfa to almonds (which is obviously more like soaking as there won't be any visible roots), buckwheat, sunflower seeds, lentils, chickpeas, mung beans, you name it. Needless to say, there are many health benefits of sprouting too - they are one of the super foods you should certainly include in your diet!

This sprouted chickpea salad is light and crunchy. I've kept the flavours quite mild and the colours pale. It's like harmony in a bowl, don't you think?

 

Sprouted Chickpea Salad

(serves 2)

250g raw chickpeas*

1 zucchini/courgette, chopped

1 avocado, chopped

1 green onion, finely sliced

handful of sprouted (soaked) almonds**

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon flaxseed oil

tiny pinch of sea salt

* To sprout the chickpeas: 

1) Rinse the chickpeas under cold water to remove any dust or dirt. Place the chickpeas in a big bowl and cover with fresh water. Leave to soak for 8-12 hours (overnight).

2) The next morning, drain the chickpeas well and place them in a glass jar. Cover the mouth of the jar with a piece of muslin (with a rubber band holding the muslin in place).

3) The same night, rinse the sprouts and drain well again. Place back in the jar and cover with a muslin. I tend to leave the jar upside down (with a muslin as a lid) for a while to make sure I get rid of all the water. I keep the jar on the kitchen bench.

4) The next day, rinse and drain twice (morning and night).

5) On the third day (including the soaking time), rinse and drain the peas. The roots should now be about 1-2 centimetre long and ready to be used. Store the sprouts in the fridge and use within 1-2 days.

** To sprout the almonds:

1) Soak the almonds overnight in plenty of fresh water.

2) Drain well and use in the salad or to make almond milk. 

For the salad: 

1) Combine all ingredients and enjoy whilst fresh!

Lentils with daikon and orange

It was one of those hectic days when my to-do list was longer than my arm, yet my mind was full of new ideas I wanted to add on to that list. I was trying to multi-task, but of course I ended up doing a little bit of everything, but not a whole lot of anything. If there is one thing I don't compromise even during the busiest times, however, it's my eating habits.

This lentil salad is one of my favourite quick lunches and seconds beautifully as a side dish for fish, tofu or meat. I love the tangy dressing that the lentils suck up and the oranges bring a beautiful seasonal twist on this meal. Perfectly quick yet satisfying meal for the busy of days!

Lentils with daikon and orange
(Recipe inspired by Marie Claire's 'Spicy')
(serves 2-3)


1 cup (French) lentils
1 medium sized daikon (white radish), peeled and thinly sliced
2 oranges
1/2 lemon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Rinse the lentils. Drain and place in a saucepan with 4 cups of water. Bring to boil, then let simmer for 20-30 minutes or until just tender. Drain and place the lentils in a large mixing bowl. 

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, juice and zest of one orange and half a lemon, pomegranate balsamic (or normal balsamic vinegar with pomegranate molasses) and mustard powder. Season the dressing with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper and pour all the dressing on to the lentils. Mix thoroughly to coat.

3. Add in the daikon slices. Peel and cut the orange into segments and add them in as well. Mix everything together and serve.

Fresh Farmer's Market Salad

"What were you going to do with those?", a lady asked me when I picked up a bunch of beautiful radishes at the farmer's markets on the weekend. "Not sure. Throw them in a salad, maybe?", I replied. And as it happened I also picked up tiny beets, parsnips, broccoli, carrots, and some other seasonal veggies - purely because I just couldn't resist their freshness and gorgeous colours. I didn't have a recipe in mind, I just stashed the veggies in my shopping bag feeling quite content about my purchases.

Some things really are just best eaten raw, don't you think? I was playing with the idea of roasting the radishes, but when I peeled and sliced them, I realised their beautiful colour and flavour would be wasted if I was going to roast the living daylights out of them. Instead I went about marinating them in verjuice and lime juice and they needn't any other seasoning. Pared with other finely sliced veggies they made a beautifully sharp and fresh salad. 

Fresh Farmer's Market Salad

(serves 2-4)

bunch of radishes

1 apple

1/2 parsnip

1 carrot

1/2 red onion

1/4 cup natural raisins*

small piece of fresh ginger

1/4 cup verjuice

1 lime

* look for the ones that have no added sunflower oil.

1. Thinly slice the radishes, apple, parsnip and carrot and place in a bowl. Pour half of the verjuice and the juice of half a lime on top and mix to coat. Leave to marinade for half an hour.

2. Soak the raisins and the finely chopped ginger in the remaining verjuice and lime juice for 15 minutes. 

3. Squeeze out the liquid and add the raisins and the ginger with the other ingredients. Save the soaking liquid.

4. Finely slice the onion and soak it in the left-over juice for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the liquid and add the onion in to the salad. Discard the juice. (Soaking the onion will get rid of the extra acidity.) Serve the salad immediately or leave in the fridge for another half an hour for the flavours to develop.

Black rice and purple carrot salad

 

Remember the black rice salad I made a few weeks a go? Well I'm on it again and this time I'm pairing it with another super-food - purple carrots. I am often attracted to ingredients because of their distinctive colour and these gorgeous carrots are no exception.  Not only beautiful, they are packed with nutrients and have a sweet flavour. 

I've made this a real super food salad by adding in pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seed oil, fresh herbs and lime juice. You can easily adapt the additional ingredients (like the herbs) to whatever you happen to have in hand or in your garden. Served with peppery greens this makes a lovely vegetarian meal on its own.

Black rice and purple carrot salad 

(Serves 2)

1 cup non-glutinous black rice

grated zest of 1 lime

juice of 1/2 lime

1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar

1 teaspoon tamari

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin seed oil

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

5 small purple carrots, coarsely grated

1/2 pomegranate, seeds

2 shallot greens/spring onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh coriander, finely chopped

peppery greens, to serve

1. Cook the black rice in boiling water until soft (30 minutes). Drain and place in a large bowl.

2. Add in all ingredients and toss well to combine. Serve with peppery greens (rocket, mizuna, etc.)

Mizuna, persimmon and pomegranate salad with orange dressing

The other night, when I had already finished cleaning up in the kitchen after dinner, something made me stop what I was doing and just take a good look around. I felt so content looking at the beautifully green avocados from my partner's parents' garden, a bunch of vibrantly red parrot tulips in a simple glass vase and the bright orange persimmons I had bought from a farm we visited recently. As I switched off the kitchen light I had a smile on my face just thinking of all the recipes I could use those persimmons for.

The following morning I picked up a bunch of mizuna greens from the farmer's markets. I love it's mustardy flavour and I thought it would go so well with the persimmons, the oranges and the pomegranate I also happened to have at hand. This is such a simple salad, but the fresh ingredients and the lovely combination of flavours makes it a perfect dish to serve at any occasion.

Mizuna, persimmon and pomegranate salad

1 bunch mizuna greens, washed and shredded

2 persimmons, thinly sliced 

small handful cashew nuts, toasted

1/2 pomegranate, seeds

:: orange dressing ::

1 orange, juice and zest

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

2 tablespoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil

pinch of salt

1. Scatter the mizuna, persimmons and the cashew nuts on a platter. Sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds. 

2. Mix all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle the dressing evenly on the salad. Serve immediately.  

Red cabbage and apple salad with mandarin dressing

Simple, seasonal food - what could possibly be better than that? This red cabbage and apple salad is a no-fuss, delicious salad you can enjoy on its own or accompanied with meat or wholegrain. It was love at first taste for me, but if you have the patience, refrigerating the salad for at least half an hour will make the flavours even more intense.

Red cabbage and apple salad with mandarin dressing

1/4 red cabbage (about 4 cups), thinly sliced

2 small apples, thinly sliced

1 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup pecans, toasted

Mandarin dressing

1 mandarin, peeled

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

pinch of sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the mandarin in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Add the other dressing ingredients and blitz for a further 30 seconds or until everything is well combined.

2. Combine the red cabbage and apple in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the dressing and toss well. Finally, add the raisins and the pecans and toss to combine.

Black bean and quinoa salad

Happy weekend friends!

We kicked off the weekend last night by visiting the Sydney Opera House to see Madame Butterfly, the ballet. It was such a magical performance and I was reminded of how much I love ballet (I used to dance for many years). The night really left me with a happy, sunny mood!

This salad is another way to carry on a perfect weekend - it is so healthy, full of flavour and makes you feel like you are really looking after yourself and your loved ones. It is really not that hard to eat and live healthy, now is it?

Black bean and quinoa salad

(Serves 2-4)

1 cup black beans, soaked overnight or quick soaked*

1 cup quinoa

1/2 tsp organic vegetable stock powder

2,5 cups water (or vegetable stock)

1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 lemon, zest and juice

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp brown rice vinegar

2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

pinch of salt

*Quick soaking the beans: place the beans in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil and let boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 1 hour.

1. Drain the beans and return to pan. Cover with water and bring to boil. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until just tender.

2. Rinse the quinoa and place in a saucepan with 2,5 cups water or vegetable stock. Add the vegetable stock powder, if using. Bring to boil, then turn down the heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.

3. Drain the beans and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked quinoa, parsley, finely chopped lemon zest and juice, sesame oil, brown rice vinegar and the sesame seeds. Mix well then check the taste and season with a pinch of salt if needed.

Brussels sprout and walnut salad

 

Brussels sprout might well be one of those ingredients that people either love or hate. Personally I've grown out of 'hating' any particular food (vegemite being an exception to the rule, but then again I didn't grow up eating it anyway) and Brussels sprout were never on the hate-list to start off with. 

Paired with roasted walnuts and a vinegary dressing, this is a nice little salad or a side dish on its own. You could easily make this a wholesome vegetarian meal by serving it with rice or quinoa, too. Either way it combines some of my favourite flavours and I could happily fork the whole lot on my own. 

 

Brussels Sprout and walnut salad

(Serves 2)

10-15 Brussels sprouts

pinch of sea salt

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup walnuts, toasted*

1 sprig of lemon thyme

{Dressing}

30ml extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp sherry vinegar

pinch of salt

1 tbsp lemon juice, to serve

1 sprig lemon thyme, to serve

1. Preheat your oven to 180C. 

2. Place the Brussels sprouts in an oven dish, season with salt and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the lemon thyme and bake for about 40-50 minutes or until tender.

3. Prepare the dressing by lightly whisking together all the ingredients. Set aside.

4. To serve, combine the roasted Brussels sprouts with the walnuts, drizzle with the dressing and serve with an extra sprigs of lemon thyme and a drizzle of lemon juice.

*toast the walnuts in 180C oven for about 8 minutes.

Grilled watermelon and haloumi salad

 

Just as I thought I will finally get to enjoy the cooler weather here in Sydney, the Mother Nature goes and throws in another scorcher with 30 degrees heat. I shouldn't be complaining, I suppose, as soon enough I'll be telling you it's too cold and we have no proper heating. 

So lets just say, to enjoy the last days of summer and the beautiful watermelons I've been wolfing down like there's no tomorrow, I decided to try an idea I once read in a Swedish cookbook by Tina Nordström. I've always been a huge fan of her bubbly personality and thick Skåne (Southern Sweden) accent and I knew her idea of grilling a watermelon was not a dumb one. 

Unlike Tina, however, I wanted to pair the watermelon with some gorgeously salty haloumi and deep, rich balsamic dressing. I'm glad I did, as the salad was just perfect for a hot day and I will most certainly be making this one again! 

 

Grilled watermelon and Haloumi salad

(Serves 2)

1/2 seedless watermelon, cut into thick slices

1 tsp ground Hungarian paprika

1/2 tsp chili flakes (more if you like it hot)

1 tbsp olive oil

200g haloumi, sliced

pinch of ground paprika, extra

1 sprig of fresh thyme

mixed salad leaves, to serve

olives, to serve

{Dressing}

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic

1 tbsp raw honey

Heat a frying pan or a grilling pan on high. Brush the watermelon slices with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and chili. Place the watermelon slices on the pan and fry on both sides for a couple of minutes. Set aside. 

Fry the haloumi slices on both sides until golden and soft. Combine the dressing ingredients.

Place some salad leaves on a platter, top with watermelon slices and shredded haloumi. Add olives and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately.

Watercress and citrus salad

 

I was supposed to be baking today. I had planned to spend a good few hours in the kitchen standing next to a hot oven, but when I stepped out early this morning for my routine exercise, I realised I would have to change my plans.  I could feel a soft warm breeze during my morning walk to the beach, but before mid-day the temperatures had hit the high twenties and there was no chance for keeping the oven going for hours. 

I did step out to pick up some fresh ingredients from the green grocer and I couldn't get my mind of a citrusy salad with a slight hint of pepperiness. This watercress salad was exactly what I was craving for on this hot day, but hopefully I can return to my baking again tomorrow.

 

Watercress and citrus salad

(Serves 2)

a handful of watercress, leaves picked and washed

small handful of basil leaves

1 grapefruit, cut into segments

1 orange, cut into segments

small handful of golden raisins

Dressing

50ml extra virgin olive oil

small handful watercress, leaves picked and washed

small handful basil

tiny pinch of sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp lemon juice

Arrange all the salad ingredients on a platter. 

For the dressing, place the watercress and the basil into a food processor and process until fine. Mix the leaves with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Adjust the flavour with the lemon juice and serve with the salad.

Paradise Pear & Kamut Couscous Salad

Living in Australia means I have access to some of the amazing tropical fruit this country has to offer. Back in Finland I could only dream of the fresh in-season mangoes, papayas or passion fruit and some of the fruit and vegetables I've had here in Australia I had never even heard of before moving here. I still find it exciting when I see ingredients I've never tried or tasted before and it's especially fascinating when they sound something so exotic as "paradise pears". How could I possibly resist anything with such a name?

 

It turns out these tiny pears make a great salad and pared with kamut couscous it's not only tasty, but also full of right nutrients. I'm in love with different types of couscous. I'm sorry to say this but after spoiling myself with ferro and kamut, I can't even dream of going back to plain old couscous! Seasoned with ground cinnamon,  and orange zest and mixed with toasted pecans and organic mission figs, this salad is a clear winner to me. What a perfect start for the week!

Paradise Pear & Kamut Couscous Salad

(Serves 2-4)

2 tbsp olive oil

200 g kamut couscous

250 ml boiling water

1 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch of sea salt

zest of one orange

juice of 1/4 orange

9-10 paradise pears, cut in thin wedges

small handful of organic mission figs, quartered

1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted

1 tsp ground sumac

fresh mint and orange wedges, to serve

Place the olive oil, kamut couscous, cinnamon and pinch of salt in a bowl and stir. Pour the boiling water on top, cover with cling wrap and leave for three minutes. Then, using a fork, fluff the couscous to separate the grains. Add the orange zest and juice, paradise pears, figs, pecans and sumac. Mix everything to combine and serve with fresh mint and orange wedges.