Asian Stylez Chop Chop Salad

My brother came over for dinner and said he would do the main while we did the rest. He wanted to do an Asian meal so he made Carrot Ginger Rice and Garlic Ginger Chicken which was amazing btw. So I thought this was the perfect opportunity to make a chopped salad!

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a side salad


Here is the whole meal!

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 crushed garlic clove
juice of 1-2 limes
salt and pepper to taste
small bunch fresh cilantro, torn
1 red chili, thin sliced
3-4 green onions, diced
2 handfuls bean sprouts
2 small carrots, grated
1/2 cucumber, julienned
1/4 cup salted peanuts, smashed
1 romaine heart, diced

Instructions

1. Make your dressing by combining in a jar or salad dressing shaker if you're fancy like that, the olive oil, crushed garlic, juice of 1-2 limes depending on how juicy, sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste. Shake well and set aside. The ratio of olive oil to lime juice should be 3:1.
2. Chop, dice, julienne, dice etc. all of the salad ingredients as described above and combine in a serving bowl. Right before serving drizzle with the salad dressing, toss and serve.

oooo I just had a good idea! This would make a complete meal out of this salad if you grilled some chicken breast with some sort of satay peanut or almond butter sauce!!! oh-em-gee need to make NOW...

Pattypan and Halloumi Salad with Mint and Oregano Dressing

Do not be intimidated by the title if you've never heard of those ingredients. pattypan is a beautiful summer squash, also called star squash and halloumi is a Greek cheese that is best served fried. So really its just a squash and cheese warm salad. Okay that sounds even worse...its really really good trust me.

I made this for a dinner party and people started eating it before I could get a pretty picture! 

If you've never had halloumi cheese you need to try is RIGHT NOW. And good news Calgarians! Your local Safeway carries it! Shocking, I know. The flavour combinations really jive in this salad and I highly recommend having a bite of the halloumi together with the pattypan. Delicious. This recipe was adapted from a Big Girls Small Kitchen recipe.

Ingredients

Yields 4 served as a side dish.

4 medium-to-small sized pattypan squash
1 250g package of halloumi
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
olive oil for drizzling
juice of half a lemon
1 red chili pepper, seeds removed
small bunch of fresh oregano
small bunch of fresh mint
small bunch of fresh chives, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Make your dressing: add the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic cloves, half the mint, all the oregano, half the red chili and season with salt and pepper into a food processor and give it a good buzz.
2. Heat up a medium sized frying pan on medium heat. Cut up the pattypan into approximately 2x2" squares. I just followed the star pattern and made them into wedges.
3. Drizzle some olive oil in the pan, add your pattypan then season with salt and pepper. Move around to get it coated with olive oil.
4. Mince half of the red chili pepper with seeds removed and add to the patty pan. Let the pattypan cook for about 5 or 7 minutes to the point that it is still firm but gives way a little when you poke it. Some of the sides should look golden.
5. Remove the pattypan from the pan into a serving dish and cover it with a plate or something to keep it warm while you grill the halloumi.
6.  Slice the halloumi into 3/4" slices, and then slice the slices into 3. It should make them about the same size as the pattypan. In the same pan you fried the pattypan in which should have some residual olive oil, add the halloumi and fry each side until golden brown.
7. Add the halloumi to your serving bowl with the pattypan, pour the dressing over it and combine. Tear pretty remaining mint leaves and garnish the salad with the remaining mint and fresh chives. Serve immediately! and EAT!

Greek Orzo with Shrimp, Artichokes and Spinach

This meal is great hot or cold. When it's hot from the oven the feta is all oozy delicious but when it's cold it makes for a great pasta salad. I was thinking it would be a great dish to take as a pasta salad to a pot luck since it's a meal in one dish. It has everything you need: veggies, carbs, lean protein and dairy!

Ingredients

serves 2-4

1.5 cups orzo, dried
3/4 cup very small pre-cooked shrimp
small bunch fresh dill, chopped
small bunch fresh mint, chopped
100 g feta cheese, crumbled
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 cups baby spinach
4 green onions, chopped
4 artichoke hearts, in oil, rough chopped
1 tsp chili red flakes
1 lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper
Club House Greek Seasoning

Instructions

1. Cook the orzo until al dente and drain, set aside.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 350 C.
3. Heat up a medium sized frying pan to medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add minced garlic and the spinach and continually stir around until the spinach is wilted. Set aside.
4. Chop up the herbs, green onion and artichoke hearts. Take out a medium size casserole dish and add the cooked orzo, fresh herbs, green onion, artichoke hearts, spinach, shrimp, chili flakes and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and half the juice of a lemon and mix well.
5. Top with crumbled feta and sprinkle with the Greek seasoning.
6. Bake for 15 minutes and when you take it out of the oven, squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon over it.
7. Serve either hot or cold!

Not Your Boring Quinoa Salad

Here's a quinoa salad that packs a punch, contains a lot of protein and can be made ahead for a healthy side dish or for lunch. Can be made vegetarian and vegan by substituting vegetable stock :)

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups of chicken broth, OR 2 cups of water with 2 heaping tsp of chicken bouillon
1 red chili pepper, finely diced
half a cucumber, diced
1/4 of a red onion, finely diced
handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
half a can of chickpeas
1 and a half limes
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Steps:

1. Rinse your quinoa with a wire mesh strainer. Place in a pot with either your water and bouillon or your chicken broth. To make vegetarian/vegan you can use vegetable stock/vegetable bouillon.
2. Bring to boil, then reduce to medium high heat and cook until there is no moisture left - like you cook rice!
3. While the quinoa is cooking, chop all your vegetables: chili pepper, cucumber, and red onion.
4. Put the cooked quinoa in a large bowl and allow to cool.
5. Once the quinoa is cooled, add to the quinoa all your vegetables and chick peas, squeeze the juice of 1 and a half limes into it, add your olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Enjoy!