WARM STEAK SALAD SANDWICH

I’m not usually one to buy my own salad dressings or sauces preferring to make them on my own. However, when I was browsing a local Organic store and found the Ozganics brand of dressings and sauces, I made an exception. It is incredibly difficult to hunt down a low-fat, healthy and tasty dressing/sauce that is gluten free and dairy-free- in fact its almost impossible. Ozganics makes simmer sauces, pasta sauces, salad dressings, marinades and table sauces- all containing not a trace of gluten or dairy. They have a super cute website http://www.ozganics.com.au/ as well. Definitely a brand for anyone with food allergies and/or lacking time to make healthy condiments. This steak salad sandwich idea came about whilst I was browsing the latest issue of Super Food Ideas (June 2012 issue) and me and my boyfriend were hungover last Sunday night. Awesome simple dinner idea.

INGREDIENTS

• 300g lean eye fillet steak, cut into small even strips
• 1 teaspoon grape seed oil
• 2 large tomatoes, washed and cut into wedges
• 1/2 a continental cucumber, cut into slices
• 1 x 400g tin of beetroot slices, drained 
• a generous handful of baby spinach leaves, washed and drained
• 1/2 an avocado, cut into small pieces
• 2 slices of gluten-free bread multigrain bread, toasted and torn into bite sized pieces
• a drizzle of 'Ozganics Egg, Gluten & Dairy Free Creamy Garlic Dressing 

COOKING 

1. Heat a small to medium frying pan over low-medium heat, adding oil and swirling to coat. When pan is heated add strips of beef and cook, stirring often, for around 7-8 minutes or until the beef is cooked and no red meat remains. Remove from heat. 

2. Combine baby spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, beetroot, avocado and torn bread pieces in a large serving bowl. Add cooked beef to the bowl and toss well to combine. Add a drizzle of the garlic dressing or any low-fat dressing you like and serve whilst beef is warm. 

Serves / 2 as a main / 4 as a side 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 10 minutes 

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FRESH HERB PASTA

I have vivid memories of my mother cooking pasta and parsley for me when I was young. For some reason it was my favourite dish. She would marvel at this, as it was so simple in terms of ingredients and the cooking process. I think I have just always loved fresh herbs in cooking. There is nothing better than the unique and distinctive flavours they provide to dishes. Without the herbs in this dish the pasta would be bland and tasteless. You add a few choice herbs to the mix and voila; you have yourself a garden-fresh, vibrant meal.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g gluten-free pasta 
• 1 cup comprising of fresh parsley, fresh chives & fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon grape seed / olive oil 
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• sea salt 

COOKING 

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, adding a pinch or two of salt. When water is boiled add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until pasta is just cooked through (or al dente). Remove from heat and drain well, draining with cold water. Reserve 1/2 of a cup of the boiled pasta water. 

2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, or until garlic becomes slightly soft. Add pasta, reserved water and chopped herbs and cook over low heat, stirring until the herbs have coated the pasta and the reserved water has absorbed. Remove from heat and serve with a pinch of sea salt, if you desire. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 20 minutes 

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