PRAWN & MANGO WRAPS

This is a light and easy meal that screams 'summer' to me. I like to buy prawns all ready to be cooked, but sometimes I do the dirty work myself; peeling, deveining and removing their tails. It's up to you which way you go. I can see myself eating a lot of these wraps over the hot months! 

INGREDIENTS

• 250g prawns, peeled, deveined & tails removed, uncooked 
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce 
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 8 small tortilla wraps or mountain bread wraps 
• a handful of mixed or green lettuce, washed and roughly shredded
• 100g cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced thinly
• 1 small mango, cut into cubes, around 100g 
• Optional- a handful of fresh coriander leaves

COOKING 

1. Combine the prawns and sweet chilli sauce in a small bowl. 

2. Heat and swirl the oil in a medium fry pan over medium-low heat. Add the prawns and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 - 3 minutes or until the prawns are pink and no longer translucent. Remove from heat immediately so they do not continue to cook. 

3. Lay a wrap down flat on a plate or chopping board. Arrange 1/8 of the cooked prawns, lettuce, cucumber, avocado, mango and coriander if using in the middle of the wrap and fold to wrap. Repeat until all wraps and ingredients are used. 

Serves / 4 / 2 wraps per serving 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / max 15 minutes (this does not include prepping the prawns)

x Emily 

ALFALFA, HAM & ALMOND SALAD

I’ve loved alfalfa sprouts since I can remember. Whilst some people think they taste like grass, I love their slightly crunchy texture and their little tendrils. I actually prefer alfalfa sprouts to lettuce, which I often find very boring and monotonous in salads. Alfalfa sprouts as a great source of folate, vitamin C & fibre. These little babies also contain vitamin K and E and are the only vegetable that continues to produce vitamins after they have been harvested! Try these sprouts in a salad, a stir-fry or in rice paper rolls.

This is the simplest salad I have made in a long time and was extremely fresh, quick to make and satisfying.

INGREDIENTS

• 100g alfalfa sprouts, washed & drained
• 75g cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 small tomato, roughly chopped
• 100g gluten-free 99% fat free ham, roughly chopped
• 1/2 a small ripe avocado, roughly chopped
• 1/2 a small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

PREPARATION 

1. Combine all ingredients, except for the vinegar, in a medium to large serving bowl. Drizzle red wine vinegar and a pinch of sea salt over the top and toss well to combine. Serve cold. 

Serves / 2 as a main or 4 as a side 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

x Emily 

PRAWN SALAD with GREENS

Even though it is only the beginning of spring, I'm already feeling like making meals fit for summer! This is a perfect meal for a late dinner, as it is incredibly light and healthy. I'm really getting used to making seafood a few times a week and I feel like I'm reaping the health benefits already. Prawns are a complete & great source of protein, as they contain all nine amino acids and 100g of prawns contains a whooping 25g of protein, around the same amount as chicken & beef contain. This seafood is very low in calories (always nice to hear!). 100g of prawns contains a mere 115 or so calories. Whilst prawns do contain higher than average levels of cholesterol, they are made up of GOOD cholesterol due to their healthy fats (Omega 3 fatty acid). Prawns are also a rich in Vitamin B-6, B-12, iron and zinc. They may not be the cheapest meat option, but who isn't willing to spend some money on their health? 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 3cm fresh ginger, grated 
• 200g green beans, trimmed & cut into 3em pieces
• 1/2 a bunch buk choy, roughly chopped
• 1/2 a bunch pak choy, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 300g raw or cooked prawns, shelled & tails on or off 
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• Optional- fresh coriander leaves, torn and 1 spring onion, finely chopped

COOKING 

1. Heat olive oil in a medium fry pan over medium heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. 

2. Add the cut beans to the pan and cook for 1 minute, stirring, before adding the buk choy & pak choy. Add the soy sauce to the pan and stir well, then cover for 2 minutes or until the buy & pak choy are tender (the beans can still have a little crunchiness to them). 

If the prawns are raw: remove the vegetables from the pan and add a small splash more olive oil to the pan over medium heat. Add the prawns and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they become cloudy in colour. 

If the prawns are cooked: remove the vegetables from the pan and place them in a medium bowl with the cooked prawns. Drizzle the lime juice on top and add the coriander and spring onion, if using. Toss well and serve. 

Serves / 2

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / under 10 minutes 

x Emily

SEARED TUNA with ASIAN GREENS

In my effort to eat more fish, tuna has become the star meat! I love how the taste of tuna steak is not the least bit fishy, especially when combined with Asian flavours. Here is my latest tuna creation; Seared Tuna Steak with Asian Greens. I really like adding edamame to stir frys, however if you are not a fan of soy beans or do not have access to them, you can use 1/2 a head of broccoli instead. I stress that everyone has different stove heatings and likes their tuna cooked differently, so cook it to your liking. In this recipe this tuna is cooked medium rare, not rare. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup brown rice 
• 2 tablespoons kecap manis
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2cm fresh ginger, grated
• Optional- 5cm lemongrass, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 x 150-200g tuna steak
• 1/2 a bunch pak choy, end removed and roughly chopped
• 1/2 a bunch buk choy, end removed and roughly chopped
• Either 1/2 a head of broccoli, finely chopped into even sized florets OR 100g edamame beans, shelled (weighed after shelling)
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped, to serve 

COOKING 

1. Bring the brown rice and 1 cup of water to the boil in a small to medium saucepan over high heat, covered. Once boiled, reduce to a simmer and cook for around 10 minutes or until all water is absorbed and the rice is just tender. 

2. Meanwhile, pour the kecap manis, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, ginger, lemongrass if using and 2 tablespoons of water into a mug or small jug and stir to combine. Set aside near the stove. 

3. Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat, swirling to coat. Add the tuna steaks and cook for 2 minutes each side. After this time return the tuna to the original side and pour the sauce mixture from step 2 over the top of the tuna. Cook the tuna for 30 seconds each side, making sure to cover it with the sauce. Remove the tuna from the pan, leaving the sauce in the pan and placing the cooked tuna onto your serving plates. 

4. Add the pak choy, buk choy and broccoli or edamame to the pan and cook, stirring often so that the sauce does not stick to the pan, for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. 

Serve each tuna steak with half of the vegetable sauce mixture and half of the rice. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds and half of the chopped spring onions on top of each dish. 

Serves / 2 

Total Preparation time / max 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / max 15 minutes 

x Emily 

BEEF VERMICELLI SALAD

I have a strange obsession with rice vermicelli noodles. I could eat them every single day if I allowed myself. Here's a very fresh and simple beef vermicelli salad that I love to make. You can use whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand! This is a beautifully light, fresh and vibrant salad, perfect for Spring or Summer! 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g lean eye fillet beef, cut into thin strips
• 2cm fresh ginger, grated
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 100g rice vermicelli noodles 
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 medium capsicum, finely chopped
• 1 continental cucumber, finely chopped
• 2 shallots/spring onions, finely chopped
• Optional- 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander, finely chopped 

Dressing 

• the juice of half a lime (around 2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce 
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
• 1-2 tablespoons water 

COOKING 

1. Combine the beef strips with the ginger, garlic and oyster sauce and marinate in the fridge for 10 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, prepare the salad. Place the vermicelli noodles in a medium heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over noodles. Stand for 2-3 minutes or until noodles are tender, then drain well in a sieve or colander. Pour cold water over the noodles and drain again. 

3. Preparing the salad: In a large bowl toss the cooked vermicelli noodles with the carrot, capsicum, cucumber, shallots and coriander, if using. 

4. Preparing the salad: Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl and stirring.  If the dressing is too strong, add more water, just a splash at a time. 

5. Once the 10 minutes of marinating is up, heat the oil in a medium frying pan over low-medium heat. Add the beef strips and cook, stirring often, for around 5 minutes or until the beef is browned to your liking. Remove from heat. 

4. Add the cooked beef to the salad and drizzle the dressing over the top. Toss well and serve. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time & Cooking time / around 20 minutes 

x Emily 

CHERRY TOMATO, BASIL & FETA BRUSCHETTA

This humble bruschetta may not be up to the Italian standards, but it is healthy, quick to whip up and is good enough for me! I love really simple bruschetta and tend to go by the pizza philosophy; that less is more. In my opinion all you need for a good bruschetta is some bread, garlic, tomatoes, basil and a pinch of oil & vinegar; everything else is just extra. Salt can be added, but for weight management I like to add ground black pepper. 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 slices multigrain, wholemeal bread (or gluten-free if intolerant), cut into quarters 
• 250g (1 punnet) cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 40g reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 large garlic clove, halved 

METHOD 

1. Toast the quarters of bread in a fan-forced oven of 200 degrees celsius for 10-15 minutes (depending on how toasted you like your bread). 

2. Meanwhile, make the bruschetta by preparing and combining the cherry tomatoes, onion, vinegar, cheese, basil and oil in a medium bowl. Season with ground black pepper. Leave the bruschetta to marinate together for at least 5 minutes. 

3. Once the bread is toasted and the bruschetta marinated, either spoon the bruschetta onto each quarter of bread or leave your guests to do this; the latter may be the better option as the bread will go soggy if the bruschetta is left to soak into it. 

Serves / 4 as an entree, snack or side 

Total Preparation time / 20 minutes max

x Emily 

SWEET SUMMER SLAW VERMICELLI

The name and adaptation of this recipe comes from one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s amazing vegetarian creations. Yotam likes to make this ‘slaw’ as he calls it, with caramelised macadamia nuts and lots of papaya, green cabbage, mint and coriander. Not being a fan of caramelising ingredients due to the high quantity of butter and sugar used, I decided to opt for a relatively small amount of peanuts and raw shallots. You could serve this salad naked, or with vermicelli noodles like myself to make it more filling. Definitely a summer salad for the hot steamy Brisbane weather! 

INGREDIENTS

Dressing

• the juice of 2 small limes 
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons water 

Salad

• 150g rice vermicelli noodles
• 1/2 a red cabbage, washed & finely shredded
• 2 large carrots (around 300g), finely grated
• 1 medium mango (around 100g), diced 
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil / coriander, torn 
• 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
• Optional- 1 ripe avocado, diced 

METHOD 

1. To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl. 

2. Fill a large heatproof bowl with boiling hot water and place the raw vermicelli in it. Leave to sit for 5 minutes, then drain well with cold water. Place the cooked vermicelli in a large serving bowl and toss the red cabbage, carrot, mango, spring onion, basil, peanuts, dressing and avocado, if using, in the bowl. Serve cold. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / max 10 minutes 

x Emily 

CORN, CHICKPEA & CHICKEN SALAD

I fed this salad to my dad and myself after we had spent a gruelling few hours in my garden on a hot day, as I wanted to pump us full of protein! Hence the chicken and the chickpeas. You can get creative with this corn salad and use different meat, such as turkey or ham and/or toss other vegetables in to the mix; capsicum, beans, tomatoes, herbs, etc.  To me, this is a perfect summer salad! If you have a bbq or a grill plate take the opportunity to grill your corn cobs, as they taste superb. 

INGREDIENTS

• 500g chicken breasts, fat removed and cut into even 5cm strips
• 1 tablespoon rice bran oil
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, washed & drained
• 1 small red onion, cut into thin strips
• 1 large or 2 small ripe avocado/s, diced into small pieces & combined with a few teaspoons of lemon juice 
• 40g feta cheese, crumbled 
• 2 generous handfuls baby spinach or mixed lettuce
• 2 medium corn cobs, cut in half and ends removed 
• 200g mango pieces 

COOKING 

1. Cook the corn by bringing a medium saucepan of water to the boil, covered. Once boiled add the corn and steam for 4 minutes or until the kernels are just tender. 

2. Remove the kernels by standing the cooked corn round on its end and using a sharp knife to run down the length of the round. Place in a large serving bowl. Add the chickpeas, red onion, avocado, feta, lettuce/spinach and mango pieces (or leave the mango separate as the photo shows).  

3. Toss the chicken strips with the oil. Heat a grill plate or a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the chicken until grill marks appear or until the chicken is golden in colour. 

Add the chicken strips to the salad bowl, tossing well to combine or leave separate as the photo shows. Serve warm or cold. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 20 minutes 

x Emily 

ZUCCHINI PASTA with GRILLED CHICKEN

My beautiful friend surprised me last year with a fruit & vegetable twister-processing device, after we had attended a raw cooking class and saw one of these babies in action. You can make anything into spaghetti with these nifty circular devices. The best news is that whilst they may cost up to $80 to buy in a store, they are only around $8 on ebay or on selective websites. I have used mine on several occasions, the majority being to create extremely healthy zucchini pasta. These twisting devices are quite simple to use, however if I give you one tip it is to be patient when starting out for the first time. Make sure you buy smaller zucchinis as the bigger ones will not fit into the device and halving the zucchinis will not result in nice-looking pasta. Do not try to jam the vegetable up in the cylinder or the twisting just will not happen (guilty). This zucchini pasta tricks both my and my husband's minds into thinking that we are eating actual pasta! and that's saying something as we loveeeee the real deal. If you are vegetarian, substitute the chicken for some steamed broccoli, some toasted nuts or if you are pescetarian prawns go great with this! 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 small to medium zucchini, ends removed and cut into half
• sea salt
• 250-300g free range chicken breast or thighs, cut into small, even pieces
• 1 heaped teaspoon miso paste
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• the juice of 1 medium lime
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 a medium ripe avocado, diced
• Optional- a handful of fresh coriander, shallots and/or chives, finely chopped
• Equipment- a twister fruit & vegetable processing device (I used the device above) or a vegetable spiraliser or two-bladed Julianne peeler. 

PREPARATION & COOKING

1. Combine the chicken pieces, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 teaspoons water and miso paste in a medium bowl. Stir well to combine, adding more water if the paste does not mix well with the chicken. Place in the refrigerator to marinade whilst you prepare the pasta. 

2. Twist the zucchini through the twister device, one half at a time and let the noodles fall into a large bowl. When all the zucchini has been made into noodles lay them out on an absorbent paper towel or tea towel. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt and leave for a few minutes whilst you grill/fry the chicken. This will give the salt time to absorb some of the water from the zucchini so you are not serving watery noodles. 

3. Remove the chicken from the fridge. Heat a grill plate or medium frying pan over medium heat and add the chicken. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until all the chicken is cooked. Remove from heat.  

Optional step: Once the chicken has been removed from the pan, dry fry the zucchini pasta gently for a few minutes, just to warm them up and improve the texture. This is optional, but I find I prefer the noodles very lightly fried. 

4. Combine the lime juice, fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, sesame seeds and a tablespoon of water in a small jug or bowl. Stir to combine and taste, adding more water if it is too tart for you. Place the noodles, chicken or extra vegetables, tomato, avocado and herbs (if using) in a medium bowl and drizzle the dressing over the top. Divide into two bowls.  

Serves / 2

Total Preparation time (inc. making the noodles) 20 -25 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 10 minutes 

x Emily 

CHICKEN SALAD with ZESTY DIJON DRESSING

This recipe was initially going to be a Quinoa salad dish, however I wanted something light for a light dinner and decided to leave out the quinoa carbs. You could use whatever raw vegetables you have on hand, such as capsicum, cabbage, shallots, the list goes on. I like adding lentils or legumes to my salads for an additional hit of protein. As you may have realised with the ingredients in my recipes, I do not prescribe to the Paleo way of eating and think that eating lentils, legumes and grains is very important for my health.  You can also add a touch of crumbled feta or toasted almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds to this salad for more texture and flavour. Look back at my Poaching Chicken recipe for steps on how to poach correctly or if pressed for time, buy a free range cooked chicken! The zesty dijon mustard is a favourite of mine, as it is filled with flavour and is low in calories- try to use apple cider vinegar as it contains less sugar than other vinegars. 

INGREDIENTS

• 300g cooked chicken breast, shredded 
• 150g green beans, trimmed & roughly chopped
• 2 generous handful of baby spinach
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 x 400g tin of brown lentils, rinsed & drained 
• 100g carrot, grated 
• 1 Lebanese cucumber or 1/2 continental cucumber, diced 
• 1 small to medium ripe avocado, diced 
• 3-4 tablespoons fresh chives / basil / parsley, finely chopped 
• a generous amount of ground black pepper 

Zesty Dijon Dressing

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or minced 
• 1 heaped tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• the juice of 1/2 a lemon or lime 
• 2 tablespoons water 
• ground black pepper 

COOKING 

1. Combine all the salad ingredients in a large serving bowl and toss well to combine. 

2. Make the salad dressing by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl and stirring with a fork to combine. If the salad dressing is too thick, try adding a little extra water. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / around 20 minutes 

x Emily 

MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER PASTA

I really love pasta, however for many years I used to consume a massive amount in one sitting (I'm talking almost a whole 500g package cooked!). Over recent years and particularly in the last few months my relationship with food and portion control has changed greatly. I have learnt that I do not have to completely avoid certain foods, such as pasta, but instead I have to cook a lot less and relish every single bite. Hence pasta has been allowed back into the house (the gluten-free variety) and my waistline and mental battles with food are becoming quite miniscule. 'Mediterranean summer pasta' is a very loose term for this meal, as I have gone for simple, fresh, available ingredients found in my kitchen and have avoided olives, red onion and cheese (due to Chris and my allergies and likes & dislikes). I urge you to make this pasta your own with what you have in your fridge. 

Ingredients

• 150g gluten-free pasta
• coconut oil spray
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 150g zucchini, chopped into small even pieces
• 100g green capsicum, deseeded & chopped into small even pieces
• 1 large handful baby spinach
• 55g ready to eat calamari, roughly chopped
• 200g tomatoes, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh chives and/or parsley and/or basil, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil 
• salt & pepper

Cooking 

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil over high heat. Once boiled, add the pasta and cook for 7-8 minutes or until the pasta is just tender. Remove from heat and drain, reversing 1/2 cup of the pasta liquid. 

2. Spray a large, deep frypan with coconut oil and warm over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and spring onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until the garlic and onion is soft but not burnt. Pour in the reserved pasta liquid and add the zucchini and capsicum. Cook for 5 minutes, covered, over medium heat or until the vegetables are tender. 

3. Remove the lid from the pan, add the baby spinach and cover again for one minute or until the spinach has wilted. Remove the pan from the stove and add the calamari, tomatoes, herbs, olive oil and a generous pinch of salt & pepper. Toss well to combine and divide into two bowls to serve. 

Serves  / two

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / approx. 20 minutes 

x Emily 

BLUEBERRY & MILK ICE BLOCKS

Since spring hit Brisbane, I have been experimenting with creating homemade ice blocks. Theres something about an ice block that makes me think 'treat'. This recipe initially had 2 layers; the first layer was the blueberry & almond milk and the 2nd layer frozen banana, ice cubes and vanilla extract. I actually found that the blueberry flavour was nicer and more refreshing than the banana, hence why I settled on pure blueberry. I highly recommend that you invest in some ice block moulds (they usually come in a package of 6) for summer, as there are infinite ice block and ice cream flavours you can make! I have personally tried my hand at banana, mango, watermelon and now blueberry. Watch this space for more healthy ice block / ice cream recipes...I feel a raspberry ice cream coming soon! 

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 3/4 cup reduced fat cow's milk (or lactose-free, soy or unsweetened almond milk if dairy intolerant) 
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup 

Method

1. Place the ingredients in a blender and blend until the mixture is soft and combined. Carefully pour the mixture into 6 ice block moulds, filling each mould to the top. 

2. Place in the freezer for a minimum of 45 minutes- to 1 hour to freeze. Remove from the freezer a few minutes prior to eating them or run the ice block moulds until hot water to loosen them from their moulds. 

Makes / 6 
Total Preparation time / 5 minutes, plus freezing time 

x Emily 

CURRY CHICKEN SALAD

Even though the Brisbane air is super hot, I am missing the cooler weather. Hence this curry salad was created. Perhaps this year I did not treat myself to enough homemade curries as I found myself missing curry spices last week. This salad is my protein champion, with chicken and egg taking centre stage. A tip: try to eat immediately as the salad is not nearly as nice the next day!

INGREDIENTS

• 500g free range chicken breast, cut into even-sized 4cm pieces
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 large continental cucumber, grated
• 1/2 large carrot, peeled & grated
• 100-125g four leaf lettuce 
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• the juice of 1/2 a lime
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced
• sea salt 

COOKING 

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot add the garlic and stir for one minute. Add the chicken and curry powder to the pan and cook, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked (that is, no pink flesh remains; you can test this by cutting the biggest piece of chicken you can find in the pan in half). Remove the pan from the stove and cover, to keep warm. 

2. Prepare the rest of the salad by combining the cucumber, carrot, lettuce, basil leaves and cooked chicken in a large bowl and tossing together. Add the juice of the lime to the bowl and toss again. Add the slices of egg on top of the salad, sprinkle salt over the egg and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes

Total Cooking time / 10 minutes 

x Emily 

MIXED SALAD with POMEGRANATE and SUMAC DRESSING

Thank goodness for the Brisbane storms, as I had no choice but to hang up my renovators' hat this afternoon and come home and cook. We all have something in our lives that helps us relax, that rejuvenates us and makes us feel like US again. For some people it is sex, for some it is reading, for some it may even be playing Playstation (oh my Chris you fall straight into this category). For me my way to unwind is cooking (and exercise). But when you can’t run or walk outside or drive to your Pilates studio, cooking quickly becomes the best option. I have sorely missed blogging about my daily dishes over the past few months and I will try my hardest to continue with at least a few dishes a week as my life continues to spin in crazy circles. Hope you enjoy this vibrant salad as much as I truly enjoyed creating and eating it. 

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 2 generous handfuls of mixed 4 leaf lettuce
• 1 large tomato, finely diced
• 1/2 heaped cup red cabbage, roughly shredded
• 1 x 400ml tin of brown lentils, washed & drained
• 1 medium ripe avocado, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 large pomegranate, little jewels removed and insides discarded 
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 lime, cut into quarters

Dressing

• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or 1 teaspoon crushed garlic granules
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• juice of 1/4 of a lemon 
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons water 
• sea salt 

COOKING / PREPARATION 

1. Combine the lettuce, tomato, cabbage, lentils, avocado and pomegranate in a large bowl and toss well to combine. 

2. To make the dressing combine all ingredients in a small screw-top jar and shake well. Depending on how runny you want your dressing you can chose to add either 1 or 2 tablespoons of water (I used two). 

3. Pour the dressing over the salad, sprinkle the parsley and squeeze lime juice over the vegetables. Toss well. 

Serves / 2 as a main / 4 as a side 

Total Preparation / Cooking time / 15 minutes 

x Emily