Lj's Mediterranean Quinoa

Ingredients

1/2 Cup of uncooked Quinoa

1 Large piece of Pumpkin peeled and cubed

1/2 Bunch Snake Beans Sliced

Sundried Tomatoes x 10 diced

(I have used my homemade skinny version with the tomatoes that were completely dried and soaked in boiling water for  a few minutes)

http://ljsgourmetkitchen.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/semi-dried-roma-tomatoes-with-fresh.html

100g of Low Fat Fetta crumbled

Handful of Kalamata Olives sliced

1/2 Red Onion Finely Diced

Juice of one fresh lime and the zest

What to do

Cook the Quinoa according to packet directions and let it cool. Blanch the snake beans in boiling water for a few minutes, drain and cool. Roast the pumpkin with a splash of herb infused olive oil, Cracked Pepper and Himalayan salt and let it cool. Add all of the ingredients to a big Salad bowl and give it a mix to combine. Pop into the fridge to let it cool before serving. 

Lj's Roasted Potato Salad

Throw chopped Washed potatoes into a snap lock bag with some dried Italian herbs and enough herb infused olive oil, just enough to coat. Put into a preheated oven at 180-200 degrees until golden and tender. Let them cool and toss with a splash of balsamic vinegar, finely chopped capsicum and shallots. 

Quinoa Salad w' Roasted Sweet Potato, Fetta, Olives, Sun Dried Tomatoes & Green Beans

This is a Serving for one...

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup of Dry Quinoa cooked to packet directions

4 Fresh Green Beans blanched in boiling water for a few minutes and then drained

6 Sun dried Tomatoes (I make my own in the dehydrator with dried herbs and Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt until really dry and rehydrate when I want to use them in hot water so they are virtually fat free)

50 Grams of Low Fat Lemnos Fetta Cheese

1 Small Sweet Potato roasted (see below)

6 Kalamata Olives Sliced

Balsamic Vinegar or Fat free Balsamic Dressing

What to do:

Toss it all together! That's it :-)

Slice your Sweet Potato in 1 cm slices. Throw into a snap lock bag with a small splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and some dried herbs of your choice. Toss them around in the bag to coat and place onto an oven tray lined with baking paper for easy clean up. Bake at 180 degrees until tender and a little crispy, approx 25 minutes depending in how much Sweet Potato you are baking.

Lj's Vegetarian Potato Salad with Basil, Rocket & Pinenuts

Had to make something a little different while catering for a clients dinner party..... she specified she wanted Peas in her Potato Salad and also that is had to be vegetarian.. I made the dressing using extra light sour cream, not fat natural yoghurt and a dash of extra light cream, fresh basil varieties from my garden and some rocket.. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a food processor leaving some of the Rocket & Basil to stir through when serving.

Lj's Spin on Curried Egg Salad

Having a break up BBQ at work tomorrow.

Decided to make a few different salads, this is one of them.

This recipe will serve 8 - 10

Healthy, Fresh & Delicious!!

Ingredients:

1 Cup 97% Fat Free Mayo

1 Cup No Fat Jalna Yoghurt

2 Tbs Lime Juice

3 Teas Curry Powder

1/2 Teas Salt

8 Boiled Free Range Eggs diced

1 Granny Smith Apple cored and diced

1/3 Cup finely diced Red Onion

2 Sticks of Celery finely sliced

1/4 Cup of Freshly Chopped Parsley

What to do:

 Combine all of the ingredients except the Eggs, Apple and Celery and mix well to combine.

Add the Eggs, Apple and Celery and toss to combine.

A nice change for something different :-)



Balsamic Sundried Tomato & Green Bean Salad

Can't wait to dig into this for lunch! Mum makes this and it's just to die for..

I've blanched some green beans in boiling water, left for a few minutes and then cooled in cold water so they stop cooking and remain crunchy. Then I rehydrated some homemade sundried tomatoes and Zucchini's I dried last week in some balsamic vinegar. Add some chopped reduced fat feta and sliced kalamata olives. I've left it in the fridge to infuse all those flavours together.

Yum Yum Yum.... Getting hungry! 

Rice Salad... With the warmer weather upon us it's time to start making some Salads!

Tested a new Rice Salad Recipe... Delicious!

Ingredients:

1 cup Jasmine Rice

1 can Chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 Red capsicum, diced

1/2 Red onion finely diced

1/3 cup Sultanas

2 Tbs sliced almonds, toasted

2 Chopped Shallots

Dressing:

3 Tbs fresh lime juice

2 Teas Honey

3 Tbs Extra-virgin olive oil

2 Teas curry powder

Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper to taste

Cook the Jasmine rice in the microwave with 2 1/2 Cups of boiling water for approx 12 minutes or until tender. Let it cool completely. Combine rice, Chickpeas, Capsicum, Red onion, Almond flakes and Sultanas in a large bowl. Stir gently to combine all of the ingredients.

Whisk together lime juice, honey, olive oil, curry powder, salt and pepper. Pour over rice mixture and combine. Best left in the fridge for a bit for all the flavours to infuse.

Coleslaw on the RUN!!

Quick and easy Coleslaw to throw together when you are in a hurry!!

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

450g or so of Whole Egg Mayo

2 Tbs Dijon Mustard

2 Tbs Wholegrain Mustard

(I used a Mexican Seeded Mustard my Mum makes)

2 tbs Lime Juice

Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper

For the Coleslaw:

1/2 Cabbage finely chopped

2 Large Carrots grated

1/2 bunch Shallots diced

1 Red Capsicum  diced

Large handful of toast slithered Almonds

Give your Coleslaw a good mix in a large bowl. Put all in ingredients for the dressing into another bowl and mix well. Add the the Coleslaw mix and you are done!

Lj's Fresh Pasta Salad fit for a king!

Delicious and easy Vegetarian Pasta Salad.. A meal on it's own!

(You could add some shredded Chicken or flaked Tuna if you wish)

Ingredients:

500g Cooked Pasta

1 Cup chopped pitted Kalamata Olives

10 Sundried Tomatoes diced

A good handful of grated Mozzarella Cheese

A good handful of crumbled Cracker Barrel shaved extra sharp Vintage Cheddar

Handful of shredded fresh Basil

The Dressing:

In a food processor add the following:

6 Sundried Tomatoes

5 Cloves of fresh Garlic

2 Teas Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper

6Tbs of the oil from the Sundried Tomatoes

3 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar

1/2 Cup pitted Kalamata Olives

Huge bunch of fresh Basil leaves

80g packet of shelled Pistachio's

Process until fine.

Mix everything together and DIG IN!!!!

My brother in law's yummy potato salad!

My brother in law's yummy potato salad! Yummy! Wish I was there today!

Quarter & cook potatoes. Seeded mustard, fresh crushed garlic in mortar & pestle & onion cooked together until crisp. 

Mix through potato with Taylor's Avocado & Garlic dressing. Garnish with chopped shallots.