Potato egg and Bacon Salad

Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

550g small potatoes, washed 
120g (about 4 pieces) short-cut bacon, finely diced
3 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled (we use eggs with a minimum weight of 59g)
2-3 green onions (green shallots), finely chopped
188g (3/4 cup) good quality mayonnaise
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Place unpeeled potatoes in a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover potatoes. Cover saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a medium boil and cook until potatoes are just tender (you should be able to pierce the potatoes with a knife and meet no resistance). Drain potatoes and cool to room temperature. © exclusivelyfood.com.au

In a small frying pan or saucepan, fry bacon over medium heat until cooked and lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

Remove skin from potatoes, if desired. Chop potatoes into bite sized pieces. Chop eggs.

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir gently to combine. If you like, you can reserve some of the bacon or green onions to sprinkle over the salad before serving.

The salad can be served immediately, or refrigerated until cold. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.


How to hard-boil eggs

Place eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Cover saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from heat, drain eggs and cover with cold water to stop further cooking of the eggs.

Chickpea salad with Tahini

Take 200 g cooked chickpeas, add  30 g pistachios, 1 mashed garlic clove ,lemon juice and 2 tablespoon chopped parsley.

Then make the seasoning mixing 2 tablespoon tahina with 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Add salt and pepper and pour the seasoning over your chickpeas.

Sprinkle with paprika, mix well and let everything rest for about 15 minutes into your refrigerator.

If you prefer you can season the salad with extra virgin olive oil only.

Beans Salad

Take one can of white bean, one can of kidney bean and one can of pinto bean and season them with the juice of one lemon (a big one), 5 tsp of sugar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

To this three bean salad add half onion, chopped, 3 tbsp of corn from a can, 1 chopped cucumber, 150g feta cheese and 3 chopped tomatoes without seed.

If you like you can add chopped parsley as in Greek salad. Can add corn to give it more colour.

Olive Relish..Pickle

Mix 200 g olives with 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp parsley, vegetable oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and bay leaves…let rest for 3 days in the fridge, covered

Pasta salad

Salad ingredients

3 tb fine chopped onion

2/3 cup broccoli cut small bout the size of nickels

2 1/2 cups tri-colored noodles

1/4 cup red bell pepper cut into strips and then about in 3rds (1/2 inch long)

2/3 cup cubed mozzerella lil smaller than a dice. I made cubes out of a block of cheese I had, but if you have string cheese, I bet this would be a really easy thing to cube too.

1/2 avacado diced same size as cheese

4 slices of turkey bacon microwaved till crisp and then cut into small peices

1/2 can of black olives cut up



Salad dressing ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/4 tblspn fresh chopped basil

1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt

2 tsp of lemon juice

1 tsp of apple cider viniger

2 tblspn basalmic vinigarette



Mix dressing together then pour over salad.

Toss

Let chill at least 30 minutes b4 serving.

Tuna-Mac Salad

Ingredients

• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 12-oz. can tuna in water, drained
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp. cider vinegar

Preparation

• 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.
• 2. While pasta is cooking, combine celery, onion, parsley, carrot and tuna in a large bowl. Add cooled macaroni and toss to combine. In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, yogurt and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and whisk. Pour over pasta and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: Add veggies. Toss in chopped artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers.
Trade pastas. You can use any short pasta shape in this recipe.

Grilled Cucumber and Grilled scallops Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
• 12 large sea scallops (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups torn romaine lettuce
• 3 cups (1-inch) cubed seedless watermelon
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
• 1/2 peeled avocado, cut into 8 slices

Preparation

• 1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
• 2. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt over scallops and cucumber. Arrange in a single layer on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 3 minutes on each side or until scallops are done and cucumber is well marked. Remove from heat; cut cucumber into 1/4-inch slices.
• 3. Combine remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, juice, and oil in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add cucumber, lettuce, watermelon, and mint; toss gently to coat. Divide the watermelon mixture evenly among 4 plates. Top each serving with 3 scallops and 2 avocado slices. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Shrimp and Bread Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 (1-inch-thick) slices day-old country-style bread
• 8 ounces red cherry tomatoes, halved
• 8 ounces yellow teardrop tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation

• 1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat (350° to 400°).
• 2. Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.
• 3. Toss shrimp with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Grill shrimp, covered with grill lid, 2 minutes on each side or until pink. Grill bread slices 1 minute on each side or until toasted.
• 4. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Combine bread, shrimp, tomatoes, olives, and basil in a large bowl; add remaining vinaigrette, and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Can be refrigerated up to 2 hours before serving.

Salad Pizza....

Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) Italian cheese-flavored pizza crust (such as Boboli)
• 2 cups torn romaine lettuce
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 1 small cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1 (15-ounce) can navy beans, drained
• 1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
• 1 (4-ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 450°.
• Place pizza crust on a baking sheet; bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Cut crust into 1-inch pieces.
• While crust bakes, combine lettuce and next 7 ingredients (lettuce through feta cheese) in a large bowl. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk.
• Add crust pieces to lettuce mixture; toss gently. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad; toss gently to coat.

Chorizo Corn Salad

Ingredients

6 chorizo sausages, sliced
1 1/2 corn kernels
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed
1 avocado, cubed
3 pcs medium tomatoes, sliced
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 small red onion, sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp bacon oil
2 tbsp chopped coriander
flour tortillas
Sour cream
juice from 2 lemons
2 tbsp butter

Method

1. Heat corn kernels with butter in a Microwave for 1 minute, give it a mix then heat for 1 more minute.
2. In a small bowl mix together lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, bacon oil and cumin
3. In a pan grill, grill the chorizo slices until cooked then set aside.
4. Now toss together chorizos, coriander, beans, avocadoes, tomatoes, onions, corn and lettuce.
5. Drizzle dressing on top, place on salad bowl.  Serve with warm tortilla and sour cream.

Chicken Pasta Salad.....

8 ounces chicken

16 ounces spiral pasta
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
4 to 6 green onions, finely chopped
8 ounces sun dried tomatoes, reconstituted
1/3 cup black olives-sliced
1 cup prepared Italian vinaigrette

Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated

• Sauté chicken in heavy skillet until juices run clear; cool and cut into bite size pieces.
• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and cool.
• In a large serving bowl, combine cooked chicken, pasta, sliced tomatoes, parsley, green onions, sun dried tomatoes, and black olives.
• Pour prepared dressing over top and toss until ingredients are coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Garnish with freshly grated cheese and parsley, if desired.
• Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Beef Salad Recipe

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 1/2 tbs fresh lime juice
• 1 tbs finely chopped dark palm sugar
• 1 tbs fish sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 (about 680g) beef rump steak
• 1 x 200g pkt grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 continental cucumber, halved lengthways, thinly sliced diagonally
• 1 red onion, halved, cut into thin wedges
• 2 long fresh red chillies, halved, deseeded, thinly sliced lengthways
• 1 bunch fresh mint, leaves picked, large leaves torn
• 1 bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked
• 1 bunch fresh Thai basil, leaves picked, large leaves torn
• 55g (1/3 cup) toasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, centre veins removed, finely shredded

Method

1. Whisk together lime juice, palm sugar, fish sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger and garlic in a jug. Place the steak in a glass or ceramic dish. Drizzle with half the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge, turning occasionally, for 2 hours to develop the flavours.
2. Preheat a barbecue grill or chargrill pan on high. Cook steak on grill for 2-3 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil and set aside for 10 minutes to rest.
3. Place the tomato, cucumber, onion, chilli, mint, coriander, basil, peanuts and lime leaves in a large bowl. Thinly slice steak across the grain and add to the salad. Drizzle with remaining dressing and gently toss to combine. Divide salad among bowls and serve immediately.