👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

Mango salsa is a great recipe for a healthy starter or refreshing side dish. Its easy to prepare and perfect for a make ahead appetiser. Best served cold; toss in lime juice to keep the salsa at its freshest and then chill in the fridge.

🥘 Ingredients

This recipe makes enough mango salsa to serve 6 people:

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and also use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Limes: Lime juice is essential in the recipe for keeping everything fresh and vibrant. The acidic lime prevents oxidation and browning of the chopped avocado. If you can't get hold of limes you can also use lemon juice.

Avocados and mangos: Use ripe avocados and mangos that feel soft but not squishy.

Chilli: Optional.

Coriander (cilantro): Also optional and could be replaced with freshly chopped parsley.

🔪 Step by step instructions

1. Finely dice the red onion and mix in a large bowl with the juice of one lime.
2. Add finely chopped chilli and diced mango and avocado to the red onion. Add the juice of a second lime and toss everything together well.
3. Season with salt and pepper (to taste).
4. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander (cilantro).

💭 Expert tips

• At the start of the mango salsa recipe add juice of one lime to the chopped red onion and leave to soak for a minute or two. This will help to take the harsh bite out of the raw onion flavour.
• Add the rest of the lime juice to the chopped avocado and mango to help keep it fresh and to stop the browning process.
• Sprinkle the coriander over the top as a garnish or for a more even finish and taste stir well into the finished salsa dish.
• Mango and avocado salsa is a dish I like to make in advance as the mango and avocado chopping can be a bit messy. However, if you don't mind a bit salad prep just before dinner or even once your guests have arrived then this is quite an easy recipe to knock together from scratch. For more salad ideas why not try my Vietnamese style beef salad, Italian pasta salad, roasted cauliflower salad.

❓ Frequently asked questions

🥗 Other starter recipes

• Easy Recipes for Avocado
• Homemade Sushi Rolls
• Chilli Garlic Prawns Starter
• Tuscan Ribollita Soup
• Pea and Ham Soup
• Roast Pumpkin Soup with Chestnuts
• Easy Bread Rolls Recipe

If you've tried this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram or Sign up to my email list!

📖 Recipe

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Mango Salsa Recipe

A refreshing mango salsa recipe, great served on its own or loaded on tortilla chips. Made with chunks of avocado, fiery red chilli and a good handful of fresh coriander. A perfect Caribbean starter or side dish and especially great with anything spicy. 

Course Appetizer, lunch, Salad, Side Dish, starter

Cuisine cuban, Mexican

Diet Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 43kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Sharp knife
• chopping board
• Large mixing bowl
• Large spoon
• Serving bowl and spoon

Ingredients

• 1 red onion finely chopped
• 2 limes juiced
• 1 chilli deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 mangoes peeled and chopped
• 1 avocado peeled and chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) roughly chopped

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Finely dice the red onion and mix in a large bowl with the juice of one lime.
  1 red onion, 2 limes
• Add finely chopped chilli and diced mango and avocado to the red onion. Add the juice of a second lime and toss everything together well.
  2 mangoes, 1 avocado, 1 chilli, 2 limes
• Season with salt and pepper (to taste).
  Salt and pepper
• Garnish with freshly chopped coriander.
  Handful of fresh coriander (cilantro)

Notes

Limes: Lime juice is essential in the recipe for keeping everything fresh and vibrant. The acidic lime prevents oxidation and browning of the chopped avocado. If you can't get hold of limes you can also use lemon juice.

Avocados and mangos: Use ripe avocados and mangos that feel soft but not squishy.

Chilli: Optional.

Coriander (cilantro): Also optional and could be replaced with freshly chopped parsley.

Can you make this recipe ahead of time? Yes, this easy mango salsa recipe can be made up to one day ahead of time. Make sure to mix in plenty of lime juice to keep all the ingredients fresh, then store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Is this recipe healthy? This recipe is bursting at the seams with nutrients; from the monounsaturated fats in the avocado to all the fibre and vitamins in the mango, lime and chilli. - Its really not just a pretty dish.

Expert tips:

• At the start of the mango salsa recipe add juice of one lime to the chopped red onion and leave to soak for a minute or two. This will help to take the harsh bite out of the raw onion flavour.
• Add the rest of the lime juice to the chopped avocado and mango to help keep it fresh and to stop the browning process.
• Sprinkle the coriander over the top as a garnish or for a more even finish and taste stir well into the finished salsa dish.

Nutrition

Serving: 75g | Calories: 43kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 438IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.2mg

This post was first published in Nov 2016. Updated in Sept 2022 with an improved recipe, new images, step by step instructions and expert tips. 

The post Mango Salsa Recipe appeared first on ProperFoodie.

👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

Italian Pasta salad is one of those recipes that literally has everything going for it. Its easy to make, easy to store, great for meal prep and really useful for using up any leftovers.

The best thing about pasta salad is the variety of ingredients that can be used; from different types of pasta to numerous different fruits, vegetable and cheeses. Also, as its a cold dish, its easy to store in the fridge keeping everything lovely and fresh and crisp.

🥘 Ingredients

To make a large bowl of Italian pasta salad at home you will need:

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Pasta: This recipe uses wholegrain fusilli, but any type of small pasta will work well.

Tomatoes: Use fresh, vine ripened tomatoes. For an extra vibrant salad look for different colours of tomatoes (heritage/heirloom).

Mozzarella: A soft Italian cheese is essential for making this Italian pasta salad. Use small pearls of mozzarella or alternatively tear up a larger ball. Burrata is also a great option. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.

Pecorino cheese: This is optional and can also be substituted with parmesan. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.

Fresh basil and parsley: Fresh herbs are just the best taste in salads and I highly recommend using fresh basil at the very least. Especially in this Italian salad as it pairs perfectly with the tomatoes and mozzarella

Cannellini Beans: Beans are an optional extra and are used here to bulk out the salad and boost the protein content without adding meat.

❓ Frequently asked questions

🥗 Other delicious salad recipes

• Vietnamese Style Beef salad
• Roasted Cauliflower Salad
• Mango Avocado Salad
• Chicken Satay and Quinoa Salad
• Chicken Fajita Salad

If you've tried this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram or Sign up to my email list!

📖 Recipe

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Italian Pasta Salad

A fresh and vibrant Italian pasta salad made with wholegrain pasta, juicy tomatoes and creamy mozzarella. This nutritious and full flavoured pasta salad is perfect for dishing out at lunches or parties and is great as an on the go snack or working lunch. Make this Italian Pasta salad recipe in just 15 minutes and enjoy topped with fresh basil and a homemade Italian dressing.

Course Dinner, lunch, party food

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 450kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Large pan to cook pasta
• Large mixing bowl for the pasta salad
• Small bowl to make the dressing

Ingredients

For the Pasta Salad

• 250 g Wholewheat fusilli pasta dried uncooked
• 500 g heritage and/or baby tomatoes roughly chopped
• 100 g cucumber chopped into small cubes
• 80 g Red bell pepper chopped into small cubes
• 60 g Black olives halved
• 100 g Mozzarella pearls or large ball torn up
• Handful of basil leaves roughly torn
• Handful of fresh parsley finely chopped
• Half tin of cannellini beans optional

For the Italian Dressing

• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or any alternative cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Honey
• 1 teaspoon Wholegrain mustard
• ½ a lemon
 juiced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Toppings

• 25 g Freshly grated pecorino cheese or alternative hard cheese
• Extra basil leaves

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Cook the pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes until al dente (or according to packet instructions). Place the cooked pasta and pasta salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss together well.
  250 g Wholewheat fusilli pasta dried, 500 g heritage and/or baby tomatoes roughly chopped, 100 g cucumber chopped into small cubes, 80 g Red bell pepper chopped into small cubes, 60 g Black olives halved, 100 g Mozzarella pearls or large ball torn up, Handful of basil leaves roughly torn, Handful of fresh parsley finely chopped, Half tin of cannellini beans
• In a small bowl mix together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, wholegrain mustard, lemon juice and Italian seasoning.
  2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Honey, 1 teaspoon Wholegrain mustard, ½ a lemon
 juiced, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix in.
• Top with freshly grated pecorino and basil leaves.
  25 g Freshly grated pecorino cheese, Extra basil leaves

Video

Notes

How to store? Pasta salad will last 3 to 4 days if covered with a sealable lid or cling film and kept in the fridge. This recipe a great option for meal prep and will easily provide meals for 3 or 4 days.

How to you stop cooked pasta from sticking together? To ensure the pasta doesn't stick together make sure the cooking water is boiling and stir the pasta well as soon as its placed into the water. After cooking rinse under cold water. If you aren't using the pasta right away it may eventually start to stick together. All you need to do is rinse the pasta under cold water again and toss until the pieces separate.

Can this recipe be made in advance? Yes pasta salad can be made up to 3 days in advance then covered and stored in the fridge until ready to serve.

Pasta: This recipe uses wholegrain fusilli, but any type of small pasta will work well.

Tomatoes: Use fresh, vine ripened tomatoes.

Mozzarella: A soft Italian cheese is essential for making this Italian pasta salad. Use small pearls of mozzarella or alternatively tear up a larger ball. Burrata is also a great option. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.

Pecorino cheese: This is optional and can also be substituted with parmesan. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.

Fresh basil and parsley: Fresh herbs are just the best taste in salads and I highly recommend using fresh basil at the very least. Especially in this Italian salad as it pairs perfectly with the tomatoes and mozzarella.

Cannellini Beans: Beans are an optional extra and are used here to bulk out the salad and boost the protein content without adding meat.

Tips:

• For extra colour use green, red, orange and yellow tomatoes. Heritage or heirloom tomatoes are usually the best option.
• Make sure the cooked pasta is fully cooled before adding to the salad. To do this, drain into a sieve then rinse in cold water until the pasta is cold to the touch. There are 2 reasons for doing this. Firstly, to stop the cooking process and ensure the pasta doesn't go soggy. Secondly, to make sure that the rest of the ingredients stay crisp and fresh.
• If you are cooking pasta for a warm dish, then it is not necessary to rinse the pasta. Instead add straight to the sauce like in this salmon pasta recipe or this salmon and prawn linguine.

Nutrition

Serving: 296g | Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 417mg | Potassium: 553mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2061IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 5mg

This post was first published in Aug 2019. Updated in Sept 2021 with an improved photos, and new step by step instructions and expert tips.

The post Italian Pasta Salad appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Did ever you buy avocados and then, after having half of one on a salad, wondered what on earth you were going to do with the rest? Get some inspiration for your avocados with this simple avocado guide. Including lots of easy recipes for avocado.

Plus, find out all you need to know about the avocado! Where it comes from, why its so good for you, how to cut it, how to store it, how to stop it going that horrible brown colour and of course how to eat it.

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Sliced avocado

One of the easiest recipes for avocado is to simply slice or cube it and serve up with your meal. I love to slice avocado over salad, alongside homemade chilli con carne, inside burritos or wraps or even on a sandwich or burger.

Mango Salsa Recipe

A refreshing mango salsa recipe, great served on its own or loaded on tortilla chips. Made with chunks of avocado, fiery red chilli and a good handful of fresh coriander. A perfect Caribbean starter or side dish and especially great with anything spicy. 

Make this recipe

Chicken Tinga burritos with homemade chipotle sauce

Spicy chicken burritos stuffed with rice and avocado, served with a homemade fiery Chipotle sauce, Greek yogurt and green chilli.

Make this recipe

Fajita Spiced Chicken Platter

Spicy fajita chicken salad served with rice.

Make this recipe

Mexican Chilli Con Carne Recipe (with cannellini beans)

This Mexican Chilli con carne recipe uses smoked paprika, ground cumin, chilli powder and tomatoes for the base of the sauce. These ingredients are combined and left to simmer gently for few hours reducing down and infusing to create a wonderfully rich and smokey sauce.

Make this recipe

Smashed avocado

Smashed avocado is as it sounds, mashed up avocado. This is really simple and really quick avocado recipe. First, half the avocado and use the knife to remove the stone (see below for further details on how to cut an avocado). Then with the flesh still in the skin use a fork to mash up the flesh and then turn out into a bowl or over/alongside your meal. This is also the basis for making guacamole.

Simple Guacamole Recipe

A simple and authentic guacamole recipe with creamy avocado, perfect for spreading on your tacos or for dunking in tortillas. Easy to put together in just 5 minutes and a squeeze of lime helps keeps this lovely Mexican dip nice and fresh

Make this recipe

Healthy Chicken Wraps

Healthy chicken wraps with paprika chicken and Mexican style side dishes. In this recipe find out how to make these easy and healthy chicken wraps and the best way to season the chicken. Also get the recipes for easy homemade guacamole and three bean salad, which can be added to the wraps or served as side dishes.

Make this recipe

Avocado breakfast

I love to start the day with avocado. Avocado on toast is of course one of the most popular recipes for avocado and its so easy to make. Just smash or slice the avocado and place on top of your toast. Avocado and egg is also a great combination. Why not finish off your avocado toast with a couple of poached eggs or top some scrambled eggs with cubed avocado.

Prepare some avocado in advance for a great breakfast on the go:

Breakfast on the go

These three meal prep breakfasts are great for breakfast on the go. I'm always looking for breakfast ideas for eating at work and breakfasts pots like these are a great solution. They all come in at under 300 calories, take minutes to put together, keep well in the fridge overnight, and are full of healthy nutrients and high in protein.

Make this recipe

Avocado sushi

Sushi rolls are another great partner to avocado. Use as a sushi roll filling or as a topping on California rolls or dragon roll sushi. If you want to have a go at making sushi have a look at this guide for homemade sushi rolls.

📋 Homemade Sushi Rolls

Make homemade sushi rolls with my easy to follow, step-by-step guide and recipe video. Get my top tips and tricks and watch the video for making sushi at home. Including how to make sushi rice, maki sushi, California rolls, dragon rolls and nigiri sushi. Plus find out about the fantastic sushi kit I used to make this wonderful sushi platter.

The below will be enough to make a full platter (serves 4) of different sushi rolls or if you prefer a platter of one kind of sushi. See notes below for links to making a variety of homemade sushi rolls.

Make this recipe

📋 California rolls

California rolls with salmon, avocado and cucumber. This simple step by step guide will show you how to make your own California sushi rolls at home. Usually served without raw fish, this sushi roll is a great option for sushi-newbies, kids, and anyone who really can't stand uncooked fish.

Make this recipe

📋 Dragon Roll Sushi

Dragon roll sushi is a California roll with thin slices of avocado and salmon lay on the top and following the curve of the roll. In this sushi guide I'll show you how easy it is to perfect the dragon roll at home.

Make this recipe

When to eat avocados

Avocados are imported into the UK (mainly from Spain) and so are available year round. If you want an extra special reason to eat avocados then make a note of its celebratory days:

• 31st July 2021: National Avocado Day
• 16th Sept 2021: National Guacamole Day

The post Easy Recipes For Avocado appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Roasted cauliflower salad with a lemon herb dressing. Nutty quinoa mixed with roasted cauliflower and chickpeas. Great for batch cooking and making in advance. This cauliflower salad is packed full of nutrients and tasty ingredients, with everything you need to fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied for the rest of the day.

👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

This roasted cauliflower salad is all about making a few healthy ingredients taste good together. The charred cauliflower and lemon infused quinoa mix together to create the base for a nutritious and full flavoured salad. Its easy to prepare and once made it can be stored in the fridge and used over several days.

🥘 Ingredients

To make this cauliflower salad recipe you will need:

Ingredient notes

See recipe card at the bottom for full recipe and ingredients quantities.

Quinoa: Can be with your preferred grain. For a similar favour and nutrient content replace with brown rice. Or try with white rice, wild rice, couscous, barley buckwheat or bulgur wheat.

Chickpeas: Optional. Can be substituted for another pulse or bean.

Apple: Apple adds a sweet flavour to this citruses salad, which pairs perfectly with the crunchy hazelnuts and earthy quinoa. Can be substituted for your preferred fruit, try with dried cranberries, chopped mango or halved grapes.

Parsley: Optional but helps to brighten up the flavour and appearance of the salad

Hazelnuts: optional, leave out if your prefer or replace with another type of nut such as cashews, walnuts, almonds or peanuts.

Lemon, oil, dijon and creme fraishe: all of these are needed to make the salad dressing. If you prefer, swap for a salad dressing of your choosing.

🔪 Step by step instructions

1. Pre heat oven to 200 degrees C. Chop the florets off the main stem of the cauliflower then chop into smaller bitesized pieces.
2. Place chopped cauliflower florets in a bowl along with the drained chickpeas, oil, salt and pepper and lemon juice.
3. Toss together well with your hands then transfer to a baking tray and bake in the preheated  oven for 30 minutes, shuffling the mixture half way through.
4. Whilst the cauliflower is cooking place the quinoa in small saucepan with a wedge of lemon and covered with double the amount water. Simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.
5. With the cauliflower in the oven and the quinoa cooking in the pan, the dressing can be prepared. In a small bowl or container mix together the oil, mustard, creme fraiche, parsley, salt and lemon juice. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
6. After the quinoa has been simmering for 15 minutes, take off the heat but do not remove the lid. Set to one side and leave with the lid on for 10 minutes.
7. When the cauliflower is cooked remove from the oven and transfer to a large bowl. Remove the lid from the quinoa and discard the wedge of lemon. Fluff up the quinoa with a fork and then add to the bowl alongside the cauliflower. Next add the chopped apple, hazelnuts, fresh parsley and half of the dressing.
8. Mix together well then serve with the remaining dressing.

💭 Expert tips

• Cut cauliflower up on the tray that you intend to roast it on so that the bits of cauliflower are caught on the tray (makes it quicker and easier when cleaning up).
• Roughly chop the cauliflower into bit size chunks. Try not to chop into tiny pieces as these can become mushy upon cooking.
• Chop the apple up just before mixing into the salad to keep it fresh and prevent any browning.
• The dressing for this recipe takes seconds to put together and really does transform the salad. The more you make - the better!! Place all the dressing ingredients into a small dish and mix together with a spoon...... Super easy and very tasty. I like to mix half of the dressing directly into the salad and leave the other half to drizzle on top.

❓ Frequently asked questions

📖 Recipe

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Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Roasted cauliflower salad with a lemon herb dressing. Nutty quinoa mixed with roasted cauliflower and chickpeas. Great for batch cooking and making in advance. This salad is packed full of nutrients and tasty ingredients, with everything you need to fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied for the rest of the day.

Course lunch, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine British

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 286kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

For the roasted Cauliflower:

• 1 large cauliflower 700g
• 1 Small tin of chickpeas 210g tin, 130g drained
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• ½ a lemon juiced

For the Quinoa:

• 160 g dried Quinoa
• ¼ of a lemon

For the Dressing:

• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoon Creme Fraiche
• 15 g Freshly chopped parsley
• Pinch of salt
• ½ a lemon juiced

For the salad:

• 1 red apple chopped into cm cubes
• 50 g chopped hazelnuts
• 15 g freshly chopped parsley
• Extra lemon wedges to serve

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Pre heat oven to 200 degrees C. Remove the outer green leaves from the cauliflower and use a large knife to chop the florets off the main stem and then chop into smaller bitesized pieces.
• Place chopped cauliflower florets in a bowl along with the drained chickpeas, oil, salt and pepper and lemon juice.
• Toss together well with your hands then transfer to a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, shuffling the mixture half way through.
• Whilst the cauliflower is cooking place the quinoa in small saucepan with a wedge of lemon and covered with double the amount water. Place the pan on a medium heat and bring to the boil, then place on a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
• With the cauliflower in the oven and the quinoa cooking in the pan, the dressing can be prepared. In a small bowl or container mix together the oil, mustard, creme fraiche, parsley, salt and lemon juice. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
• After the quinoa has been simmering for 15 minutes, take off the heat but do not remove the lid. Set to one side and leave with the lid on for 10 minutes.
• When the cauliflower is cooked remove from the oven and transfer to a large bowl. Once the quinoa has been sitting for 10 minutes, remove the lid and discard the wedge of lemon. Fluff up the quinoa with a fork and then add to the bowl alongside the cauliflower. Next add the chopped apple, hazelnuts, fresh parsley and half of the dressing.
• Mix together well then serve with the remaining dressing.

Video

Notes

Why should I roast the cauliflower? This recipe makes the most of the roasted flavour of cauliflower. Boiling cauliflower will cook it, but it won't have the same flavour as roasted cauliflower. Roasting cauliflower not only locks in flavour but also lock in its nutrients.

How to store? This salad is excellent for a bit of meal prep. Once made, place in one large bowl and cover or divide up into sealable containers. Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Great for making up on a Sunday and having ready for weekday lunches or as a side for your evening meals.

TIPS:

• Cut cauliflower up on the tray that you intend to roast it on so that the bits of cauliflower are caught on the tray (makes it quicker and easier when cleaning up).
• Roughly chop the cauliflower into bit size chunks. Try not to chop into tiny pieces as these can become mushy upon cooking.
• Chop the apple up just before mixing into the salad to keep it fresh and prevent any browning.
• The dressing for this recipe takes seconds to put together and really does transform the salad. The more you make - the better!! Place all the dressing ingredients into a small dish and mix together with a spoon...... Super easy and very tasty. I like to mix half of the dressing directly into the salad and leave the other half to drizzle on top.

Nutrition

Serving: 300g | Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 693mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 451IU | Vitamin C: 69mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg

This post was first published in Jan 2019. Updated in July 2021 with improved recipe and photos, and new step by step instructions and expert tips.

The post Roasted Cauliflower Salad appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Salads are always so much better with the addition of a few vibrant, fresh ingredients. Asian flavours tend to be aromatic and spicy, like in this spicy Chinese chicken recipe and this Keto Beef and Broccoli, which makes for the best green salads!

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My favourite salads always have a pop of flavour that sets them apart. This flavour is usually from herbs or salad dressings. Like the fragrant basil in this Italian pasta salad, the sweet fennel in orange and fennel salad or the fresh coriander and chilli in this mango and avocado salad. In the case of this Vietnamese beef salad recipe those zesty Asian style flavours work perfectly in a simple, zesty marinade for the beef and in an easy salad dressing with fresh lime for drizzling on top!

🥘 What you will need to make this recipe

To make rice noodle salad for 4 people you will need the following ingredients:

Salad ingredients

• 2 rump steaks 2 x 8oz
• 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into julienne strips
• 1 large cucumber sliced into ribbons with a veg peeler
• 2 baby gem lettuce roughly chopped
• Handful of fresh coriander roughly chopped
• 10-15 fresh mint leaves torn
• Red chilli finely sliced with seeds left in
• 1 cup dried rice noodles

Beef marinade ingredients

• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp garlic ginger paste

Garlic Ginger paste substitute: If you have trouble finding garlic ginger paste, you can make your own by mixing equal parts minced garlic and ginger. Add a little olive oil if the paste is too thick.

Salad dressing ingredients

• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp honey

🔪 Step by step instructions

1. Make marinade: Mix together the juice of 2 limes, 1 teaspoon fish sauce and 1 teaspoon of garlic ginger paste.
2. Marinade steak: Pour the marinade over room temp steaks, cover and soak for at least 20 minutes.
3. Cook noodles: Place the noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to sit for 1 minute then drain and rinse under the cold water tap.
4. Prepare salad: Peel, slice and chop the salad, herbs and chilli and place in a large bowl along with cooled noodles. Cover and place in the fridge.
5. Cook steaks: Pan fry in a hot griddle pan for 3-4 minutes on each side (for pink in the middle). Guidance on steak cooking times. Loosely wrap cooked steaks in foil and rest for 3-5 minutes.
6. Make salad dressing: Mix together 2 tablespoon sesame oil, juice of 1 lime, 1 teaspoon fish sauce and 1 tablespoon honey. Mix well.
7. Serve: Toss together the chopped salad and noodles and divide between 4 bowls. Thinly slice the steak and place on top of the salad in each bowl. Pour over the Asian salad dressing and serve.

🥄 Asian salad dressing

The Asian salad dressing for this Vietnamese beef noodle salad uses just four ingredients. For that classic sweet and sour Asian flare simply combine sesame oil, lime juice, fish sauce and honey. Mix well into an emulsion.

🥒 How to cut cucumber into ribbons

1. Using a knife, cut off both ends of a whole cucumber. Discard the ends.
2. Carefully slice the length of the cucumber into long, thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler.
3. When you reach the seeds, turn the cucumber a quarter of the way and repeat. Do this as many times as necessary to cut the cucumber entirely into ribbons.

🐄 What is the best cut of beef to use?

Rump or sirloin steaks that can be pan fried in minutes will provide delicious pink strips of beef to top this Vietnamese noodle salad (cook for longer if you prefer your steak medium-well done).

Easy Asian recipes tend to be quick and simple to make due to the short cooking time and easy preparation. This Asian beef salad can be made and served up in next to no time by using beef steaks, either rump or sirloin, which are quick to cook, tender and juicy, and easy to slice and serve.

💭 Recipe tips

🥗 What to serve with this recipe

Vietnamese beef salad goes deliciously with other easy Asian recipes like Blistered Shishito Peppers and Shrimp Shumai. Sushi Rolls and Thai Sausage Rolls are a delicious choice to pair it with, too!

This particular Vietnamese beef salad recipe is served with rice noodles. However, you can swap these for other varieties of noodles such as Chinese egg noodles or Japanese ramen noodles. The lighter, thinner noodles tend to work best.

If you prefer you can leave the noodles out all together and instead add extra vegetables like bean sprouts or extra herbs like parsley or Thai basil. You could even make it a rice bowl and serve it over a bed of perfect fluffy rice.

No matter how you put this easy beef salad recipe together, it’s going to be delicious!

🍖 Other steak recipes

• Steak and Ale Pie
• Steak and Chips
• Steak and veggie BBQ skewers
• Tuna Steak Recipe
• Chimichurri Steak Platter

Let me know what you think of this recipe by leaving a comment and rating below! You can also save this recipe on pinterest. Or if you prefer you can pin the video!

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📋 Vietnamese Style Beef Salad

Vietnamese beef salad with healthy rice noodles and a lime, Asian salad dressing. This aromatic and zesty Beef salad recipe will surely bring out many a smile with its nutritious ingredients and satisfying Asian flavours.

Course main meal, starter or main

Cuisine Asian, Vietnamese

Prep Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 272kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Griddle pan

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 2 rump steaks 2 x 8oz
• 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into julienne strips
• 1 large cucumber sliced into ribbons with a veg peeler
• 2 baby gem lettuce roughly chopped
• Handful of fresh coriander roughly chopped
• 10-15 fresh mint leaves torn
• Red chilli finely sliced with seeds left in
• 1 cup dried rice noodles

For the beef marinade:

• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic ginger paste

For the Asian salad dressing:

• 2 tablespoon sesame oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

• Remove steaks from fridge and bring up to room temperature. In a small dish make up the marinade by mixing together the juice of 2 limes, 1 teaspoon fish sauce and 1 teaspoon of garlic ginger paste. Pour the marinade over the steaks, cover and allow to soak for at least 20 minutes.
  
• Peel slice and chop the carrots, cucumber, lettuce leaves, fresh coriander, mint leaves and red chilli. Chop and slice these to your liking or as directed in the above ingredients list.
  Place the prepared salad in a large bowl.
  
• Cooking rice noodles is so, so simple. Just place the noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water from the kettle. Leave to sit for 1 minute then drain and rinse under the cold water tap.

  Add the cooked noodles to the bowl with the rest of the salad, then cover and place in the fridge.
  
• Place a griddle pan on a medium heat. When the pan is hot, carefully place in the steaks. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes (for pink in the middle). Guidance on steak cooking times.
  TIP: Don't be tempted to move the steaks during each of the 4 minutes. If they begin to smoke a lot, reduce the heat slightly.
  
• Its really important to rest your steak once its been pan fried.
  Remove from the pan and loosely wrap in foil. Leave on the side for at least 3 minutes before slicing and serving.
  
• In a small bowl mix together 2 tablespoon sesame oil, juice of 1 lime, 1 teaspoon fish sauce and 1 tablespoon honey. Mix well into an emulsion.
  TIP: The dressing will separate if left to sit - so remember to give it a final stir before pouring over your Asian salad.
  
• Remove the salad bowl from the fridge. Toss and mix together the chopped salad and noodles. Divide the noodle salad between 4 bowls. 
  
• Next, unwrap the steak and transfer to a chopping board. Thinly slice the steak and place the beef strips on top of the salad in each bowl.
  Finally, pour over the Asian salad dressing and serve. 
  

Video

Notes

• Remove the steaks from the fridge and place them in a bowl at least a half an hour before you plan to cook them. This allows time for the marinade to soak in and for the steaks to come up to room temperature.
• Don’t move the steaks or flip them during the 4 minutes on each side cooking time. If they begin to smoke a lot, reduce the heat slightly.
• It is very important to let your steaks rest after pan frying. Keep them loosely wrapped in foil for the 3-5 minutes of resting time. This will keep them hot but allow them to rest as necessary.
• The Asian salad dressing will separate if left to sit. Give it a stir before pouring it over your salad.
• Best cut of beef to use: Rump or sirloin steaks that can be pan fried in minutes will provide delicious pink strips of beef to top this Vietnamese noodle salad (cook for longer if you prefer your steak medium-well done).

Nutrition

Serving: 305g | Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.4g | Protein: 29.7g | Fat: 11.8g | Saturated Fat: 3.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.4g | Sodium: 120mg | Potassium: 763.1mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6.7g | Vitamin A: 855.2IU | Vitamin C: 14.6mg | Calcium: 52.2mg | Iron: 3.2mg

I first shared this Beef Noodle Salad recipe on the Best Beef Recipes site where I am a contributor.

The post Vietnamese Style Beef Salad appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Chicken fajita platter

Happy New Year!

My first creation of the year is this delicious (and healthy) fajita spiced chicken platter. Its loaded with chicken and rice, which are both smothered in the rich flavours of cumin and paprika - yum! The addition of the salad gives an extra crunch and the creamy avocado complements the spicy fajita sauce perfectly. It might just be the perfect healthy dish needed to kick-start 2016!

I’m always up for a platter of food, be it at home or dining out. I’d like to think this is because I enjoying sharing my dinner 🙂 …but it’s more likely because I enjoy the super large quantity that’s presented on arrival of said platter. And yes I’m first to start and more often than not; last to finish 🙂

Chicken fajitas

So this dish takes all the main ingredients of chicken fajitas (minus the wrap) and lays out all its colourful ingredients on one mouth-watering platter; all you need to do is dive in with a fork.

So we already know how well a smoky fajita sauce combines oh so well with chunks of juicy chicken and crunchy bell pepper, particularly when topped with guacamole, cheese, salsa, sour cream...and anything else with an extra boost of calories and fat that I can get my hands on. However, as it is New Year and overindulgence was on the cards last months, this recipe tries to keep only the healthy elements without cutting back on taste. The serving of avocado on a bed of lettuce provides a lovely alternative to guacamole and the helping of rice not only soaks up any escaping drizzles of fajita sauce but also saves on the need for any tortilla wraps. Healthy but by no means boring!! Enjoy!

Wraps

If your after something with wraps then why not try chicken tinga burritos, paprika chicken wraps or beef brisket burritos.

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Fajita Spiced Chicken Platter

Spicy fajita chicken salad served with rice.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

For the Fajita sauce:

• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

For the platter:

• 2 chicken breasts sliced into strips along the width of breast
• 1 red onion cut into eighths
• ½ red pepper cut into 3cm chunks
• ½ orange pepper cut into 3cm chunks
• 1 red chilli deseeded and sliced
• 250 g rice
• Iceburg lettuce
• Avocado stone removed and sliced
• Lime wedges to serve

Instructions

• First mix the sauce in a bowl by combining the lime juice, oil and spices. Season the sliced chicken then add to the sauce and mix well to ensure chicken is fully coated.
• Heat a large frying pan or wok. Once hot, pour in the chicken and bring sauce to a simmer and cook chicken for 5 minutes.
• Next add the onion, chilli and peppers to the pan. Mix well to coat vegetables with the sauce then cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the instructions and prepare the salad. If serving up on a platter; simply arrange a few lettuce leaves on the top third of the board and cover with slices of avocado. Finish off with a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Once the rice is cooked, drain and spoon out along the bottom third of the board. Check the chicken and veg are thoroughly cooked then spoon out down the middle section of the board. Cut a couple of limes into wedges and dot around the edges of the board before presenting in the middle of the table.

The post Fajita Chicken salad appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Chicken Satay

Chicken Satay is the perfect summer comfort food. Its warm and creamy, yet light and refreshing, with plenty of Asian flavours knocking about to ensure your tastebuds will not be disappointed. Sauces, condiments and dressings can sometimes be the trickiest part of a recipe, but often this is the very thing that makes a meal really great. This satay sauce is so quick and so simple that it leaves no excuses for not turning a simple piece of Chicken into a really fantastic dinner.

And just to show off how easy and super duper this dish really is, and to let you know how much I love it, theres not 1 but 2 videos below. Thats right - I'm getting super fancy now with videos as well as photos!!

Satay Ingredients

My satay sauce requires no more than soy sauce, peanut butter and tahini with a teaspoon of coriander, a squeeze of lime juice and grated ginger and garlic.

Quinoa Salad

Because this is most definitely a summer dish, I love to serve my chicken satay with a full flavoured quinoa salad.

Fluffy quinoa mixed with squash, mint and edamame beans help keep this salad bright, refreshing, healthy and of course mega tasty.

Quinoa is one of the easiest grains to cook. Just cover with stock, pop on a lid, simmer for 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed, then set to one side with the lid on for 10 minutes, before fluffing up with a fork.

To make this recipe even more lovable and mid-week worthy; make the sauce ahead of time and use as a marinade for the chicken until you are ready to cook. The quinoa salad will also keep well in the fridge, if made the day before.

If you love this satay sauce recipe, check out my easy tikka paste recipe which is also great with chicken and good to keep handy in the fridge.

**Estimated nutritional information per serving of chicken satay and quinoa salad and per 100g. If you want to find out more about how the information is calculated and the sources used, please refer to my Nutrition Information Guide.

Watch how to make squash and edamame quinoa salad

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Chicken Satay and Quinoa Salad

Juicy chicken breasts smothered and baked in a sweet satay sauce, with a good helping of squash and edamame quinoa salad and extra sauce for dipping

Course Dinner, lunch

Cuisine Asian, Indonesian

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 People

Calories 586kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

For the Chicken Satay

• 2 Chicken Breasts
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 cm piece of ginger peeled
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce for gluten free recipe check soy sauce is a gluten free version
• 2 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
• 2 tablespoon Tahini
• 1 Juice of lime
• 50 ml cold water

for the quinoa salad

• 100 g dried quinoa
• 500 ml veg stock
• ½ Juice of lime
• 150 g butternut squash - skin removed and squash cubed
• 50 g edamame beans
• Handful of fresh mint leaves
• Black pepper

To Garnish

• Extra mint leaves
• Chopped cashew nuts
• Fresh cornflowers if desired

Instructions

• Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C

For the Chicken satay

• In a large bowl grate the ginger and garlic, then add the dried coriander, soy sauce, peanut butter, tahini, lime juice and water. Whisk together well until smooth a creamy. Spoon out a few large spoonfuls of the satay sauce and set to one side to serve as dip later on.
• Using a sharp knife score one side of the chicken breasts with 3 diagonal cuts (this allows the satay to soak into the middle of the chicken). Place the chicken into the bowl of sauce and coat well. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge to marinade for at least 30 minutes, if you have time marinate over night.

For the Quinoa salad

• Place the cubed squash on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over the paprika. Place in the pre heated over and bake for 20 minutes. Check half way through and turn.
• Meanwhile put the quinoa in a small pan, cover with the stock and pop on a lid. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes or until all the water has absorbed. Take off the heat, add juice from half a lime and set to one side with the lid still on for 10 minutes. Then fluff up with a fork, and add the baked squash, edamame beans, mint leaves and black pepper. Mix carefully with a fork. Keep in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

To cook the chicken:

• Transfer the chicken to an oven proof dish and pour over any excess sauce. Place in the middle of a pre heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and slice in half on the diagonal, check its cooked through.

To serve

• Spoon out the quinoa salad and place the chicken on top before finishing off with chopped cashews, cornflower petals and extra wedges of lime.

Video

Notes

Click here for traffic light nutritional Info for this recipe >>

Nutrition

Serving: 393g | Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.4g | Protein: 48.5g | Fat: 26.2g | Saturated Fat: 5.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10.3g | Fiber: 5g

I am linking this recipe to #cookblogshare hosted by hijackedbytwins, recipesmadeeasy, everydayhealthyrecipes and Easypeasyfoodie. I am also linking to #brilliantblogposts by honestmum, #CookOnceEatTwice hosted by seachingforspice, and #recipeoftheweek hosted by aMummyToo.

The post Chicken Satay and Quinoa Salad appeared first on ProperFoodie.

These delicious cucumber appetizers are an easy pre dinner canape. They can be made ahead time to keep your guests happy, while you get on with the rest of the cooking.  Prawn appetizers like this are a clasic party food and make a delicious starter for an elegant dinner too.

I find cold appetizers are always the easiest to serve up, when you have other foods to prepare in the kitchen. You know they are ready to go in advance and theres no need to mess about heating them up when people start to arrive. Simply set them out on the table (perhaps with a pitcher of Rose Sangria) for your guests to enjoy. What could be easier?

What are canapes?

Typically, a canape is an appetizer or hors d’oeuvre consisting of a topping (usually savoury) on a small piece of bread, a pastry, or a cracker. In the case of cucumber canapes, the cucumber itself acts as the vessel for the topping⁠—perfect for low carb appetizers. Plus, these are cold appetizers, meaning you don’t have to stress about preparing them once your guests arrive. Just set them out to enjoy!

Canapes are an attractive and convenient way to allow guest to keep their appetite in check before a main meal. They're perfect for bringing your guests together in one location and keeping them happy whilst you prepare the main course and table setting elsewhere.

Prawn starters are quite a popular option as they can be served hot or cold and aren't overly filling. For an easy to make hot prawn starter try these honey glazed griddle prawns. For some inspiration for serving prawns in a main meal have a look at my salmon and prawn linguine, Chinese prawns recipe or easy pad Thai noodles.

What do I need to make cucumber canapes?

Cucumber canapes require very few ingredients to make. This cucumber and prawn appetizer uses common ingredients and comes together in no time! To make prawns or shrimp in cucumber cups you will need:

• 125g of prawns or shrimp (raw or cooked)
• ½ tablespoon oil for cooking prawns
• Salt and pepper
• 2 whole cucumbers
• 125g of Greek style, full fat yogurt
• Juice of half a lemon
• ¼ teaspoon garlic granules
• Handful of finely chopped mint leaves
• Variety of extra herbs for toppings (I used dill, mint and chives)

How to make cucumber canapes with prawns

1. If using pre cooked prawns or shrimp go straight to step 3. Before making this cold appetizer recipe you will need to cook and chill the raw prawns. Place a pan on a medium heat and add half a tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot place the prawns in the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook the prawns for 1 minute on each side until bright pink.
2. Remove from the pan and leave to cool. When completely cool chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes
3. Use a vegetable peeler to roughly peel the cucumbers. This doesn’t have to be perfect, a few strips of green skin left behind can add a nice effect to the finished prawn starter.
4. Slice off and discard either end of the cucumbers then cut up into inch thick pieces. Each piece will become a cucumber canape cup.
5. Use a melon baller to hollow out the seeds from the centre of each cucumber cup. You may also need to use a knife if you can’t get deep enough with the melon baller. Be careful not to go all the way through to the other side.
6. In a small bowl mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic granules and finely chopped mint leaves to make a tzatziki filling. Season with salt pepper and mix in well. Taste and adjust as necessary.
7. Transfer the tzatziki filling to a piping bag or a pouring jug. Line up the cucumber cups and carefully fill each cup with the tzatziki. Don’t fill all the way to the top, but leave a small gap, as the level of the filling will rise when the prawns and herbs are added
8. Place a chilled prawn over the lip of each cup with the head end in the filling and the tail end hanging outside of the cup
9. Top with herbs and then serve

TIP: These gourmet appetizers can be made a few hours ahead of time and stored in the fridge until needed. To ensure they keep at their best, leave off the herb toppings and add these just before serving. In addition, place kitchen paper under the finished prawn appetizers before placing in the fridge. The cut cucumber will release water as the canapes chill and the kitchen paper will prevent the cold hors d’oeuvres from becoming soggy.

What should I serve cucumber canapes with?

Dips and chips are another great option for keeping people happy and well fed, pre or post meal. I love to make my own beetroot hummus or a simple guacamole recipe. Hot canapes can also be just as easy, just make sure you leave enough time for that final heat up stage. Why not try delicious shrimp shumai, Chinese prawns recipe, or easy baked crispy potato wedges.

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Cucumber canapés with prawns

Create a classic easy finger food by making these cucumber canapes with prawns! these fancy appetisers are easy to prepare with a refreshing tzatziki filling, flavourful prawns and vibrant herb topping. Serve these for a party and your guests will be asking you for the recipe.Create a classic easy finger food by making these cucumber canapes with prawns! these fancy appetisers are easy to prepare with a refreshing tzatziki filling, flavourful prawns and vibrant herb topping. Serve these for a party and your guests will be asking you for the recipe.

Course Appetizer, party food, Snack, starter

Cuisine French

Prep Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Canapes

Calories 33.5kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

• Vegetable peeler
• Melon baller or pouring jug
• Piping bag (optional)

Ingredients

• 125 g of prawns or shrimp raw or cooked
• ½ tablespoon oil for cooking prawns
• Salt and pepper
• 2 whole cucumbers
• 125 g of Greek style, full fat yogurt
• Juice of half a lemon
• ¼ teaspoon garlic granules
• Handful of finely chopped mint leaves
• Variety of extra herbs for toppings I used dill, mint and chives

Instructions

• If using pre cooked prawns go straight to step 3. Before making this cold appetizer recipe you will need to cook and chill the raw prawns. Place a pan on a medium heat and add half a tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot place the prawns in the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook the prawns for 1 minute on each side until bright pink.
  
• Remove from the pan and leave to cool. When completely cool chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes
• Use a vegetable peeler to roughly peel the cucumbers. This doesn't have to be perfect, a few strips of green skin left behind can add a nice effect to the finished prawns starter
  
• Slice off and discard either end of the cucumbers then cut up into inch thick pieces. Each piece will become a cucumber canape cup.
• Use a melon baller to hollow out the seeds from the centre of each cucumber cup. You may also need to use a knife if you can't get deep enough with the melon baller. Be careful not to go all the way through to the other side.
  
• In a small bowl mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic granules and finely chopped mint leaves to make a tzatziki filling. Season with salt pepper and mix in well. Taste and adjust as necessary.
  
• Transfer the tzatziki filling to a piping bag. Line up the cucumber cups and carefully fill each cup with the tzatziki. Don't fill all the way to the top, but leave a small gap, as the level of the filling will rise when the prawns and herbs are added
  
• Place a chilled prawn over the lip of each cup with the head end in the filling and the tail end hanging outside of the cup
  
• Top with herbs and then serve
  

Video

Notes

RECIPE TIP:

These gourmet appetizers can be made a few hours ahead of time and stored in the fridge until needed. To ensure they keep at their best, leave off the herb toppings and add these just before serving. In addition, place kitchen paper under the finished prawn appetizers before placing in the fridge. The cut cucumber will release water as the canapes chill and the kitchen paper will prevent the cold hors d'oeuvres from becoming soggy.

Nutrition

Serving: 66g | Calories: 33.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1.9g | Saturated Fat: 0.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.6g | Sodium: 80mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g

PIN FOR LATER

I first shared this Cucumber canapes recipe on the Sunday Supper Movement site, where I am a contributor.

The post Cucumber Canapes with Prawns appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Steak and onion BBQ skewers with smoked garlic and rosemary marinade, and veg and halloumi BBQ skewers with a spicy chilli marinade, served on a bed of green pesto quinoa

Next up for my summer recipe collection is barbecued skewers with meat and veggie versions to please one and all!! For more summer recipe ideas have a look at my Stuffed peppers with couscous in cheese sauce, mint ice cream lollies, and some delightfully pink homemade Beetroot Hummus.

I love the smell of just-lit smoky coals on a barbecue, on a warm sunny day. I'm pretty sure for most people this will be the same - it sparks the memories of many a summer past with good food, refreshing drinks, relaxing times and plenty of laughs with friends and family. It usually means long days and sleeveless t-shirts and everyone finally getting chance to spend some good quality time in the garden - a rare occurrence in good old England.

Having a couple of go-to BBQ recipes handy can make it a whole lot easier when thinking about an alfresco get-together. Now I know that I haven't yet managed to get around to a good burger recipe. However, burgers at a barbecue are just so expected. So, before even thinking about all the amazing burger creations that could go on a barbecue (And I promise I will at some point) I want to talk about BBQ skewers.

BBQ skewers

Meat or veggie, cheese or onion, garlic or chilli, you can mix and match with skewers to your hearts content. Usually I either make mine all the same, or depending on whose dining and what leftovers I have in the fridge, I make a whole range with different meats and vegetables. But I think my favourite option is to leave out the sticks and cubed ingredients, then let my guests make their own!! You cant get better than that - saves time and everyone has fun and gets what they want.

The recipes below are for two of my favourite BBQ skewers: Steak & red onion, and Mediterranean veg with Halloumi. Very Lazy kindly send me some of their pastes and chopped ingredients to go with these skewers, which meant that adding a tasty marinade was super quick and easy.

For a chicken skewer option take a look at my chicken satay skewers.

Steak and Onion BBQ skewers with smoked garlic and rosemary marinade

Very Lazy's jarred smoked chopped garlic is probably my favourite out of their range - it has such a wonderful flavour and it can go with or in just about anything. To make the marinade for the steak and onion skewers I mixed 1 teaspoon of the smoked chopped garlic with a teaspoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon of dried rosemary, and a pinch of sea salt. Then drizzled over the skewers before cooking.

Mediterranean veg and halloumi skewers with spicy chilli marinade

I love a bit of a spicy kick with my veg and halloumi skewers and the Very Lazy Chilli paste made this so easy to achieve. To make this marinade I just mixed together 2 tablespoons of the chilli paste with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and then poured evenly over the veg skewers before cooking.

No plans for a barbecue?? These skewers cook just as well in the oven!!

If you are serving the skewers as a main meal you may want a side to go with it - the recipes below include a pesto quinoa, which is a lovely summery accompaniment to both the steak and veg skewers.

🍖 Other steak recipes

• Steak and Ale Pie
• Chimichurri Steak Platter
• Tuna Steak Recipe
• Vietnamese Style Beef Salad

📖 Recipe

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Steak and veggie BBQ skewers

Steak and onion BBQ skewers with smoked garlic and rosemary marinade, and veg and halloumi BBQ skewers with a spicy chilli marinade, served on a bed of green pesto quinoa

Course Dinner, Main Course, party food

Cuisine British

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2 People

Calories 250kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

For the Steak and Onion Skewers

• 300 g rump steak
• 2 small red onions 150g
• 1 teaspoon Very Lazy smoked chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• Pinch sea salt

For the Veg and Halloumi Skewers

• 1 Red bell pepper deseeded (100g)
• 1 small courgette 150g
• 2 large mushrooms 60g
• 150 g halloumi cheese
• 2 tablespoon Very Lazy chilli paste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the green pesto quinoa

• 100 g dried quinoa
• 200 ml boiling water
• 1 tablespoon pesto
• Juice from half a lime

Extras:

• Fresh basil leaves and pine nuts if desired

Equipment

• Barbecue if barbecuing - can be baked in the oven
• 4 wooden or metal skewers

Instructions

To make steak and onion skewers:

• Light the barbecue or pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
• If using wooden skewers, soak these in tap water for a few minutes to prevent them from burning during cooking.
• Cut the steak and onion into cubes. Try to make the onion and steak similar sizes (particularly if sealing off in a pan before barbecuing or roasting). Larger bits of onion may get in the way of sealing the steak properly in the pan.
• Thread the steak and onion alternately onto two of the skewers, try to have even amounts on each skewer. Place on a baking tray.
• In a small bowl or cup mix together the smoked garlic, oil, rosemary and sea salt. Then drizzle over the skewers. Refrigerate if not cooking right away.
• To cook the skewers on the barbecue, place directly on the grill shelf of your barbecue, over hot coals and cook on each side for 5-7 minutes. Then serve. If cooking in the oven you can briefly fry off in a pan first, but this is optional. This gives a nice charred finished and also seals the steak. To cook through place back on the baking tray and cook in the centre of the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

To make the veg and halloumi skewers

• Light the barbecue or pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
• If using wooden skewers, soak these in tap water for a few minutes to prevent them from burning during cooking.
• Cut the pepper and halloumi into cubes, halve the 2 mushrooms, and cut the courgette into circles and then halve these into semi circles. Try to make the cut ingredients similar sizes for even cooking later on.
• Thread the pepper, courgette and halloumi alternately onto two of the skewers, and add the halved mushrooms and 2 evenly spaced points on each skewer. Try to have even amounts on each skewer. Place on a baking tray.
• In a small bowl or cup mix together the chilli paste and oil. Then drizzle over the skewers. Refrigerate if not cooking right away.
• To cook the skewers on the barbecue, place directly on the grill shelf of your barbecue, over hot coals and cook on each side for 5-7 minutes. Then serve. To cook in the oven leave the skewers on the baking tray baking tray and place this directly in the centre of the preheated oven. Cook for 20 minutes or until the veg is slightly charred and the halloumi has started to brown.

To make the green pesto quinoa

• If you are serving the skewers as a main meal you may want a side to go with it - pesto quinoa is a lovely summery accompaniment to both the steak and veg skewers.
• Place the dried quinoa in a small pan and add the boiling water. Place on a medium heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 10 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. Then leave to rest for 10 minutes by placing the pan to one side and leaving the lid on.
• After 10 minutes remove the lid, squeeze in the lime juice then fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork. Add the pesto and mix well. Serve with the skewers. Add fresh basil leaves and pine nuts for decoration.

Notes

click here for traffic light nutritional info steak and onion skewers

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.2g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 9.5g | Saturated Fat: 3.1g | Sodium: 480mg | Sugar: 9.5g

PIN FOR LATER

The post Steak and veggie BBQ skewers appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Breakfast on the go

Breakfast can be such a tricky meal to plan and prepare for. Especially when having to combine breakfast with getting up early, getting ready, and getting to work or school. I either end up going without breakfast or, more likely, end up buying something unhealthy but convincingly necessary when its so early and I feel like I need a pick-me-up.

But given the choice, I would rather have a handy little pot of something tasty and healthy, ready to grab out of the fridge for breakfast on the go or breakfast at my desk. Usually, this type of thing requires substantial time and effort. Despite, good intensions, anything thats of an inconvenience and that needs preparing the night before, will eventually fall by the wayside.

So, in an attempt to have healthy a breakfast on the go that I know I will stick to, I have created three breakfast recipes that can be made in advanced and easily stored in the fridge overnight in a jar or plastic container. These breakfast ideas are so easy that its even possible to prep for 3 days worth without too much bother.

What is healthy to eat for breakfast on the go?

Theres 2 sides to this coin - not only do we want healthy breakfast foods here, but we want food that can be made ahead of time and food that is of course transportable. So first of all, whats healthy? This is the first meal of the day and the meal that will break our overnight fast and so its important that it provides the right kind of nutrients to replenish our stores, boost our energy and awaken our cognitive function. That said, all of this doesn't have to occur first thing in morning and plenty of new evidence is now suggesting that overnight fasting (Intermittent fasting) may be helpful for health and weight control.

So, this is all good news for those of us that get up at 6am and don't feel hungry until a good 3 to 4 hours later. But when I do get those hunger pangs, what should I be reaching for? As with most healthy food advice, a healthy breakfast should be made up of:

• Fruit and veg
• Legumes (beans, peas)
• Wholegrains
• Lean proteins
• Healthy fats (nuts, seeds, oily fish, extra virgin olive oil)

These types of food also release energy slowly (low glycemic index) and so may have less impact on blood sugar and can sustain us for longer. Whats more, there are several ingenious ways of combining these types of foods together to create transportable breakfasts on the go.

What can I take to work for breakfast?

The ingredients I like to use, which are healthy and a good choice to take for breakfast on the go include:

• Fruits (banana, blueberries)
• Yogurts (Natural, greek style, no added sugars or sweeteners)
• Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seed, chia seeds)
• Boiled eggs
• Smoked salmon/smoked mackerel
• Wholegrain cereals
• Porridge
• Avocado
• Salads (spinach, rocket, kale)
• Beans
• Wholegrain toast
• Nut butters

Breakfast ideas for work

With this in mind, below are three meal prep breakfast ideas, that are easy to put together and to transport:

Smoked salmon breakfast

1. Fill half a jar with rocket leaves.
2. Then top the leaves with pieces of smoked salmon, a wedge of lemon and pieces of feta cheese.

Beetroot salad recipe

1. Fill a small jar with cooked beetroot cubes and edamame (soya) beans. You can usually find packets of frozen soya beans in the freezer aisle of most supermarkets. Frozen soya beans defrost in minutes when mixed with a small amount of luke warm water from the kettle.
2. Top with crumbled feta cheese
3. For a quick a simple dressing to pour over the top; mix ½ teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil with ½ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. I mixed this in a separate small container, ready to pour over the next day.

Avocado and eggs

Avocado and eggs is now a classic and I just love it, so I just had to try and fit this in with my working breakfasts:

1. Boil 2 large eggs in water for 8-9 minutes. Then immediately run the eggs under the cold tap in order to stop the cooking process.
2. Fill a quarter of a large jar with chopped spinach leaves.
3. Add half of a chopped avocado, tossed in lime juice. The lime is important to help keep the avocado fresh and stop it from going brown overnight.
4. Peel the cooled eggs, then slice in half and drop into the top of the jar.

To finish, close and seal the jars and put them in the fridge to keep them until you need them. All of these breakfasts will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days, therefore, you can make a few of these on Sunday to get you through most of the week.

What healthy breakfasts can I eat at home?

• Bircher muesli with stewed apples
• Healthy banana bread
• Summer porridge bowl
• Orange summer smoothie
• Breakfast loaf with sultanas
• Salmon kedgeree with boiled eggs
• Matcha granola and blueberry yogurt pot
• Full English breakfast bowl

Happy breakfasting!

📖 Recipe

Print

Breakfast on the go

These three meal prep breakfasts are great for breakfast on the go. I'm always looking for breakfast ideas for eating at work and breakfasts pots like these are a great solution. They all come in at under 300 calories, take minutes to put together, keep well in the fridge overnight, and are full of healthy nutrients and high in protein.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine British

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 1 person

Calories 291.3kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

To make the smoked salmon breakfast

• 30 g Rocket leaves
• 30 g Smoked salmon
• A wedge of lemon
• 30 g Feta cheese

To make the beetroot salad

• 80 g Cooked beetroot chopped into cubes
• 40 g Edamame (soybeans
• 30 g Feta cheese

For the beetroot salad dressing

• ½ teaspoon Extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon Apple cider vinegar

To make the avocado and eggs

• 2 large eggs
• 30 g Spinach leaves
• Half an avocado (60g)
• Juice of half a lime

Instructions

For the smoked salmon breakfast

• Fill half a jar with rocket leaves.
• Then top the leaves with pieces of smoked salmon, a wedge of lemon and pieces of feta cheese.

For the beetroot salad

• Fill a small jar with cooked beetroot cubes and edamame (soybeans. You can usually find packets of frozen soya beans in the freezer aisle of most supermarkets. They defrost in minutes when mixed with a small amount of luke warm water from the kettle.
• Top with crumbled feta cheese
• For a quick a simple dressing to pour over the top; mix a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. I mixed this in a separate small container, ready to pour over the next day.

For the avocado and eggs

• Boil 2 large eggs in water for 8-9 minutes. Then immediately run under the cold tap to stop the cooking process.
• Fill a quarter of a large jar with chopped spinach leaves.
• Add half of a chopped avocado, tossed in lime juice. The lime is important to help keep the avocado fresh and stop it from going brown overnight.
• Peel the cooled eggs, then slice in half and drop into the top of the jar.

Storage

• Seal up your jars and pop them in the fridge until you need them. All of these breakfasts will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Video

Notes

Above nutritional info is for one jar of the avocado and eggs breakfast. Nutritional info for all recipes can be found in the below links

Smoked salmon breakfast - nutritional info

beetroot and feta breakfast pot - nutritional info

avocado and eggs breakfast pot - nutritional info

Nutrition

Serving: 220g | Calories: 291.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.4g | Protein: 18.9g | Fat: 23.4g | Saturated Fat: 5.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11.7g | Sodium: 200mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.5g

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