Tag Archives: salad

Gordon Ramsay’s Pan-Seared Scallops with Crunchy Apple Salad

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Pan-seared scallops with crunchy apple salad… Just the name sounds gourmet. When my brother told me he was going to be making a special dish created by his food idol, Gordon Ramsay, I immediately couldn’t wait to try it. Gordon Ramsay is pretty much a food god and my brother (an aspiring gastronome) is always intrigued by the way he uses the simplest ingredients and creates such a gourmet masterpiece of a meal with them. It’s important to always use the freshest ingredients, nothing processed or artificial, as this ensures the most flavour, taste and nutrition of course.

This meal is composed of three main ingredients; scallops, mixed greens, and green apple. The seasoning and dressing is made up of lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper, how simple? The flavours all fuse together just perfectly and create amazing taste. I have to say that this dish was delicious! Thanks Gordon… And thanks to my brother for introducing me to this easy and simple, yet completely gratifying dish.

Recipe

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

  • 6 large scallops
  • 1 green apple, cut into matchsticks
  • mixed greens (enough for 2 servings)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • juice of half a lemon
  • salt and pepper

Dressing Ingredients:

  • juice and zest of half a lemon
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in pan on medium-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper and lay them clockwise, so you can remember which ones to flip first.

Flip scallops when they turn golden brown on the bottom. When both sides are a nice golden brown colour, add lemon juice to pan, making sure to coat the scallops with the lemon juice.

Place mixed greens and apple sticks in a bowl. Combine dressing ingredients, mix well and add to salad.

Plate scallops with salad and garnish with extra lemon zest.

Smashed Bean and Avocado Salad

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So this picture doesn’t give this recipe justice of how delicious it is, but this a great tuna salad substitute for vegetarians. It packs a lot of flavour and protein, perfect for a healthy and filling lunch.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup red kidney beans
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1 small carrot, shredded and finely chopped
  • 1/4 onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon plain yogurt (optional)
  • Goat cheese (optional)
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste.

Directions.

In a small bowl slightly mash beans and avocado. Next add the rest of the ingredients, except the goat cheese. Mix well. Spread on a slice of toast or bagel and garnish with some goat cheese. Enjoy.

This can be enjoyed alone or as a dip, and it would even make a perfect spread in a wrap.

Super Salad with Creamy Tahini Inspired Dressing

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Salad Ingredients:

  • 2 cups kale, washed and chopped
  • 1 beet, peeled and julienned
  • 1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
  • Small handful of sprouts

Salad Dressing:

  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 5-6 brazil nuts
  • Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

Combine all dressing ingredients in a small food processor and process until creamy. Add to salad ingredients, toss well and serve.

Light and Creamy Potato Salad

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It’s the first week of May already?! I have no idea where the time has gone, but I’m so excited for finally some nice, warm weather. It has been much anticipated, since our winter here in Ontario felt so long and dragged out. So we decided to celebrate this beautiful, sunny day with a BBQ, our first BBQ of the year. I thought what better side dish than potato salad at a BBQ? However, the traditional potato salad that is usually drowned in mayonnaise, is not exactly what I was thinking. A healthier, lighter version is ideal, but that definitely doesn’t mean a lack of taste. This potato salad is actually so delicious and fresh that it makes a great side dish at any BBQ and is much lower in fat and calories. The special ingredient… Greek yogurt! Everyone needs a bit of probiotics in their diet, so yogurt is a very beneficial part of this dressing, not to mention it’s incredibly creamy and makes a perfect base for any potato salad.

Light and Creamy Potato Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 sprig of celery, finely sliced
  • 1 teaspoon chives, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried mint (or herb of choice)
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

In a small bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Add dressing to potatoes, mix well until evenly coated, and store in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill before serving.

(Makes dressing for only about 2-3 servings)

The ingredients all complement each other well, as the Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper add the right amount of heat, the celery gives the salad some bite, and the mint adds a very subtle freshness. I also love the flavour that fresh lemon juice adds to the yogurt. Enjoy.

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Powered Spinach Salad with Light Dressing

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There’s nothing like a fresh salad to give our bodies a boost, while providing a break from the fatty, heavy foods that we’re typically used to. This salad is fresh, light and delicious, as it’s perfectly flavoured with a combination of salt and sweetness.

Lately, my meals have been consisting of a lot of heavy foods, which is unlike my usual eating habits. So, to start things off right today, I decided to make a healthy lunch that consists of a spinach salad, made with a creamy dressing. This salad is packed with protein, so it’s surprisingly filling and perfect for a light lunch. Hemp seeds add great power to any salad, as they are filled with protein and amino acids. Just one tablespoon is known to have about 5g of protein, which is higher than the amount in almonds. Get into the habit of sprinkling hemp seeds over every salad for added protein and fatty acids.

Salad Ingredients:
  • Handful of organic spinach leaves
  • 2 strawberries, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
  • 1.5 tablespoons Macedonian feta cheese, crumbled (can use goat cheese).
  • 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
  • 2 tablespoons walnuts
Dressing:
  • 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Black pepper
  • Pinch of salt.
Directions:
Combine all dressing ingredients in a small blender. Blend until completely mixed. Pour dressing over salad and enjoy.

Note: This recipe is meant to serve one person. Double or tripple the ingredients to serve more.

Orange Infused Salad with Beets and Goat Cheese

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Beets are very healthy for you, however some people, like myself are not a fan of their taste. In order to fully enjoy beets, I love to pair them with different flavours. While enjoying this salad, I discovered a perfect match… beets and goat cheese tastes so good together! The goat cheese really corresponds well with the beets, as the salty taste and creamy texture suits the firm, sweet beets. The orange pieces add a nice sweetness and the walnuts add the perfect crunch. Finally, the vinaigrette really complements the orange pieces and brings together the salad perfectly. Overall, this salad is fresh and bursts with tastiness. Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups mixed greens
  • 1/2 cup steamed beets
  • Goat cheese
  • Handful of walnuts
  • 1 orange
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon green onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1.5 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Salt and pepper

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Once the beets are peeled and steamed, cool and chop. Place in a bowl with mixed greens. Add walnuts and goat cheese. Cut the orange and add small pieces of orange to the bowl. Reserve half of the orange for the vinaigrette.

Orange Vinaigrette Directions:

Juice half an orange and add to a small bowl. Add apple cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, honey, parsley, rosemary, and green onion. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and pour over the salad.

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Salads and Heavenly Hemp

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I have an obsession with creating different types of nutritious salads for lunch or even for a healthy snack. Though salads may seem too light as a meal, the ingredients I throw into my salad are usually packed with protein and other healthy nutrients, that keep me going throughout the day.

This salad consists of mixed greens, shredded carrots, a handful of walnuts, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and dried cranberries. I used balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil for the dressing. Hemp seeds contain essential amino and fatty acids and are high in protein…A few table spoons can give you just over 10 grams of protein. Not bad for a seed.

Hemp seeds are mild in flavour and have a soft texture, so they can be easily tossed into different foods, and can often be hidden in a number of dishes. Smoothies, vegetable soups, salads, oatmeal, and chili, are among the many different foods that hemp seeds can be added into.

Special Healthful Dressing for Salads

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Be creative at making your salads. Combine different colours and textures of ingredients to create a vividly colourful and nutritious salad.

This salad consists of:

  • Romain lettuce (you can substitute for mixed greens)
  • Radicchio
  • Goat cheese
  • Carrots
  • Walnuts
  • Dried cranberries

Tahini and Lemon Inspired Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoon sesame seeds (some poppy seeds fell in too)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2-4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup peanuts
  • 1 teaspoon ground flax
  • 3 tablespoon water, or as needed
  • dash of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Directions: In a food processor combine all the ingredients and blend until a creamy consistency is achieved.

This dressing is truly great for all types of salads, and it even makes a delicious and nutritious dip.

Health tip: The ground flax within this dressing adds many different health benefits, as flaxseeds are rich in nutrients, and are especially known for their Omega 3 and fibre content. The nutrients within the seeds are best absorbed when ground, which is why it is so beneficial to incorporate ground flax into our daily meals.

Moroccan Inspired Carrot Salad

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I love this salad for two reasons. It’s absolutely delicious and it’s undoubtedly healthy. In fact, I don’t think there is one component of this salad that would make this dish unhealthy. The almonds add the perfect crunch, as the blend of dried cranberries add that little bit of tangy sweetness. Flavoured by the bold moroccan spices, I think this salad is very tasty. It’s simple to make, perfectly flavoured, and nutritious. What more can you ask out of a salad?

Ingredients:

  • 4 to 5 carrots
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins
  • 1 cup regular or slivered almonds
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon grape-seed oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon water

Shred or julienne the carrots and set aside in a bowl. Slightly crush the almonds if they are not already slivered. Toast the almonds in a pan for 2 minutes on medium heat. Let the almonds cool. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix together the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, apple-cider vinegar, grape-seed oil, honey and water.  Mix together the cranberries, almonds and dressing with the shredded carrots.

  • Dried cranberries can be substituted with raisins.
  • Add cilantro for extra flavour and colour.

The first picture shows the salad using the julienne styled carrots with raisins and slivered almonds, whereas the picture below clearly shows the shredded carrot with cranberry variation with slightly crushed almonds.

Vegetable Couscous Salad in a Yogurt-Mint Dressing

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Couscous is such a wonderful grain that only takes 5 minutes to cook! I love to eat couscous in salads because it’s filling and pairs greatly with vegetables.

Chop red and yellow peppers, cucumber, celery, fresh basil and mint.

Add veggies and herbs overtop of cooked couscous. I love Macedonian feta cheese, so as you can see I crumbled some on top.

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This salad is so fresh, colourful, and tasty, but most importantly, it’s healthy.

Yogurt-Mint Dressing: 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, 1 teaspoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint and a pinch of salt. Mix everything together and pour over top of salad.

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