Brown Rice Salad with Asparagus in a Lemony Tahini Dressing

From this website: http://www.101cookbooks.com/whole_grain_recipes/. Looks to be some good stuff there for future consideration.

So delicious, great lemony finish. I couldn’t help but keep licking the spoon when I transported it into a container! Dinner will be a special treat tonight …

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 14-ounce can of chickpeas, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments
3 cups pre-cooked brown rice (I used Lundberg whole grain brown, which has a gorgeous auburn colour)
1 cup almond slivers, toasted (I had a bunch of whole roasted ones, which I halved)
fine grain sea salt

Tahini Dressing:
2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1/4 cup tahini
zest and juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Make the dressing by whisking together the garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt. Set aside.

Add roughly 3 tbsp olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl the oil around to coat the pan, then add the chickpeas and sprinkling of salt. Let the beans saute there for a couple minutes, tossing often. Add the garlic + onions. Stir for a minute. Stir in the asparagus with another pinch or two of salt, cover with a lid for a minute or two to steam - just until the asparagus brightens and softens up just a bit. Uncover and stir in the rice and almond slivers.   Serves 4-6. 

Mediterranean Barley Salad

This salad is not for the faint of heart – its packing some heavy flavours - but in a good way! I find pasta salads dry up and lose their flavour after a day or two, not so with this one. Which is why I highly recommend for lunches through the week. I served it with grilled colossal prawns, and grilled asparagus – we consumed all the prawns, but the leftover asparagus was chopped and added to the remaining salad for leftovers the next day. Then the 3rd day, I cooked up some hot Italian sausages, and added them to the leftovers - wicked good - love barley!

2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard 
Pinch plus ½ tsp sea salt, divided 
3 tbsp sherry vinegar, plus 1 tsbp apple juice 
2 minced shallots 
¼ cup olive oil 
5 cups water 
2 cups pearl barley 
2 bay leaves 
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 2 tsps dried and crumbled 
1/3 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives 
1/3 cup drained capers 
½ cup toasted pine nuts (I used half pecans, half pine nuts) 
¼ cup finely chopped green onions
Plus I added a bunch of chopped Italian parsley

Bring the water to a boil, add the barley with the remaining salt and bay leaves. Simmer until the barley is tender - approx. 45 minutes . Remove from heat & cool.

Place cooled barley in a large bowl, and stir in the dressing and remaining ingredients. Chill for 2 hrs. I then brought to room temp to serve.

So Freaking Easy Blueberry Bran Muffins

No fuss, no fat, no kidding!

(1)  Soak 1½ c wheat bran with 1 c nonfat milk (I use soy) for 10 mins.
(2)  Blend: 1 ripe banana, 1 egg, ½ c brown sugar, ½ tsp vanilla extract
(3)  Add: 1 c whole wheat flour, 1 tsp each baking soda and baking powder,  ½ tsp salt. Add the bran-milk mixture above to comine.
(4)  Stir in 1 cup blueberries.

375 degrees – 20 mins, makes 12

Tortellini Metropolitan

As I have an abundance of tarragon and chives, I thought of this old recipe from Graham Kerr, thankfully recalled by J!

I altered it a bit, as didn't require a thickening agent. Tastes like perogies - ochen vkusno!

Saute 3 chopped shallots in a bit of oil/butter, then add:
2 cups yogurt
1/3 cup white wine
3 tbsp or so parmesan
3 tbsp or so low fat cream cheese

Cook pasta (I used 600 g wholewheat 4 cheese tortellini). Last 2 mins, add a bunch of chopped asperagus to blanch, drain

Combine sauce with cooked tortellini and stir in a whack of chopped tarragon and chives. 

Ceasar/Nicoise

Had some leftover ceasar dressing from the other night, so blanched some green beans, asparagus, roasted some potatoes, hard boiled a couple of eggs. Once cooled, tossed the first 3 ingredients with the dressing, added a handful of moroccan olives, served topped with quartered eggs. Ahhh, so easy!

Ceasar Salad with Grilled Colossal Prawns

I've been using this recipe for Ceasar salad since, well the time of Ceasar himself, as I have the ingredients jotted down on papyrus.  J gave me this recipe when she resided in Victoria, and its been a fave ever since!  I do however, use anchovy paste, which is blasphemous in some circles, but I prefer its versatility and storage properties.  I also don't add an egg - I used to, but stopped for reasons unknown.  

3-4 cloves garlic, minced
A blob of anchovy paste, to taste
1 heaping tsp. each chopped capers and Dijon mustard
3-4 drops each Worcestershire and tobacco
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (plus I add the rind)
2 tbsp or so white wine vinegar
4 tbsp Olive oil
Lots of ground black pepper and grated Regiano parmesan

For the prawns I simply tossed a bunch of thawed PC colossal prawns with a bit of lemon juice and rind, salt, pepper, a bit of olive oil, and some Cajun seasoning and let marinate for a bit.  Grill - and place on top of salad.   

Avocado and Black Bean Salad

I think everyone's made a variation on this, though admitedly, I don't generally add avocado - I guess I thought it would get mushy and brown - but it doesn't!  It kept well in the fridge, for about 4 days, and was best served at room temp.  Yummy!

2 cans black beans, drained, rinsed
chopped: 1 red onion, 2 large tomatoes, 1 red pepper
about 1 ½ cups frozen corn
a bunch of chopped cilantro
2 chopped avocados
Some arugula leaves

Dressing:  
1 clove garlic, minced
2 chopped jalapenos
3 tbsp fresh lime juice + lime rind
¼ cup olive oil, plus s & p to taste

Combine all, enjoy!

Larb

The official dish of Laos!  Its a spicy meat salad basically, along the lines of Thai lettuce wraps. While I used beef for mine, I would try ground chicken or turkey next time. Really tasty, satisfying, refreshing!

1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 stems lemon grass (white part only), finely sliced
2 fresh green chilies, finely chopped
500g lean ground beef
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tsp lime rind 
6 teaspoons chili sauce
1/3 cup chopped cilantro 
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 small red onion, finely sliced
1/3 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup crisp fried garlic
Lettuce leaves for serving.

Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the lemon grass, chili and meat over high heat for 6 minutes, until the meat is cooked, breaking up any lumps.

Transfer to a bowl, allow to cool.

Add the lime juice, rind and chili sauce to the mince mixture.

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a serving plate.

Stir most of the coriander, mint, onion, peanuts and fried garlic through the minced, spoon over the lettuce and sprinkle the rest of the coriander, mint, onion, peanuts and garlic over the top. 

Prawn and Mango Salad with Lime Dressing

Oh, I'm always up for a new salad recipe! Was easy to prepare, visually gorgeous, and had great flavours - would be a wonderful addition to a picnic or p0tluck dinner (like we're ever invited to any!)

1 lb cooked prawns (I quickly steamed my raw ones)
1 1/2 chopped mangoes (called for 1 papaya - the smelly gym sock fruit - no thanks!)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped mint (I added more!)

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil (I used a bit less)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (juice of 1 lime, could have used a smidge more)
2 tsp finely grated ginger (I used more, and finely chopped rather than grate)
1 tsp caster sugar (don't have, used a smidgen of white sugar)
Plus I added the zest of one lime, plus extra from the freezer

Combine all, refrigerate for up to 3 hrs prior to serving (I couldn't wait - it was about an hour in the fridge - and we ate it all!)

My Daily Beverage

Brew large pot of strong decaf tea - I generally use a flavoured one, such a lemon ginger, or cranberry, or combo of whatever I have. Then I add one package of crystal light - always 'classic tea' or 'green tea' flavour.  Cool in fridge.  Very tasty, and more appealing than water when I'm working!

Chilly weather - I drink it as is, without cooling.