Morning y’all!!
It is a beautiful Fall day and I had a great long weekend with my family. I took work off yesterday and hung out with my parents, sisters and Vinnie. It was greatttttttt!
Today, I have a special treat - Charlotte has written a guest post!!! She regularly blogs about Beauty, Food & Drink covering everything from new inspiring beauty tips to milk&more fruit boxes. She likes to shop & enjoy keeping fit on her spare time. Today she is going to tell us all about the healthy salad variations available around the world!
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Salads are still great dishes, whether as accompaniments to a barbeque, or used as an excuse by busy housewives and husbands. “It’s terribly good for you” can also be read as “it’s extremely easy to prepare”. Whether it’s the healthy life, or the easy life, you’re looking for the salad offers a versatile solution to finding both. Here are some ideas from around the world.
French Cabbage Salad
I like cabbage but I’ve never been entirely sure of what to do with them. Probably this is the result of a 70s upbringing, in which the only known method of cooking them was to boil them into submission. However, this salad has re-invigorated my interest in them and although cooking is involved, there’s not much of it! You’ll need a cabbage, half a pound of bacon, an onion, a clove of garlic and half a cup of vegetable stock. Fry the bacon until cooked, remove from the pan but keep the juices; fry off the onions, and add the garlic once they’re about half cooked. Once the garlic has cooked, add the cabbage and chop or crumble the bacon. Sauté the whole mixture until warmed through and serve up! Crumbled feta can be added to give the dish an extra salty bite.
Chinese Chicken
Chicken, that other easy cook alternative to hard work in the kitchen, is a favorite around the country (and the globe). To add an oriental feel to your evening meal, without the financial and food additives of a trip to the local Chinese, try the following. Mix six teaspoons of rice vinegar, four of white sugar and one of salt with half a cup of ground nut oil. Dice and fry two or three chicken breasts and once these are cooked combine them in a large salad bowl with the following; one torn lettuce, a bunch of chopped spring onions, chopped celery, a cup of chopped walnuts and a couple of spoons of toasted sesame seeds along with a pack of Chinese noodles. Once mixed pour over the dressing, stir and serve up immediately.
Fried Pepper Salad
This Tunisian take on the salad does, again, involve some actual cooking. Slice four or five red peppers lengthways into strips and gently fry for a few minutes until they have softened. Add four cloves of garlic, chopped or crushed finely, and continue to fry until the peppers have begun to brown. Next add two tins of tomatoes (eight to ten if you’re using fresh) and a dash of sugar. Simmer the mix to reduce the tomatoes down to a thick, gloopy consistency, which should take about twenty five minutes. For quicker results use a higher heat but stay on hand to stir frequently to stop the mixture from sticking and burning. Traditionally this warm salad is served straight from the pan on slices of bread with wedges of lemon.
Potato Salad
Like those overly boiled cabbages, potato salad was one of the few salads that made it onto the table during my 70s childhood. However, for a low fat version without the mayo, try the Greek version. Simply combine boiled potatoes with chopped onion, parsley, olive oil and lemon juice. Add oregano, salt and pepper to taste and finally, of course, lots and lots of chopped olives.
Salads have not always been the most imaginative dish on the summer table, however, with a few inspirational ideas from around the world, the humble (and easy to prepare) salad can be transformed. Veg boxes will help to ensure that you have plentiful salad supplies to hand.
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Thank you Charlotte for this great post. Please make sure to go check out more of her work!
