Over the last few days,  there have been a lot of really good, delicious meals that I have been invited out for.  So,  for this coming week, I am making more of an effort to eat in and get some work done in between.  The home prepared meals need to be quick, fuss free and super nutrient dense. 

Here's a quick salad that I enjoy pulling together.  It usually takes only 10 minutes to prepare.  Packed with lean fish protein, lots of raw veggies (but not too many since i don't want to spend too much time chopping and shredding), I add on flavor with piles of fresh herbs.  The fresh herbs also incorporate heaps of anti-oxidant goodness.  

Two of my favorites: Cilantro (aka coriander) and Thai basil (or Holy Basil).  

• Cilantro an excellent source of minerals (magnesium, potassium, calcium, manganese) that support good cardiovascular function, improves blood pressure and lowers LDL (that's the bad cholestrol).  It's also considered to be a digestive aid,  has anti-inflammatory properties and is reported to help with metal detoxifaction.  
• Thai Basil has many similar benefits to cilantro and its benefits have been actively studied.  It's also carries it with many immunity boosting properties to ward again common viruses, microbes and even rash.  

A) Prepare Fish
Wash and dry fish fillets.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Heat pan.  When hot enough, add 2 table spoons of olive oil.  Add fish, skin side down and fry.  After 3 minutes,  lift gently using a spatula.  Turn over and cook other side for an additional 2 minutes.  Turn back over, cover with lid and cook for an additional 1 minutes.   Set aside.  When slightly cooled, cut into "strips". 

B) Prepare Vegetables
Carrots - Use spiralizer to create fine carrot noodles. Alternatively, use a vegetable slicer to julienne, or shred with a grater.
Cucumber - Julienne or cut into match sticks.
Pre-steamed sweet potato - cut into rounds.  (Optional: you can brown caramalize these by pan-frying these in a little olive oil)

C) Dressing 
Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix.  Taste and adjust fish sauce or sugar to taste. 

D) Assemble
At the bottom of the bowl, place carrot noodles.  Next, layer cucumber.  Arrange sweet potatoes on top.  Toss in basil leaves and cilantro.   Spoon over the dressing.   Place 3-4 strips of fish over the salad.  Use fingers to sprinkle black sesame seeds. 
​

#Glutenfree #Dairyfree #Highfiber #Antioxidants #cookingwithherbs #Freshsalads #Paleoeating #Homecooking #Easyrecipe #Quickmeal 

Most people who've eaten at my home know that I love to add fresh herbs and spices to the dishes. While they might seem like they are there for color and texture, I often add as many herbs and spices for their curative properties.  I am also usually pretty careful about the quality of the oils I use too.   This soup is filled with just a few of my favorite things:  lemongrass,  tumeric, corriander, onions and coconut.   These come packed with heaps of anti-inflamatory, anti-oxidant and anti-microbial benefits.  It's also gluten and dairy free! 

This recipe was inspired years back from a wonderful trip to the Datai, in Langkawi Malaysia, where I had the pleasure of ordering something quite similar for dinner at the restaurant one evening

A) Prepare Ingredients
Onion - chop roughly into squares
Lemongrass - cut off long stalks,  and set aside.  Cut hearts into rough rings.  
Coriander root - clean and chop. 
Tumeric - if using fresh tumeric, remove skin and grate roughly into shreds. 
Sweetcorn - remove husk.  Roughly cut off kernels for 5 ears of corn using a knife.  For last ear of corn, removely more gently and neatly -- reserve separately. 
Water - boil and set aside. 

B) Cook Soup
In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over low heat.  
Brown onions slowly to release sweetness.  
Raise heat.  Add lemongrass hearts, coriander root and continue to cook. 
Add corn kernels and heat through.
Add boiling water and lemon grass stalks.  
Turn up heat till soup is on a rolling boil. 
Then, turn down heat and simmer till sweet corn is cooked through. 
Remove from heat.  Discard long lemong grass stalks. 
Put soup through a blender or food processor and pulse till smooth. 
Take a colander or fine sieve and strain the soup through.  
Discard what is retained in the colander (note:  I often run 1/2 cup of water through this to remove the remaining "flavor) and add to the soup. 
Return the soup to the pot.  Add the reserved corn kernels and reheat.   
Add salt and pepper to taste. 

​C) Finishing Oil
Heat a little water and blanch the corriander leaves and roots.
Quickly remove and place in cold water to retain color. 
Roughly chop and add to the olive oil.  
Pulse thoroughly using a hand-held blender. 
Set aside. 

D) Assemble and Serve
Fine a nice soup bowl or plate.  
Fill with soup.  Add a drizzle of the finishing oil.   

​Serving notes: 
It's quite a rich soup.  I often like to serve this in a little tea cup and let my guests decide if they would like a second helping. 

If you are not dairy intolerant, you can replace the olive oil with a little butter.  If you like it less rich, feel free to replace 1 cup of coconut milk with regular milk or low-fat milk. 

#glutenfree #diaryfree #homerecipes #dinnerpartyrecipe #tumericbenefits #coconutbenefits #lemongrassrecipe #asianfusionrecipes #antioxidantrich #antiinflammatory #cookingwithflavor

I created this recipe using left overs from a dinner party.  We still had some un-marinated steak and I wanted to eat a little cleaner the following day.     This recipe can easily be adapted for those of you who are vegetarian and dairy-intolerant.   At the end of the recipe, you will be able to find substitutes ingredients for the beef and the feta cheese. 

Tip: To steam or boil sweet potatoes a little faster, prick the sides with a folk before you start cooking them.  For convenience, I tend to prepare a batch in one go to last at least 3 days in the fridge. When I feel like having unprocessed carbs, I just take out one out and cut a few slices as I find the sweet potatoes incredibly filling.  If I want the slices warmed up, I opt for a pan-frying each slice quickly in a little olive oil. ).

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)
2 striploin steaks 
Belgian endive - 1 large cluster
Lebanese cucumber - 1/2 
Button mushrooms - 6 pieces
Sweet potatoes - 2 small 

Dressing 
Feta cheese - 6 ounces
​Lemon juice - from 1 lemon or 4 tablespoons
Olive oil - 4 table spoons.  
Sea salt. Freshly cracked black pepper

To serve
Fresh cilantro + basil, extra virgin olive oil

A) Prepare salad and meat
Belgian endives - separate the individual leaves.  Leave in long strips
Mushrooms - Trim stems.  Cut into slices
Lebanese cucumber - cut on the bias and slice into small match sticks
Sweet potatoes - leave skins on. Steam or boil till cooked (about 30 minutes).  Set aside to cool. When cool, cut into rounds, about an inch thick
Steaks - take out of fridge 20 minutes before cooking.  Heat a skillet.  (To test that that the skillet is hot enough, sprinkle water onto skillet.  If it is hot enough,  it will sizzle and evaporate to steam almost immediately.)  Place a little olive oil into the pan.  Place steaks on top.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  For a good sear, wait for 3 minutes before turning the steak over.  Sear on the other side.  Cover with lid for another 3 minutes.  Turn off fire.  Lift lid and flip steak over.  Leave to cook for another 1 minute.   Remove to a plate and leave to cook.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes.  When cool, cut into thin slices.  (If you prefer your steak more well-done, cook on each side for an extra 1 to 2 minutes)

B) Prepare dressing
Place olive oil, feta cheese and lemon juice into a blender.   Add a little salt and pepper.  Blend at medium speed.  Remove and taste.  Add more salt or pepper as needed.  

C) Assemble and plate salad
Take a spoon of the thick dressing.  Place at the side of the plate.  Use back of the spoon to make a swirl along the side of the plate (should resemble a crescent moon).   Place three rounds of the sweet potatoes on the base of the plate.  Scatter endives, mushrooms and cucumbers on top.  Next, place 1/4 of the steak strips on the salad.  You can stack these up.  Finish with a sprinkle of whole cilantro leaves and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. 

D) Vegetarian, Dairy-free alternatives
Vegetarian: replace the beef with GMO-free soya bean cake (the firmer, heavier kind).  Cut into thick slices and pan-sear in a little olive oil.  (If you have a griddle pan, you can create a nice charcoal-like char!) 
Diary intolerant: replace the feta-cheese with 16 cashews 

#healthysalads #lighteating #glutenfreerecipe #vegetarianadaptation #dairyfreeadaptation #cookingwithleftovers #cookingmadeeasy #homecooking