Quinoa Superfood Salad

If you have found yourself falling off the January detox bandwagon (or Zoe's Apple Strudel led you astray) then this salad is the ideal tasty-yet-virtuous dish to get you back on the straight and narrow. This is my simplified student-friendly version of Gizzi Erskine's Superfood Salad recipe, and is as packed with colour and flavour as it is with healthy, nutritious goodness. I've seen quinoa recipes popping up all over the place for ages now, and after trying it in this dish I am converted. When cooked properly it is totally delicious, satisfyingly filling, and full of flavour, not bland in the slightest as I have found before. The key is toasting it in a dry pan before simmering in water, as it adds a rich nutty taste that I think is difficult to get with alternatives such as couscous. Great for lunch or as a light supper, this salad can be served solo, or for something a little more substantial top with shredded chicken or some flaked trout or salmon. 

To serve one person you will need...

Dressing

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Seasoning

Salad

60g quinoa

1 strip of lemon peel

A pinch of dried mixed herbs

Salt & pepper

1 large chopped handful kale, blanched for 30 seconds in boiling water (substitute with broccoli if you can't find kale)

1/2 avocado, chopped

1 spring onion, sliced

1 cooked beetroot, (I buy the pre-cooked vacuum packed ones from any supermarket) chopped

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1 chicken breast (cooked and shredded) or 1 fillet salmon/trout (cooked, skinned and flaked) 

You will need to...

- Put the quinoa into a small, dry saucepan and toast on a fairly high heat for a few minutes until golden brown. Keep shaking it around the pan to stop it burning.

- Pour over roughly 120ml water, add in your lemon peel, herbs and seasoning and cover with a lid. Bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes, then remove from the heat but keep the lid on and leave to steam for a further five minutes.

- To make the dressing, combine the mustard, oil and lemon juice - season to taste. 

- Drain the blanched kale well with kitchen paper and stir into the cooked quinoa. Stir in the avocado, spring onion, beetroot, radishes and dressing, ensuring everything is well combined and coated with the mustardy dressing. 

- Serve with your chicken or fish ontop.

Enjoy! C x

Apple Strudel

This apple strudel serves as a welcome break from the post-Christmas detox. An easy yet impressive pudding, this strudel can be prepared in the morning ready to shove in the oven later on. One important thing to remember is to let the apple mixture cool down completely before wrapping in pastry… trust me disasters will occur if you do not do this, I speak from experience! 

To serve 6 you will need...

4 eating or cooking apples peeled cored and cut into small chunks

100g caster sugar

100g sultanas or raisins 

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

150g pecans or walnuts (optional)

75g butter

6 sheets of filo pastry

1 tbsp of demerara sugar

Icing sugar cream or ice cream to serve

You will need to...

- Preheat your oven to 180C

- Peel and core your apples, then chop them into roughly 2cm chunks. 

- Add the apples, caster sugar and cinnamon to a saucepan, cover with a lid and simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until the apples are soft but still textured. 

- Remove from heat and stir in the dried fruit and nuts. 

- Leave to cool completely before wrapping in pastry

You can prepare this filling several days in advance and store in the fridge.

- Melt a knob of butter in a small pan,

- Remove the filo pastry from the fridge, lay the first sheet on a flat surface and brush with the butter.

- Lay another sheet and repeat the process until you have used all the pastry sheets.

- Brush the final layer with butter and spoon the cooled apple mixture neatly down the middle of the pastry. 

- Leave an inch or so at the end of the pastry so it doesn't spill out of the end. 

- Wrap the pastry around the filling tucking the ends in neatly and ensuring the seal is at the bottom. 

- Lay the strudel on a baking tray, lightly score the top of the pastry diagonally at equal intervals along the length of the strudel. 

- Sprinkle demerara sugar generously on top, this caramelises, making a sweet crunchy outside.

- Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. 

- For the finishing touches sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with cream or ice cream.  

Enjoy Z x

Vietnamese Turkey & Rice Noodle Salad

The start of a new year calls for a fresh, cleansing recipe, and this salad is just the trick. In our house, we find this is the best way to use up the Christmas turkey, and your insides will thank you for the crunchy veg and zingy dressing after weeks of rich winter stodge. Although the turkey is long-gone, this dish would work just as well with chicken as part of the inevitable ‘New Year Detox’ as a vibrant lunch or delicious yet light supper.

To serve 4-6 you will need…

Dressing

2 garlic cloves (crushed)

2 red chillies  (deseeded and finely diced)

2 tbsp finely chopped ginger

4 tbsp nam pla fish sauce

A couple of drops of rice wine vinegar

Juice of one lime

4 tbsp water

2 tbsp caster sugar

Salad

250g cooked and cooled turkey/chicken cut into strips

175g rice/glass noodles (in the pictures I used the thick rice noodles but I think the thinner ones work better)

125g sugar-snap peas

125g bean sprouts

3 spring onions thinly sliced

2 tsp rapeseed oil

1 tsp sesame oil

A small bunch of coriander/cilantro finely chopped

You will need to…

-       Make the dressing by mixing together all the ingredients. Store in the fridge in a sealed jar for up to a week – if you have any left over it makes a great dressing to jazz up any old salad.

-       Marinate the turkey in 125ml of the dressing.

-       While the turkey is marinating, soak the noodles in freshly boiled water, and once rehydrated refresh them in cold water then drain. (or follow instructions on noodle packet)

  - Put the sugar snaps and beansprouts into a colander and pour over a kettle of freshly boiled water. Rinse them in cold water and drain well.

-       In a large bowl, mix the marinated turkey with the drained noodles, veg and spring onions.

-       Dress with the oils and two tablespoons more of the dressing, though do taste and feel free to add more if you think it needs it.

-       Sprinkle over the chopped coriander and toss everything together before arranging onto a large plate to serve.

Enjoy! C x