Persimmon & Burrata Salad

That’s right guys, we are back with a cheeky little autumnal recipe. Keeping it nice and simple with this first week back, plus, let’s be honest it’s not so cold out there for this time of the year so I think we can get away with a salad, albeit a ‘warmish’ salad.
As a kid I had known persimmon as ‘Kaki’ fruit as that’s the word my parents had taught it to me as. In Italian it’s referred to as Kaki and it wasn’t until much later in life that I discovered that here in the UK it is called a persimmon and I’ve also heard it referred to as Sharon fruit? I don’t know where the Sharon comes from but hey?! Now I’m just going off on fruit names, let’s get back to the good stuff. Go on have a lil’ read of this recipe, you know you want to give this a go…

Ingredients:

• 2 Persimmon/ Kaki fruit, cut into rings
• 1 Burrata, drained
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 fan. Evenly distribute the persimmon rings on the baking tray and place in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flip them over half way through.
2. In the meantime, take a small bowl and add the mustard, golden syrup, olive oil, season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
3. Dress your dish of choice by starting with the persimmon, then using your hands tear the burrata and delicately place on and around the fruit. Drizzle over the dressing and serve.

Enjoy 🙂

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Baked Peach Salad

Who said that fruit can only be eaten in a sweet setting? The baked peaches in this salad go amazingly well with the salty feta and peppery rocket. An easy lunch or something to bring along to a picnic if you’re in the mood for something different.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 4 peaches, stone removed and quartered
• 120g feta, crumbled
• 1 handful rocket
• 70g fennel, sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• Salt

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160 °C (fan), gas mark 4.
2. Place the peach pieces on a baking tray and place in the oven; bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Using a small bowl, mix the olive oil, golden syrup and season with a pinch of salt and leave to one side.
4. Then build the salad starting with the rocket, spread the leaves making a green base.
5. Distribute the fennel evenly along with the feta. Add the peach quarters and drizzle over the syrup dressing and serve.

Enjoy 🙂

Cucumber & Olive Salad

Nothing beats a simple salad, especially when the sun is shining and you have a chance to sit and savour a little bit of goodness. In my opinion the dressing is as important as the salad components – it brings the whole plate together and gives everything a satisfying lift. Here the saltiness of the olives paired with the lemon in the dressing keeps everything light and the crunch of the cucumber makes this a joy to eat.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cucumber, cut into thin rounds
• 10 pitted green olives, halved
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1 dsp lemon
• A handful of parsley, finely chopped
• Ground black pepper

Method:

1. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, oregano, lemon and season with the black pepper.
2. Using the dish you’re serving your salad in, evenly distribute the cucumber, olives and parsley.
3. Drizzle over the oil mixture and serve.

Enjoy 🙂

Gungo Pea & Red Pepper Salad

Just putting out there, this is one powerful salad. Full of raw pungent flavours that will awaken those taste buds. A delicious and easy way to get a healthy meal in you and it takes little to no time to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 1 can gungo peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 red sweet pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 cayenne pepper
• 2 dsp maple syrup

Method:

1. In a bowl, add all the ingredients together and mix thoroughly. Serve in the dish of your choice.

Enjoy 🙂

Refreshing Cucumber Salad

A refreshingly light salad, the perfect accompaniment to a heavy meat dish like a roast or a rich casserole.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cucumber, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp dried mint
• Basil, small handful roughly chopped
• Salt
• Crushed black pepper

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together, cover and leave for at least half an hour so all the flavours can come together.

Enjoy 🙂

Chickpea Salad

A simple recipe this week, one to keep if you’re not feeling much prep or time in the kitchen, we’ve all been there.

Ingredients:

• 1 can (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, cut into small chunks
• 1/4 cucumber, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp dried mint
• Chilli flakes
• Salt

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together thoroughly. Upon serving sprinkle chilli flakes on top.

Enjoy 🙂

Apricot & Feta Couscous

Happy weekend you lovely people! It’s a beautiful day, a fantastic time to be out and enjoy the glorious weather. This weeks recipe is just what you need for a light and refreshing meal or even side dish, full of flavour and perfect if you are going for a picnic or having some friends over for lunch in the garden.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 100g couscous
• 100ml boiling water
• 70g dried soft apricots, cut into small pieces
• 100g feta cheese, cut into small chunks
• 2 tbsp seed mix (the one I used included: sunflower, pumpkin, hemp seeds and golden linseed)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Crushed black pepper

Method:

1. Start by placing the couscous in a heatproof bowl. Pour in the boiling water, cover with cling film and leave for 5-10 minutes.
2. In the meantime make the dressing by mixing the olive oil, maple syrup and lemon together in a another bowl.
3. Fluff the couscous with a fork (and move to the dish or bowl you desire), add the apricots, feta and seeds and season with crushed black pepper.
4. Drizzle over the dressing and give it a good mix.

Enjoy 🙂

Kidney Bean Salad

Let’s just keep it real, keep it simple and keeping it delicious with this recipe. Unreal how quick and simple this is to prepare and just so flavourful, definitely one that I will be going back to a fair few times as we draw closer to summer.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 can (400g) red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 handful of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp dried mint
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic granules
• Salt
• Pepper

Method:

1. Start of by making the marinade by adding the lemon, mint, olive oil, garlic granules, salt and pepper in a bowl and give it a good mix.
2. In a separate bowl put the beans, parsley and spring onion.
3. Drizzle the marinade over the bean mixture and give it another thorough mix.

Enjoy 🙂

Green Pepper Bulgur

Fresh, vibrant and flavourful is how I would describe this easy to make green pepper bulgur. Bulgur, a staple in my kitchen cupboard and a go-to for something quick to prepare, you’ll be eating your dinner before you know it. It is a fantastic way to get you into more lighter meals and to mix it up with different vegetables, keeping it healthy and adding different textures.

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

• 80g fine bulgur wheat
• 1 green pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• A handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp dried mint
• Salt
• Pepper

Method:

1. Start by preparing the bulgur according to the instructions on the packet.
2. Once the bulgur is prepared, fluff with a fork and add all the remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper, mix well and serve.

Black Bean and Tomato Salad

Given the considerably warm weather we have been having, this recipe is exactly what you need. Fantastic to have just as a light lunch if you’re not up to cooking (I don’t blame you!) The juice from the fresh tomatoes really brings this dish to life, lots of flavours, really light and takes little time to prepare.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 can (400g) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 finely chopped fresh tomatoes
• Lime
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• A small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• Salt
• Pepper

Method:

1. Firstly, start by making the marinade for the salad. In a bowl, put the juice of half a lime, the paprika, cumin, oil, season with salt and pepper and give it a mix.
2. In a separate bowl had all the remaining prepped ingredients.
3. Drizzle on the marinade and give it a good mix. Taste and season again with salt and pepper if needed.

Enjoy 🙂