Bean & Quinoa Salad

This salad is so tasty. Less ingredients but so much colours. So appetizing. And healthy, loaded with proteins without any piece of fish or meat.

Bean & Quinoa Salad
Adapted from Closet Cooking
(serves one)

Ingredients

- 80 grams red kidney beans (from tin, rinsed well)
- 20 grams red (or white) quinoa, rinsed and cooked
- 50 grams red pepper, diced
- 100 grams cucumber, cubed
- 70 grams corn (from tin, rinsed well)
- 1 cup rucola, chopped
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- pepper and salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil (with lemon)
- balsamic vinegar
- dried parsley

Method

Mix beans, quinoa (cold!), pepper, corn, cucumber, onions and rucola in a bowl. Season with pepper, salt and parsley. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar and mix well.

Enjoy!

Wheat Berry and Chickpea Salad

Hi guys!

I'm in a 'salad mood' so you have to deal with a salad recipe right now.
I know, it's wintertime, it's freezing outside and your stomach is screaming for hot & steamy soups and stews. Well, I'll disappoint you right now, because my stomach asks for a salad. But no worries, it's a good one. A very good one!

Say all thanks to Angela for this lovely recipe!

Wheat Berry and Chickpea Salad
(Adapted from Oh She Glows - Back On Track Wheat Berry and Bean Salad)

Ingredients
(serves one)

- 20 grams dry wheat berries, cooked and drained
- 100 grams drained chickpeas (from tin)
- 100 grams cucumber, chopped
- 40 grams red pepper, chopped
- 1 tomato, diced
- a handful of rucola, chopped
- 4 green onions, diced (I forgot it but this recipe needs it)
- kosher salt + pepper, to taste
- fresh or dried parsley
- apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon EVOO

Method

In a large bowl, mix together the diced vegetables (cucumber, red pepper, tomato, green onions). Add in drained chickpeas and wheat berries and stir. Now add the chopped rucola and parsley and stir. At last add the EVOO an vinegar and season with pepper and salt.

Enjoy!

Shrimp Salad with Avocado Mango Tomato Salsa and a Curry Dressing

Ingredients: (serves 2)

For the shrimps:
- 200 gram large shrimps, peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- pepper and salt

For the salad:
- mixed greens (bv. rucola, spinach, lettuce with red beet julienne)
- cucumber (sliced in 'spaghetti's')

For the salsa:
- 1 ripe mango, chopped in cubes
- 1 ripe avocado, chopped in cubes
- 2 small tomatoes
- 3 green onions, chopped
- juice of one lime

For the dressing:
- 2 tbsp mayonaise (or yogonaise)
- 5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- juice from one lime
- pepper and salt

Method:

First marinate the shrimps:
Put shrimps in a bowl and add the olive oil, pepper, salt and curry powder. Mix well, all shrimps should be covered. Set aside.

Make the dressing:
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

The salsa:
Put avocado and mango cubes in a bowl. Slice tomato in parts and remove seeds. Slice tomato in pieces and add to mango and avocado. Now add the chopped onions and lime juice and mix well but be careful: don't mash the avocado and mango! We want cubes! It's a salsa, not a pureed sauce.

The salad:
Dress a large (deep) plate with mixed green salad and make a 'basket' with the cucumber spaghetti's. Fill 'basket' with the salsa.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated shrimps and cook 4-5 minutes or until shrimp is done and glazed, turning once.

Add to salad.

Serve with the curry dressing.

Enjoy!

Insalata Caprese with Cucumber

Ingredients (serves 1)

- 1 fresh mozzarella cheese (125 gr), sliced
- 1 large tomato, sliced
- 100 gr cucumber, sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- course salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- balsamic crème
- olive oil

Method

In a circular design around the side of a serving plate, alternate fresh mozzarella slices with sliced tomatoes and cucumber slices, overlapping for effect.

Tear fresh basil leaves and sprinkle liberally over the slices. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Just before serving, drizzle on some top-quality extra-virgin olive oil and decorate with balsamic crème.

Enjoy!

Smoked Salmon

Lunchtime!

A simple whole wheat bun with smoked salmon, cream cheese, salad and tomato slices.

Delicious!

Avocado Salad with Asparagus & Pomegranate

Have you ever tried pomegranate fruit in a salad?
I did! And I can assure you: it's great! It makes salads so light and refreshing.
Combined with avocado and you have a perfect match!

Avocado Salad with Asparagus & Pomegranate (serves one)

Ingredients

For the salad:

- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- 1 small red onion, into wedges, roasted (400°F/200°C - 30/40 minutes)
- 4-5 green asparagus, roasted (400°F/200°C - 30/40 minutes)
- pomegranate seeds (50-60 grams)
- green salad mixture

For the vinaigrette:

- 1 tbsp of lemon olive oil (or olive oil + lemon juice)
- 2 tbsp of balsamic vinaigrette
- 1 tsp of grain mustard

Method

First make the vinaigrette by mixing the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Make the salad by putting together the sliced avocado, roasted red onion, asparagus and green salad mixture on a deep plate.

Drizzle the vinaigrette on top en add the pomegranate seeds.

Mmm...

(About my recipe page: I'm trying to add some pictures for each recipe, but for some reason, Blogger doesn't accept it. I'm trying to solve the problem but I can't find the solution. Keep working on that!)

Pumpkin Avocado Salad

If the proverb quote would be: "A pumpkin a day keeps the doctor away", I would be SUPER-DUPER healthy. I-would-eat-it-EVERY-DAY.

I actually crave for some pumpkin if I had a day without eating it.
Summer and spring, the 'pumpkinless' seasons, will be quite hard for me...

Pumpkin Avocado Salad (serves one)

Ingredients

For the salad:

- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- 1/4 pumpkin, roasted in the oven (200°C/400°F - +30-40 minutes)
- green salad mixture
- some leftover veggies: white mushrooms, green asparagus, beans, sugar snaps, ...
- 1 small red onion, sliced and roasted with the pumpkin

For the vinaigrette:

- 1 tbsp of lemon olive oil (or olive oil + lemon juice)
- 2 tbsp of balsamic vinaigrette
- 1 tsp of grain mustard
- 1 green (spring) onion, chopped

Toppings:

- 1 tbsp cranberries
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Method

Make the salad by mixing together the avocado, roasted red onion, roasted pumpkin, green salad mixture and leftover veggies you like.

Now make the vinaigrette by mixing together ingredients in a small bowl.

Drizzle over the salad and add the toppings.

Done!

Green Salad with Grilled Chicken, Pear & Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

It's pretty cold outside. I can't leave my house without a scarf, a warm sweater and some gloves. Everybody is talking about the delicious hot and steamy winter dishes, comforting hot casseroles, stews, pies, sausages, pudding and crumbles.

But me? I just have a huge enormous appetite for... salads.
Trying not to be abnormal, I use winter veggies and fruits like pumpkin, squash, red beets and parsnip.

Or pear. With grilled chicken. Mmm...

Green Salad with Grilled Chicken, Pear & Honey Mustard Vinaigrette (serves one)

Ingredients

For the chicken:

- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp cajun spice mix

For the salad:

- 3-4 green asparagus (washed, trimmed and cooked)
- 50-75 gram green salad mixture
- 5-6 white mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 pear, sliced

For the vinaigrette:

- 1 tbsp of lemon olive oil (or olive oil + lemon juice)
- 2 tbsp of balsamic vinaigrette
- 1 tsp of grain mustard
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup)

Method

Preheat grill. Brush chicken with olive oil and season with cajun spice mix.
Once the grill is preheated, arrange the chicken breasts on the plate. Close the lid, and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are cooked all the way through. Cut chicken breast into chunks.

Dress your plate with the salad, mushrooms, sliced pear and cooked asparagus.

Next, make the vinaigrette by whisking together all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Arrange the grilled chicken chunks on the salad. Drizzle vinaigrette over the chicken.

You can add some raisins, cranberries, nuts or seeds.

Enjoy!

Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Chicken

A tasty variationon my salad with roasted pumpkin:

Chicken instead of feta cheese!

Ingredients:
- 1/2 small pumpkin (200-250 gr), seeded and cut into chunks
- baby spinach leaves, lettuce, rucola or any salad you like
- fresh green beans (50-70 gr), cooked
- 6-10 white mushrooms (70-100 gr)
- a chicken breast (125-150 gr)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp thyme
- salt and pepper
- chicken herbs
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- raisins/cranberries and/or pumpkin seeds (optional)
- honey to drizzle over your salad

Method:

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F.

Toss the pumpkin in olive oil along with the thyme and a couple pinches of salt, and turn out onto a baking sheet (you can use aluminium foil too).

At the same time, toss the champignons with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and turn out onto the same baking sheet.
Roast for about 25 minutes. Meanwhile wash and dry the baby spinach.

Now, add the cooked beans onto the (same) baking sheet.

Roast for about 15-20 minutes or until pumpkin is brown and caramelized.

Season chicken breast with chicken herbs and bake in a pan with olive oil or grill. When ready, cut in pieces.

Dress your plate with the spinach leaves (or salad you have chosen). Add the roasted pumpkin, mushrooms and green beans. Add the chicken breast and drizzle with some salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and raisins/cranberries/pumpkin seeds.

If you like it sweet, drizzle some fluid honey on the salad. Lovely combination with chicken en pumpkin!

Enjoy!

Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Feta

I made myself a SUPER-DUPER salad today!

Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Feta
(serves one)

Ingredients
- 1/2 small pumpkin (200-250 gr), peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
- baby spinach leaves, lettuce, rucola or any salad you like
- fresh green beans (50-70 gr), cooked
- 6-10 white mushrooms (70-100 gr)
- feta cheese (50 gr), crumbled
- 1 small red onion, peeled and cut into 4 quarters
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp thyme
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- cranberries and/or pumpkin seeds (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F.

Toss the pumpkin in olive oil along with the thyme and a couple pinches of salt, and turn out onto a baking sheet (you can use aluminium foil too).

At the same time, toss the onions with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and turn out onto the same baking sheet.
Roast for about 25 minutes. Meanwhile wash and dry the baby spinach.

Now, add the cooked beans onto the (same) baking sheet, along with the champignons.

Roast for about 15-20 minutes or until pumpkin is brown and caramelized.

Dress your plate with the spinach leaves (or salad you have chosen). Add the roasted pumpkin, mushrooms, green beans and red onion quarters. Add the crumbled feta and drizzle with some salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and cranberries/pumpkin seeds.

Enjoy!

I ate...

Busy Busy,

But here some quick (not beautiful) snaps of meals I've had.

Breakfast:

Oatmeal made with rice milk (so much creamier than soy milk!), lots of cinnamon. With a huge bowl of black tea. My favourite breakfast!

Lunch:

Couscous with steamed roccili, tomatoes, sliced spring onion and herbs.

Diner:

Shrimp salad with lots of veggies (tomato, red pepper, sweet corn, salad, cucumber).

Snacks:

Two greengages + a frozen banana...

... topped with Lotus Gingerbread (Speculoos) Cookie crumble!

Hasselt and The Best Salad I Ever Had

Hi!

Back from my trip to Hasselt.
Shopped a lot! Spent lots of money... but my closet is happy!

We also visited three restaurants, but I only managed to take a picture from one meal (forgot camera the first, was too hungry the next time).
Here a snap from my most delicious salad I had:

Oké, this doesn't look tasty at all.
But it was divine(!):

A Spicy Chicken Salad with Jonagold Apple Julienne en Mango Dressing.

Believe me: this is the best salad I ever had!

The presentation was beautiful too, but I don't have a clear picture of that. Maybe this one?:

You see the 'crêpes' between and at the top of the salad? I don't know what it was, but I think it was something like small baked (fried?) bread. Didn't eat it because I wanted to keep it FFL, but I loved the presentation.

I really had a great time with my lovely sister.
Good chats, beautiful shoes and clothes, nice eats, ... Didn't need anything more.

Or maybe my pillow. And my mattress. My own bed.
I hate hotel beds!

My lovely sister and me.

Gingerbread (Speculoos) Vice Cream

Yes, it's like a mixture of 'winter' (= gingerbread) and 'summer' (ice = banana).

Gingerbread from Lotus Bakeries = The Best and it's pretty vegan!

Compare:

100 gr Lotus Gingerbread (Speculoos) Ice Cream = 296 kcal.
100 gr Own Made Gingerbread Vice Cream = 108 kcal.

So totally dairy, egg free...

I loved my lunch too (I always do ;))

Shrimp Salad with steamed green beans, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes and salad.

So easy but so...

Have a nice evening!

Trout Salad and Banana Toast

Hi guys!

Blogging is more difficult these days: I'm preparing for a one week trip to France with the boy! We leave next weekend.

I want to share this easy, lovely salad with fish:

Green veggies (asparagus, green beans and broccoli) with smoked trout.

I loooove smoked fish!

I also love my new fulfilling breakfast I eat occasionally these days:

Whole Wheat Rye Bread with Apple-Pear syrup and banana slices.
At the side: a big cup of black tea.

Mmm.

I'm still enjoying a vice cream every day. Hope you all tried it yet?

Love!

Green Salad and A Vice Cream Introduction

Urgh, I hate this wheater.
Monday: such a good day: 23°C, full sun, no cloud.
Tuesday: waking up from the pouring rain on my roof, cloudy but still 22°C, no sun.
This morning: sun, a little cloudy, 20°C.

I spent hours looking in my closet searching and thinking what the hell I should wear on days like these. One solution: layers!

Lunch today: A green salad with sliced ham.

Steamed broccoli, sugar snaps and green beans, topped with raw mushrooms and ham slices.
At the end, I splashed it with some tomato ketchup Balanz. Mmmm.

But now the most exciting moment of the day: when my foodprocessor chopped a frozen banana into a delicious ice cream!
I couldn't believe the video's and recipes on the internet: making ice cream with one ingrediënt?

Ok, look at the results:

Later that day, I tried it again and added some frozen raspberries:

Oh my god, this looks so much like real ice cream! In fact: it tastes so much better!
Don't you love the idea of eating an ice cream without any eggs, cream, milk, sugar and other additions?!

Just add your own:
- raisins
- dates or dried figs
- honey, agave or maple syrup
- own made cookies
- carob powder
- chocolate chips
- (pea)nut butter
- own made granola (!)
- ...

I definitely will share my experiences with you guys!

Mmm...

Afternoon Shifts

This week, I have to work in the afternoon.
That means I have to prepare meals that will join me at work.
Because the weather is so nice for us, the temperature is good, I will make cold salads.

Breakfast was oatmeal. Easy: dairy free milk, water and oats.

Lunch:

A toast with a small tuna salad: tuna, spring onion, green pepper, tomato, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and salad herbs.

Snack: Fruit!

Strawberry, kiwi (with skin!), banana topped with sesame and flax seeds and at work, I will add some raisins. Love the combination of fresh and dried fruits!

Dinner: Salad!

Spinach, cherry tomatoes, green onion, red pepper, corn, cucumber with balsamic vinegar and salad herbs. Not pictured: shrimps. I always add them just before eating.

Have a nice day!

Wrap!

A quick post because work is waiting for me!

I just want to share my lunch (and dinner) for today.

My first wrap:

Tortilla wrap with chicken, spinach, tomato, and basil. Grilled for about 7 minutes.
Easy, but so delicious!

I have to work late so I already made my dinner for tonight.
Another quinoa salad. This time, I choose red quinoa instead of white. Sometimes, I just want another color on my plate :).

In the mix:

- red quinoa
- cucumber
- orange pepper
- spring onion
- shredded carrots
- apple (I used Granny Smith)
- shrimps

Seasoning:

- salad herbs (eschalot, parsley, salt, garlic and pepper)
- balsamic vinegar
- lemon juice

(For some reason, blogger wants to show my pictures vertically. Bad boy!)

My First Quinoa Salad (Easy Peasy)

Yesterday, I made my first quinoa salad.

I have to admit something: It has been at least 6 months I ate grains. Curiously enough, I love grains. I don't have to say it again I'm a little oat-addict. But now I'm in love with another grain (or better 'seed'): quinoa.

In the mix:

- red pepper
- cucumber
- a carrot
- spinach
- spring onion
- quinoa (of course)

Seasoning:

- salad herbs
- a tablespoon of lemon juice
- two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

It tastes very well! Next time, I will add some corn and maybe fish (shrimps, tuna or salmon) or poultry (chicken or turkey).

I love lunch time!