Coconut Chutney Recipe

Tomato Stack Salad with Corn, Bacon, and Avocado

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 min.

Cook Time: 8 min.

Total Time: 20 min.

Ingredients:

2 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled
2 ears of corn
2 red tomatoes, thickly sliced
1 yellow tomato, thickly sliced
1 orange tomato, thickly sliced
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Basil for garnish
Creamy buttermilk ranch dressing (see link above for recipe)

Directions:

Make the Creamy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. Click here for the recipe.
Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Coat the corn with cooking spray then place into the grill pan and cook for 8 minutes or until well marked, turning occasionally. Remove from the grill pan; cool slightly. Cut the corn kernels from the cobs; set aside.
Slice the tomatoes and sprinkle them with salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Alternate layers of tomatoes and avocado on the serving plates. Side Note: I used two slices of the avocado together to make an even layer in between the tomatoes. Scatter the corn and bacon crumbles evenly between each tomato stack. Drizzle each tomato stack with the ranch dressing and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Low Fat Light Spaghetti Salad

Ingredients :

•    2 (12 ounce) packages spaghetti

•    1 small red onion, finely chopped

•    1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

•    1 cucumber, chopped

•    1 tomato, chopped

•    1 (16 ounce) bottle fat-free Italian salad dressing

•    1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian salad dressing

 •   1 teaspoon salt

How To Prepare : 

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water.
2. Place spaghetti into a large salad bowl and toss with red onion, red bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, Italian salad dressing, salad dressing mix, and salt. Chill before serving; salad is better the longer it chills.

Servings : 12

Zesty Mexican-Style Salad Dressing

This is a delicious dressing with all of the flavors of Mexico in every taste. This recipe uses dried spices that you may already have in your kitchen.

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup reduced-fat milk
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground chile or chile powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• salt to taste

Preparation:

Whisk together the milk and mayonnaise. Add in the spices and whisk until blended. Let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour before use to enhance the flavors. Tip Mayonnaise can be difficult to measure but if you also have a liquid in the recipe, there is a trick to measuring the mayonnaise. In a large glass measuring cup (a 4-cup measuring container works well) measure out the milk first to 1/2 cup. Then add the mayonnaise by the spoonful until the mixture reaches the 1 1/4 cup line which means you have added 3/4 cup mayonnaise to the 1/2 cup milk. Now you can use the mixture as directed.

Black Lentil & Chickpea Salad With Mint Lemon Dressing

Yield: Serves 8

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

A healthy combination of fresh vegetables, black lentils, and chickpeas create a delicious hearty salad.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Beluga Lentils, Rinsed & Picked Over
2 Stalks Celery, Finely Chopped
6 Green Onions (Scallions) Chopped
1 (14 ounce) Can Chickpeas
6 Large, Ripe Plum Tomatoes, Chopped
1/2 Cup Coarsely Chopped Fresh Parsley
1/4 Cup Pitted Kalamata Olives, Chopped
Dressing:
Juice from 1 1/2 Large Lemons
Zest From 1 Lemon
3 Tablespoons Fresh Mint
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Cook the lentils until "al dente" in boiling water, about 20 minutes.
Drain lentils and bring to room temperature.
Use a blender or hand wand to puree the dressing ingredients.
Add the lentils and other ingredients into a large bowl, then pour on the dressing and toss to mix.
Let salad rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, mix again, then serve.

Asparagus, Cherry Tomato & Mozzarella Salad

A satisfying complete meal in a bowl that is perfect for the warmer days of summer.

Ingredients:

1 Bunch Asparagus, Trimmed & Cut Into 2 Inch Pieces
3 Cups Mesclun Salad Mix
2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
1/4 Cup Chopped Green Onions
3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Sea Salt & Pepper
2 Balls Fresh Mozzarella (1 Pound Total)

Directions:

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook asparagus for 4-5 minutes until tender crisp.
Drain, and place the asparagus in ice water.
Place mesclun mix over the bottom of four bowls.
Mix vinegar, oil, mustard and salt together and set aside.
Drain & dry the asparagus, and then mix together the asparagus, tomatoes, and green onion.
Pour the dressing over the asparagus and toss.
Spoon the asparagus and tomato mixture over the greens, spooning any extra dressing on top of the salads.
Slice the mozzarella and arrange on top of the salads.

Warm Black Tagliatelle Salad

Not a usual salad, not usual Pasta, but the mixture of ingredients is fresh and new and with a sea taste on top.

•Ingredients for 4 servings: Black NestsTagliatelle, half avocado, half salad tomatoe, half green pepper, one fresh green onion, 90 ml of extra virgin olive oil, 20 ml of balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper. 16 fresh prawns or little lobsters and 2 or 3 kinds of lettuce. 10 walnuts.
•Boil water in a big pot and when it starts boiling add a pynch of salt and a spurt of oil. Add the tagliatelle and let boil for 4 minutes (whatever your package says). Strain and add a bit of olive oil so that it doesn’t get sticky.

•Meanwhile wash the little lobsters (their size is like a prawn but look like lobsters. You can use prawns if you want).
•Prepare the dressing with the avocado, tomatoe, onion, green pepper, olive oil, vinegar, salt, black pepper. All veggies should be cut very tiny.

•Place the tagliatelle on the plate, add the dressing on top.
•Place the letucce over the tagliatelle (previously cleaned and dried), add some more dressing.
•Fry the little lobsters just a bit in a saucerpan with some olive oil and salt. (aprox 2 minutes).
•Peel the little lobsters, take their heads off and use them to decorate the dish. Put their bodies on top of the lettuce.
•Add some more olive oil to the saucepan used to fry them, strain and use it to pour on top.
•Add the walnuts in small pieces.

You won't be deceived... Try it!!! 

Russian Salad

•Ingredients for 4 persons:
•400grs. Green beans, 2 big carrots, 1 big potatoe, 4 eggs, 1 can of tuna fish and some allioli.
The name of the course has nothing to do with Russian salads but this is how it's called...

•Pour some water in a pot and add some salt. When it starts boiling add the veggies cut in cubes.

•Let it boil for 20 to 30 minutes. After that strain and let it cool.
•Meanwhile boil the eggs for 4-5 minutes and let them cool.
•Make some allioli. (see my recipe)

•When the veggies and the eggs are cool, put in a big bowl and add the tuna fish. Leave the allioli apart so that everyone can have as much as he/she wants.
•This recipe is originally made with mayonnaise, but I like it more with allioli. You can also add some olives if you wish.

•Great in summertime and also great for kids.