Turkish Bulgur Salad

I originally come from Berlin which has a large Turkish population. I love Turkish salads. They are quick to make and usually quite healthy.

Bulgur salds are just one example of it. In fact, Bulgur is used quite a bit in Turkish cooking. Since it is Ramadan at the moment, I thought it would be nice to add something from around the globe that is quick to make, taste great, is lean on the waist line and my bank account.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes  Cook Time: 15 Minutes            Ready In: 1 Hour

Servings: 6

3 tbs olive oil

1 onion, cut very, very fine

1 ripe tomato, cut into small cubes

3 cups broth

2 cups bulgur, rinsed

1/2 cup cooked green lentils

1/3 cup cooked chickpeas

1 bunch fresh mint, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for an addition minute or two. Add the broth and bring the whole mixture to a boil.

Stir in the bulgur and season. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer until the bulgur begins to soften (takes about 5 minutes). Add the lentils and chickpeas and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes – the bulgur needs to be tender and the liquid should have evaporates.

Remove from heat and cool for about 30 minutes. Fold in the mint just before serving.

Beetroots and Apple Salad

Here is a quick and easy salad that is perfect for the winter - although in my family we eat it all year round. This recipe has been passed down from generation to generation. I remember my great-grandma serving it when I was a small child.

3 medium beet roots, cooked and peeled
3 medium apples (granny smith) peeled & cored
Juice from 1 lemon or a little more.....
2 tbsp. full good mayonnaise (you can use low calorie)
3 tbsp. sugar or more to your own taste (you can use sugar substitute)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup walnuts chopped (optional)

In food processor shred coarsely the beet roots and apples. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Season to taste.

The salad keeps for about a week (well, in theory anyway). It is better after it has sat in the fridge for a few hours, but tastes good when you just made it.

Note: I was out of lemon juice so I just added a spoon of orange juice. Made the salad a touch sweeter.

Easy grilled chicken salad

Here is a great way of using up grilled chicken. You can make it in advance and take it with you to work. Just pack the dressing seperatly so that the greens won't willt.

2 chicken breasts, grilled and chopped in
1 package spring mix greens
1 large tomato, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
1 onion, sliced (preferably red)
1-2 handfuls herb croutons
1 handful Craisins

Dressing:
1/2 olive oil
1/2 vinegar - balsamic, rasbery or mango
 
Chop grilled chicken breast into bite sized pieces.
Divide the greens among 4 plates.  Arange the tomatoes, avocado, onion and chicken evenly on top of the greens.  Top with croutons and Craisins.  
Mix oil and vinegar together. Add salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad.

Tip: you can use cranberies or pomegranate seeds.

Avocado Tomato Salad

This quick to make salad goes great with grilled chicken, steak or even grilled fish. It is also nice as a sort of salsa when you crave some Mexican food.

2 large tomatoes; seeded and chopped in large chunks

2 large Avocados; cut in large chunks

1  Red onion; cut in very fine strips

1/2 tablespoon jalapeno pepper; finely chopped - adjust to how hot you like it

juice of half a Lime (approx. 1 – 2 Tbs)

2-3 branches of fresh cilantro, chopped finely

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut the avocadoes and tomatoes so they are approximately the same size. Combine all ingredients and serve straight away.

Important: De-seed the tomatoes or you will have way too much juice. Adjust lime juice so there's not too much liquid.

Tip: Try it with diced red or yellow pepper, green onions and a sprinkling of chili powder and cumin.
You could also add diced mozzarella for an Italian twist

Basic Vinaigrette with variations

With spring being here I find myself wanting more and more salads. Now, I really enjoy salads and especially in the warmer month this is some food that does not require any cooking.

Another thing I really look for in my food is variations. I don’t like tasting the same over and over again. One way that I spice up a simple salad is real quick and simple: salad dressings. Below you have the recipe for a very basic vinaigrette, followed by a few variations.

There are different ways of making dressing, which will also influence the texture. One way is by adding everything into a glass container (e.g. an old jam glass), close the lid and shake vigorously for a few seconds. This will be like the bottled version that you get.

On the other hand, if you whisk it, either manually or in a mixer, you will get a really smooth, velvety dressing – more like what you get in restaurants.

Both versions work fine. I usually make up quite a bit at a time and then use it during the week.

A very simple way of making variations is using herbs. Dried herbs have a more intense flavor but need extra time to rehydrate and release their flavorings and should be prepared about 2 hours in advance.  If you don’t have fresh herbs, which are always preferred, you need to substitute it with about ¼ of the original quantity with dried herbs – that means if a recipe calls for 4 tsp fresh chopped herbs, you need only 1 tsp dried herbs.

You can add just about anything. You can also play around slightly with the vinegar-oil ratio, however, the basic ratio is 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil.

Basic vinaigrette

1/2 cup wine vinegar (red, white, balsamic)

1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 to 2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Mustard Honey vinaigrette:

Add 1 tsp French Dijon and 1 tbs honey.

Herbed vinaigrette:

Add 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1 tbsp. fresh minced basil, and 1 tsp. marjoram, chives to the Mustard Honey vinaigrette.

Herbed Italian vinaigrette:

Add 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 5 cloves minced garlic, 2 tbsp. fresh minced basil, 1 tsp. fresh minced oregano (optional), 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes.

Piquant Dressing:

Add 1 chopped hard cooked egg, 1 tsp. mustard, 1 tbsp. finely chopped onion (green works great), 1 tsp. paprika.

Avocado Dressing:

Add 1 cup pureed avocado and blend until smooth. Add a little bit of lemon juice (stops it from going brown/grey).

Sour Cream or Buttermilk Dressing:

Add 1 cup sour cream or buttermilk to basic dressing and blend until smooth. Add herbs as desired.

Simplest Tomatoe Salad EVER

This is a very simple, no brainer tomato salad. You honestly cannot go wrong with this one. All you need are some very basic ingredients. Goes well with steak or as a starter. Good way to use up tomatoes.

2 Tomatoes (per person)
Balsamic vinegar to taste (any other vinegar works too)
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
some spring onions or chives (optional)

Cut tomatoes into slices about 1/2 cm thick. Spread slices out in a neat circle around the edge of a bowl, with a few in the middle. Sprinkle some olive oil onto the tomatoes; making sure that it covers all of them, then sprinkle the vinegar on top (easy on the vinegar). Season with salt and peppers. Slice up some green onions or chives into small pieces, and sprinkle them over the tomatoes. You can serve it straight away, but you can also refrigerate it. It is nice if served slightly chilled.

You could also mix the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl (best with a small whisk) until combined and then pour this over the tomatoes.

Variations:
Add some mozzarella cheese and basil, but leave out the spring onions/chives
Or exchange the spring onions/chives for onions (half the onion then slice it thinly into half circles) and avocado.