Salad Dressing Archives - Coconut and Berries

Roasted Celeriac & Sweet Potato with Saffron Quinoa & Herby Drizzle

We’re revisiting an old, forgotten friend today – celeriac! It’s one of those vegetables that’s easy to forget about and I’ve shared just 2 celeriac recipes on the blog until now.

My Simple Celeriac Soup is a lovely, mild-tasting recipe that goes down well with everyone. My Celeriac, Pear & Rocket Salad is a little more quirky and more suited to those into bold/punchy flavours.

Today’s recipe features celeriac the way I cook it most often – roasted.

Roasting a pan of root vegetables is definitely one of my favourite ways to start a meal. I’m clearly a fan of veggies almost any which way but have found that when feeding slightly more veg-sceptical people, roasting is definitely the way forwards!

Celeriac has a nutty, sweet taste that just gets accentuated with a stint in the oven. Adding sweet potatoes to the mix softens the flavour too.

To turn my roasted celeriac & sweet potato into a complete meal, I served them over quinoa infused with saffron to give it a hint of something extra and topped it all with a good drizzle of herby dressing.

I’m pretty smitten with this herby sauce/dressing. I adore using fresh herbs in my cooking but very rarely manage to use them all up before they start to get rather sad looking. This recipe is a fantastic way to use up any of those herbs in the fridge that are on on their last legs.

I like a mix of parsley and coriander (cilantro) best – convenient as those are probably the herbs I use most. Feel free to use your favourite leafy herbs though. Dill, basil, mint and tarragon are other great options. I would advise against using woody herbs like rosemary or thyme.

Just blend up those herbs with some lime or lemon, garlic, a little spice, salt and olive oil to make a sauce that’s good on greens, grains, beans…anything which could do with a bit of jazzing up.

I finished this dish with some fresh rocket and a handful of toasted almonds. Again, it’s super versatile so use what you have to hand. If you want to bulk it up even more, how about adding some toasted chickpeas or mixing lentils in with the quinoa?

Roasted Celeriac & Sweet Potato with Saffron Quinoa & Herby Drizzle

Yield: Approx 4 Servings

Roasted Celeriac & Sweet Potato with Saffron Quinoa & Herby Drizzle

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Large Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 Large head of Celeriac, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
Salt & pepper

Saffron Quinoa:

1/2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Shallot
1 C Quinoa (well-rinsed)
2 C Vegetable broth
1/4 tsp Saffron
1/2 tsp Salt

Herby Drizzle:

1 C Loosely packed fresh herbs (I like a mix of parsley & coriander)
2 Tbsp Lime OR Lemon juice
1 tsp Ground cumin
1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
1 Small clove of garlic
1/4 C Extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp Salt
Rocket (optional)
Toasted, flaked almonds (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 190C/375F.
In a large roasting pan, toss the sweet potato and celeriac with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender and golden brown at the edges.
Meanwhile, cook the quinoa. In a medium-size pot, cook the shallot in the olive oil for a few minutes, until softened. Add the quinoa, vegetable broth and saffron, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and leave to simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Leave covered for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork.
For the herby drizzle, blend all ingredients until smooth. I love my Tribest personal blender for small amounts like this. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To serve, place a handful of rocket in each bowl, then add a scoop of quinoa. Top with roasted celeriac and sweet potato and a generous drizzle of the herby dressing/sauce.
Finish with toasted almonds if desired.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2015/04/01/roasted-celeriac-sweet-potato-with-saffron-quinoa-herby-drizzle/

This is a nice healthy one to enjoy over the next couple of days, especially if you’re predicting an indulgent Easter weekend!

I’m heading back to my family home for the next few days and looking forward to a little break from the busy-ness of London, some country air and family time. It’s my birthday on Friday too so I get to enjoy birthday and Easter celebrations all at once!

Wishing you all a lovely holiday!

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Quick and Easy Lentil-Yogurt Salad

Quick and simple is the name of the game around these parts at the moment! I’m working away to get my dissertation written. After two weeks away it was a bit tough getting back into it, especially since I’m done with the fun bit and have just got the boring stuff left to do…

Of course I’d much rather be doing other things, including cooking, but I’ve accepted I’ll just be spending a little less time in the kitchen over the next few weeks while I get it done.

BUT, good food is still important to me and even with less time to play with I’m making sure my meals are just as tasty and healthy as usual. I’ve been enjoying this Lentil-Yogurt Salad for the past couple of days and hope you’ll like it too!

Lentils are a great lunch staple- unlike other beans/legumes they don’t need to be soaked overnight, and even then they only need cooking for 20 minutes or so. They’re inexpensive and super nutritious too of course. All that protein and fibre will power you on through until dinner time.

My preference are French Puy lentils which hold their shape more than other kinds and make for a better textured salad. None of that mushy stuff for me thank you!

When cooking these lentils I actually realized I’d picked up some imposter Puy lentils (or at least mistaken regular French green lentils for Puy…)! I cooked them for slightly less time than I would Puy and they turned out fine but I highly recommend real Puy for the best salad experience!

I throw a quartered onion, a couple of smashed garlic cloves and bay leaves into the pot so that the lentils pick up some flavour while they’re cooking. I think I could eat a whole bowl of lentils cooked like that and just dressed with a simple vinaigrette, but this time I thought I’d try something a little different but just as easy.

A good spoonful of yogurt (non-dairy of course!) with lemon, olive oil and fresh herbs was a lovely change, especially with sweet, crunchy summer vegetables- my favourites at the moment are sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes and radishes.

Served with a green salad and sprouted wheat bread with homemade hummus for a lunch of champions!

Quick & Easy Lentil-Yogurt Salad

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Quick & Easy Lentil-Yogurt Salad

Ingredients

1 C Puy lentils OR Green lentils
1 Onion, peeled and quartered
2 Cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed with the flat of a knife
2 Bay leaves
4 C (+) Cold water
Heaping 1/2 C each:
Sliced radishes
Halved cherry tomatoes
Sliced Sugar snap peas

Dressing

1/3 C Non-dairy yogurt (I use unsweetened organic soy)*
1-1/2 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Tbsp Chopped parsley
2 Green onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Salt (or to taste)
Black pepper

Instructions

Add the lentils, onion, garlic and bay leaves to a medium-large pot and cover with at least 4 cups of water. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until just tender but not mushy. Drain, remove onion, garlic and bay leaves and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, mix together all the dressing ingredients.
Stir the dressing into the lentils then stir through the vegetables. Check seasoning and serve.
This salad keeps well for a few days, covered, in the fridge.

Notes

* If you're soy-free you could try using coconut yogurt instead of the soy yogurt. It will have a slightly different taste but will almost certainly still be delicious.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/07/30/quick-easy-lentil-yogurt-salad/

What are your favourite quick lunch recipes? Please share in the comments!

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Fresh Apricot Salad with Strawberry Dressing & Pecans

We’re smack bang in the middle of stone fruit season. Juicy yellow and purple plums, glistening cherries, velvety peaches and nectarines…I’m incorporating them into every meal to make the most of the short season.

Fresh apricots seem to be rather overlooked, including by me, but just as I was leaving my local health food shop a few days ago, I spied a basket of these lightly freckled beauties and couldn’t bear to leave them behind.

They were perfectly ripe and a couple did get a little squished on my way home. No matter though as they became a delicious topping for my Sunday morning pancakes.

If you’ve been reading Coconut and Berries since the beginning (!), you may remember the Nectarine Salad with Blackberry Dressing, Basil & Hazelnuts I shared last summer. I used that recipe as a guide, simply switching up a few ingredients, to create this Fresh Apricot Salad with Strawberry Dressing & Pecans.

My fresh apricots took the place of the nectarines, I used strawberries instead of blackberries in the dressing, buttery pecans replaced the hazelnuts, and I added some quinoa to make it a little more substantial.

I can’t imagine anyone having a problem eating a plateful of leafy greens when they’re tossed in this sweet, pretty pink dressing!

I particularly like wild rocket (arugula) or watercress in this salad for a peppery kick but go ahead and use whatever salad greens you have to hand.

Fresh Apricot Salad with Strawberry Dressing & Pecans

Yield: 2 small servings or 1 large

Fresh Apricot Salad with Strawberry Dressing & Pecans

Ingredients

1 C Cooked and cooled quinoa (approx 1/3 C dry)
3-4 C Rocket leaves (arugula)
4 Fresh apricots, pitted and quartered
1/4 C Pecans

Strawberry Dressing:

1/3 C Strawberries (approx 5 medium)
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1-1/2 Tbsp White balsamic vinegar*
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Prepare the dressing first by blending all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad.
Toast the pecans in a small pan over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Set aside.
Lay a bed of rocket on a serving dish or in a salad bowl, top with the quinoa and then the apricots. Drizzle with as much dressing as desired and top with the toasted pecans.
Serve.

Notes

* White balsamic is wonderful here as, like regular balsamic vinegar, it is naturally sweet and so brings out the flavour of the strawberries. Regular balsamic vinegar will darken your dressing so if you don't have white I recommend substituting apple cider vinegar (a little less) and a dash of liquid sweetener.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/07/23/fresh-apricot-salad-with-strawberry-dressing-pecans/

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Review: Salad Samurai by Terry Hope Romero

None of my own recipes today but I am sharing one from the sensational new cookbook, Salad Samurai! Authored by Terry Hope Romero, vegan chef extraordinaire, probably best known as co-author of the vegan bible, Veganomicon, but also as the brains behind Viva Vegan, Vegan Eats World and more.

[Vanessa. K. Rees is the talented photographer behind the show-stopping pictures accompanying the recipes in the book. All photos in this review are my own but you can check out some of those in the book here (N.b. The name of the book was later changed).]

If you’ve ever thought salad was boring, unsatisfying, not a real meal, rabbit food…this book will definitely make you think again. My first impressions were that it was a small volume, but I opened it up and was overwhelmed by how much is packed in, and all creative and unique ideas.

One of my favourite things to do is to sit down with a new cookbook, a pen and some sticky notes and bookmark everything I want to make. I soon realized that it was a slightly pointless job with this one though as I’d be filling the whole book!

It’s divided into chapters according to season- proving that salad isn’t just for summer! There are also chapters on Salad Toppers and Salad Dressings as well as a Sweet & Savory chapter featuring the “salad-like” creations Terry enjoys for breakfast.

I dove straight into that section as I didn’t even need to buy anything to make the Overnight Oats with Mexican Chocolate Crème. I’m sure many of you, like me, have got into the overnight oats thing by now. But this simple meal gets kicked up a notch with a cinnamon chile chocolate crème. Just slightly spicy, this will put a bit of pep in your step. Oh, and it might sound and taste decadent, but I promise it’s healthy.

One craze I hadn’t yet tried was coconut bacon, though I’ve wanted to for a while now. Terry’s recipe for Coconut Bacon Bits certainly didn’t disappoint. These are really easy to make and perfect on anything. The suggestion to sprinkle them on granola is genius!

They’re listed as an optional ingredient in one of the summer recipes, The BKT (Bacon, Kale, Tomato) Bowl. I’m always drawn to tempeh dishes and, fortunately for me, the book has quite a few. This is a seriously hearty salad. The tempeh bacon (yes, more “bacon”!) was big on flavour and I don’t think you can go wrong with kale, cherry tomatoes and avocado.

Luckily for you all, you don’t have to wait for your own copy to arrive to get stuck in, as the publisher, Da Capo Press, have kindly allowed me to share this recipe with my readers.

The BKT (Bacon.Kale.Tomato) Bowl

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2 Servings

The BKT (Bacon.Kale.Tomato) Bowl

Ingredients

Salad
1 Recipe Tempeh Bacon Bites or 8oz store-bought tempeh bacon
1 pound Curly kale
1 Red onion, sliced into half moons
1 pint Red cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 ripe avocado, diced
Coconut Bacony Bites (see page 48) (optional)
Dressing
2 Tbsp minced shallots
4 tsp Apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tbsp Maple syrup
1 Tbsp Smooth Dijon mustard
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Tempeh Bacon Bites
8oz Tempeh
2 Tbsp Maple syrup
2 Tbsp Tamari
1 Tbsp All-natural Ketchup
1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
3/4 tsp Liquid smoke

Instructions

Tempeh Bacon Bites
Slice the tempeh into 1/4" thin strips. Then stack a few strips at a time and slice the tempeh into bite-size pieces, about 1" long.
In a ceramic or metal baking dish, whisk together the remaining ingredients until smooth. Add the tempeh bits and gently toss to completely coat with marinade. Let stand for 10 minutes or cover and chill overnight.
Use a fork to transfer the tempeh pieces (leaving any marinade behind) to a lightly oiled cast-iron skillet preheated over medium heat. Lay the pieces in a single layer, and if desired spritz with a little cooking spray. Cook until well browned on one side, flip, and cook the other side until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. After the tempeh is browned on both sides, pour the marinade over it and simmer until the marinade is absorbed. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Store chilled and consume within 2 days for best flavour.
For the salad
Strip the kale leaves off the stems, tear or chop into bite-size pieces. Wash and spin the kale dry, then transfer the kale to a large mixing bowl. Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour half the dressing over the kale and massage for a minute.
Add the tempeh bacon, red onion, tomato, avocado and remaining dressing to the kale. Use tongs to combine and coat everything with the dressing. Serve immediately and pass around the Coconut Bacony Bits if using!

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/06/20/review-salad-samurai-terry-hope-romero/

The latest dish from the book to grace my tastebuds was the Pesto Cauliflower & Potato Salad. This is my favourite so far. Grilled cauliflower is simply irresistible! And just a few simple easy ingredients dress it up and turn it into a lovely light dinner.

A few people have expressed concerns that the recipes in the book might be complex and require a long list of hard-to-find ingredients. Just to allay your fears, that’s not the case at all. There may be a few less familiar ingredients but they’re few and far between. Most of the recipes specify that they take 30 minutes or 45 minutes to prepare, certainly doable for weeknights. I found the timings to be accurate, even slightly overestimated perhaps.

So, what’s next? I’m sticking to the Summer chapter for now to help me narrow down the options. But even within the chapter, the Green Curry Lentil Quinoa Salad, Mexican Roasted Corn Salad with Avocado and Plums Love Arugula Salad are just a few of the recipes calling to me.

If you haven’t got a copy of Salad Samurai yet, I hope I’ve convinced you! Let me know what you’re making and enjoying.

If you’re new to Coconut and Berries, Please sign up for email updates and join me elsewhere: I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram (@coconutandberries), Google + and Twitter!

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[Disclosure: I was sent a free copy of this cookbook for review purposes, but, as always, all opinions are my own]

Sesame Hummus Bites with Mango-Tahini Sauce

I ate a lot of hummus during my time away. I packed lunch every day to take to work, and while sometimes I was prepared enough to make grain/bean/veggie salads to-go, I often resorted to the lazy option and ate hummus/salad sandwiches for several days straight.

I’m sure I’ve already mentioned how much I dislike eating the same thing over and over again, but even worse was that I had no food processor in Geneva so had to rely on supermarket hummus most of the time. I don’t know how it’s possible to make hummus bad but this really was terrible! Fortunately, the good farmers’ market seedy spelt bread almost made up for it.

That said, it’s nice to return home to my kitchen ingredients and equipment (I especially missed my food processor, blender and decent knives!) and the first thing I made was hummus. Well, sort of.

I’m sure I’m not alone in eating hummus with a spoon sometimes…please tell me I’m not! But it’s not exactly something you can do at a table/in public. So these bites were devised as a more acceptable way of getting hummus to mouth efficiently, without crackers, bread or anything else getting in the way.

A simple, light version of our beloved chickpea dip, with green onions, herbs and carrot folded in for extra flavour and texture, shaped into bite-size balls and rolled in toasted sesame seeds. Perfect for popping into your mouth. No spoon necessary!

They’d be a fun alternative to your classic hummus & crudités platter appetizer. Kick them up a notch and serve them alongside my Mango-Tahini Sauce for dipping.
Tahini on tahini? Yes please!

My favourite way to serve them is over a giant rainbow salad. Great for clearing out all the odds and ends in your fridge and getting lots of colour and variety into your diet. I just fill a bowl with whatever veggies I have on hand, top with several of the Sesame Hummus Bites and drizzle generously with Mango-Tahini Sauce. Much more fun than a dollop of hummus.

Sesame Hummus Bites with Mango-Tahini Sauce

2014-05-05 07:47:41

Yields 20

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Prep Time

20 min

Prep Time

20 min

Sesame Hummus Bites

1-1/2 C Cooked chickpeas (1 can)
2 Tbsp Tahini
3 Tbsp Lemon juice
3 Tbsp Water
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Paprika
Pepper
1 Medium carrot, grated
2 Green onions, finely chopped
Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
1/2 C Sesame seeds (white, black or a mixture)

Mango-Tahini Sauce

1 Mango, cubed (approx 2 C)
1/4 C Lime juice
1/4 C Tahini
2 Green onions, chopped (white part only)
1/2 tsp Salt
A few pinches of cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

For the hummus bites, in a food processor blend the chickpeas, tahini, lemon, water, paprika, salt and pepper until you have a smooth, thick hummus-like consistency. Transfer to a large bowl, add the carrot, green onion and coriander and mix well to incorporate.
Roll mixture into small balls, using slightly moistened hands. The mixture shouldn't be particularly sticky.
Meanwhile, toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for approx 5 minutes, or until fragrant.
Pour the sesame seeds into a wide dish and gently roll the hummus bites in them to coat.

Mango-Tahini Sauce

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth.

Notes

You will have extra sesame seeds but I find it's easier to coat the bites if you're rolling them in a larger amount.

Coconut and Berries http://www.coconutandberries.com/

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