Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnut

I chanced upon this highly raved recipe online and thought that I could give it a try (with some slight modifications to the recipe) since I have all the ingredients available. I was initially skeptical about how good this can taste given its simple ingredients, and was proven so wrong. I'll be straightforward here. This has gotta be one of the best chicken salads I've tasted! The addition of celery made this salad so refreshing despite the huge amount of mayonnaise used. The worchestershire sauce also gave this otherwise heavy taste an extra kick. So good that I'll sure be remaking this very often!


Ingredients:

1 piece - chicken breast, poached and cubed
20 - seedless grapes, halved
2 tablespoons - mayonnaise
1 teaspoon - worchestershire sauce
3 stalks - celery, chopped finely
1 small - red onion, minced
1 handful - walnut, broken into smaller pieces

Method:

Mix the chicken breast, grapes, celery, onion, mayonnaise and worchestershire sauce. Place in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight for the flavours to blend together.

Top with walnuts when ready to serve. Best served with a loaf of nicely toasted baguette.

Spicy Top Shell Salad

The perfect accompaniment to a glass of chilled beer, this top shell salad (I'm not even sure if this can be considered a salad, since no vegetables are being used! Haha) is always on our top list of favourites whenever we feel like drinking at home! I used two chilli padi in my recipe so it is VERY spicy. For those who can't bear with that kind of heat, please do reduce it to one instead. Enjoy! Please also feel free to invite me over for a mug of beer if you want to!  

Ingredients:

1 can                       top shell, cut into smaller bite sizes

3 tablespoons         sauce from the canned top shell

2                             chilli padi, sliced

1 medium               onion, sliced thinly

1/2 tablespoon        sugar

3 to 4                      calamansi lime, juiced

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and set aside in fridge for at least 15 minutes. Serve chilled. 

Cobb Salad, my way.

It's not exactly fair to call this a salad. At least to me, salads are supposed to be healthy and light and all. A cobb salad, despite its name, is made using ingredients that are technically, WAY too delicious to be included in a bland and boring healthy salad. Then again, who says all salads are supposed to be bland and healthy anyway? Healthy or not, I for one, don't really care and just adore this sinful and fulfilling recipe of mine. 

Serves 2 

Ingredients:

Salad: 

1 head                       romaine lettuce, chopped roughly 

1                               tomato, diced

2                               hard boiled egg, shelled and chopped 

1                               avocado, diced 

100gm                      blue cheese, diced 

6 strips                     bacon, fried till crisp and cut into smaller pieces 

1                               roasted chicken breast, diced 

Method: Arrange everything on a salad bowl or plate and serve with the dressing below or your favourite dressing. 

Dressing: 

1/2 cup                      extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons            white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon              dijon mustard 

1/2 teaspoon              worcestershire sauce 

1/2 tablespoon           lemon juice 

                                   salt & pepper 

Method:

Whisk all the ingredients together and serve with the salad.

Casear Salad with Wholemeal Croutons

 

I couldn't make up my mind on what to eat for dinner one evening that I decided to make do with a simple salad. A simple salad doesn't necessarily means I have to succumb myself to a boring or blant dinner. I ran out of white bread and made do with my leftover wholemeal instead. It was nonetheless a healthy pleasant alternative. Alright, maybe not so healthy with all the butter that's been added but it was good I have to say.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 bunch                   lettuce, rinsed and dry

2 tablespoons          grated parmesan cheese

1/2                           roasted chicken breast, sliced or 5 slices of smoked salmon (optional)

 

For the croutons:

 

2 slices                     wholemeal bread or 1/2 small baguette, cut into cubes

1 tablespoon             butter

1/2 teaspoon             garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon             paprika

dash                          black pepper

 

For the dressing:

 

1 fillet                       anchovies in oil  

3 cloves                    garlic, minced

1/2 tablespoon          dijon mustard

1/2 tablespoon          vinegar

(I used red wine vinegar but you can also replace it with other vinegar except for cider or balsamic vinegar)

1 heap tablespoon     mayonnaise

4 tablespoons           extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tablespoon          lemon juice

                                  salt & pepper to season

 

 

Method:

 

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing thoroughly, making sure to mince the anchovy. Set aside.

 

Heat a small pan with a tablespoon of butter. Add in the cubed bread and sprinkle with garlic powder, black pepper and paprika. Toss them evenly until the bread turns crispy or golden brown for white bread.

 

Combine all other ingredients together, adding smoked salmon or roasted chicken breast if desired.

 

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

I've always had a thing for spinach salad. But it was for the warm version with a nice poached egg. Have never tried spinach with strawberry but it is apparently a widely popular choice for many. This recipe was modified from several versions found on the intenet. It was a little sweet for me personally (I've got a savory tooth) but I'll leave you to be the judge.

Ingredients:

1 packet                     baby spinach leaves, washed and drained
1/2 box                      strawberry, thinly sliced or quartered
1 handful                   roasted almond, thinly sliced

Dressing:
2 tablespoons          olive oil
1 tablespoon           white vinegar
1 tablespoon            roasted sesame seed
1 tablespoon            white sugar
pinch                       paprika

Method:

Mix the dressing together and serve with the rest of the ingredients.

Grilled Sirloin Steak with Horseradish Sauce

Easy, simple meals are what's occupying my dinner table these days. After a long day at work, I'm lucky to be left with the last 10% of my battery when I get home. Then again, it doesn't mean that I'll have to deprive myself of a good meal. This grilled sirloin steak takes about 6 minutes to cook and another 2 minutes for preparation. There, no more excuses for any instant meals anymore.

Serves 1
Ingredients:

1                               thick slab of sirloin steak
1 bunch                     arugula
1 tablespoon              horseradish sauce
1/2 teaspoon             rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon             olive oil
1 clove                      garlic, cut into half
                                 salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Place the sirloin steak in a plastic or ziplock bag and add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary leaves. Season with salt and pepper and mix well for it to be evenly coated.

Heat the grill or frying pan on high heat for a minute. Remove the stick from the bag and place it on the grill. Turn the steak over after 3 minutes and rubbed the charred side with the cut garlic.

Turn the steak over after another 3 minutes, rubbing the cut garlic on this side of the steak too. Switch off the heat and allow the steak to rest on a plate, covered, for about a minute or two.

Serve on a bed of arugula and 1 tablespoon of horseradish sauce.

Note: 3 minute per side will give you medium rare steak. If you prefer medium ones, cook it for about 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Chicken Mustard Salad with Broccoli and Cherry Tomatoes

Lest you think that healthy food are usually bland and tasteless, this chicken vegetable salad is here to prove that wrong! I cheated though, with the usage of a bottled mayonnaise but then again, that can be easily replaced by a bottle of light healthier version. This is a warm salad so it is best to consume right after preparation. I tried keeping it in the fridge but it just doesn't taste right.

Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 head                        broccoli florets, broken into small pieces
1 packet                     cherry tomates, halved
2                                 skinless boneless chicken thigh or chicken breast
1 cup                          mayonnaise
1 tablespoon              tarragon
1/4 cup                       grainy mustard
1 tablespoon              salt

Method:

Blanche the broccoli in salted boiling water. Strain and set aside.

Using the same water, add in the chicken and poached on low heat for about 15 minutes or until fully cooked. Strain and shred them into small pieces.

Mix 1 cup of mayonnaise with 1/4 cup of mustard and 1 tablespoon of tarragon leaves.

Serve the dressing with the blanched broccoli, cherry tomates and shredded chicken.