Category Archives: asparagus

Grilled pesto chicken salad

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Another “quickie” recipe, great for weeknight meals. It’s really just a variation on my pesto-stuffed chicken.

Serves 2

2 pieces of chicken breast fillet, about 150g each
1-2 tbs pesto dip (I used Black Swan chunky basil and cashew)
A bunch of asparagus, cut into thirds and steamed
Baby spinach leaves

Cut a deep pocket in the side of each chicken portion, being careful not to cut right through. Spoon half the pesto into each pocket and press the edges of the chicken together, enclosing the filling. Cook in a preheated George Foreman grill (or you could use a non-stick pan or BBQ) for 4-5 minutes or until cooked through.

Slice into 1.5cm slices and arrange on plates, on top of the veggies. You can add any other salad ingredietns you like – red capsicum or thinly sliced onion would be nice.

Quick chicken stir-fry

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I’ve been inspired by Shelley to come up with some super-quick meals, using packed-for-convenience ingredients. Sometimes you want something tasty, but you know…you just don’t want to muck around with all that preparation.

Serves 1

150g chicken breast
1 tsp coconut oil (if you have cholesterol issues, swap this for olive oil or something)
1/2 tsp crushed garlic from a jar
1/4 tsp crushed chilli from a jar
1/2 a small to medium onion, sliced
2 cups frozen stir-fry veggies (I used Heinz Shanghai mix). Note: Nuke them for a minute or two and pour off excess water
1 tsp fish sauce or soy sauce
1 tsp sweet chilli sauce
50g washed baby spinach – Woollies sell this already washed in a 150g bag

Slice the onion and the chicken breast (this is the most trouble you have to go to). Heat a wok and add the oil. Throw in onion, garlic and chilli, stir fry for 1-2 minutes, then add the chicken and stir till cooked through. Add the veggies and stir till heated through. Add sauces and baby spinach, stir and cover for a minute till spinach wilts.

Serve with or without rice.

I added some cooked asparagus I had in the fridge to mine. The whole thing took less than 10 minutes. Easy-peasy.

Spiced chicken salad #2

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This is similar to my Spiced Chicken Salad, but not quite the same…. It’s another “what can I make with what’s on hand?” kind of meal.

Serves 1

200g chicken tenderloins
1/2 a red onion, sliced
Garlic salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp olive oil
Salad veggies of choice – I used baby spinach and a gourmet lettuce mix
1/2 a bunch pf asparagus, cooked
1/4 cup tzatziki (mine was home-made, leftover from an Indian meal the other night)

Sprinkle the garlic salt and turmeric on a plate, mix together and press chicken into it. Heat a non-stick pan, add olive oil and then throw in the onion and chicken. Cook till done, stirring the onion regularly and turning the chicken once.

Arrange salad leaves and asparagus in a bowl, place onion and chicken on top, then add tzatziki.

Simple tuna salad

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Yes, it’s been a while. Life is gradually getting back to normal, so I should have a few more recipes forthcoming over the next several weeks.

This is something I just threw together for lunch today. Nice….

180g tuna (in brine or springwater)
About half a bag of mixed salad leaves
3 or 4 rings of green capsicum – chop it if you prefer
Half a bunch of asparagus
6 black olives, pitted
1 tbs sunflower seeds
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Cut the asparagus into thirds, microwave with a little water for about 2 minutes. Throw everything into a bowl and enjoy!

Warm lamb salad with pomegranate and baby beetroot

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This is not a weeknight just-chuck-it-together kind of meal. It’s not really dificult and doesn’t take a huge amount of time, but there is a bit of planning and preparation involved, so it’s probably best left for a weekend dinner.

I found a recipe on the Taste website, and adapted it to suit my needs and preferences (and what was in the pantry).

Serves 4

8 baby beetroot
1 pomegranate, halved
1 tbs raspberry jam, warmed gently
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
4 lamb loin fillets
A bunch of asparagus, steamed lightly
1 cup rocket leaves
100g marinated feta, drained
2 tbs chopped walnuts, toasted

Cook beetroot in boiling water (or steam), for 20 minutes or until tender. Peel and quarter when cool enough to handle, then set aside.

Gently press each pomegranate half over a juicer to extract juice and loosen seeds. Place the juice in a bowl, then using the sharp tip of a knife, remove the seeds and add to the bowl. Place warmed jam in a bowl and whisk in oil, vinegar, mustard and 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice. Season, then set aside.

Preheat oven to 190°C. Heat an ovenproof non-stick frypan on medium-low heat. Season lamb and cook until browned on each side, then transfer pan to oven and cook for a further 5 minutes for medium-rare or until cooked to your liking. Set aside to rest.

Place beets, asparagus, rocket, feta and nuts in a bowl. Toss gently with 3 tbs dressing. Pile onto plates. Thinly slice lamb and add to salad. Drizzle with remaining dressing and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds to serve.

I think I’m in love with pomegranates – the seeds look like bright jewels.

This could have been improved by giving the lamb some extra flavour – next time I’ll add some garlic and herbs. Or make it with duck, as per the original recipe.