March 9, 2009

Seafood Salad Recipes

by charlie reese

Many of us are all too aware that we must improve our diet and become healthy eaters. Seafood Salad recipes can be a part of that commitment. Not only do they promise low calories, low fat, and lots of vitamins, but they are very tasty too. These dishes can impress at a dinner party or there are quick versions for a healthy lunch or snack. Quality ingredients are what counts, and that means fresh fish and salad, preferably bought the same day as preparation. Canned fish can also be used or ready made salads, if time is short.

Salad does not have to be boring! Add squid rings, mussels and prawns to lettuce, chopped red onion, and chopped tomatoes, topped off with a tangy sauce. The sauce contains oyster sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, sweet chili sauce, and the juice of a lime. Recipes for Seafood Salad can be Thai style with Thai fish sauce, cucumber, celery, spring onions, and lettuce. The fish can be a combination of squid, prawns and monkfish, spiced up with lemon grass, ginger, garlic, coriander, and lime.

The great thing about the fruits of the sea is that there is something for everyone and lots of different ways of presenting it. Nothing beats going down to the local fish market early in the morning to get the best of the catch. Shrimps, calamari, mussels, and octopus are the ingredients to go with cherry tomatoes, celery, green beans, peppers, the juice of an orange, the juice of a lime, and the juice of a lemon. Also add herbs and spices in the form of bay leaves, basil, thyme, parsley, coriander, cayenne, and garlic.

Pasta mixes very well with this type of food and a Seafood Pasta Salad can be made very quickly with canned crabmeat and canned tuna. The pasta can be shell pasta or macaroni and other ingredients to complement the dish include onion, celery, peppers, sweet pickle relish, and peas. A garnish of hard-boiled eggs, parsley and orange segments is the final touch.

Impress your guests with a ginger cream dressing to accompany your Seafood Salad. The salad will comprise of mixed green leaves, with cashews or toasted almonds, and spinach. Add scallops and shrimp and a choice of peaches, apricots, papaya or mango. The dressing contains chopped crystallized ginger, sour cream, sherry vinegar, red pepper, and orange peel.

Lobster is a mouth-watering temptation to most people and a lobster salad makes a great fish course for any dinner. Choose quality lobster and follow instructions carefully for cooking it. Add the lobster meat to shallots, garlic, honey, the juice of oranges, olives, parsley and hard-boiled eggs. For a quick and easy Seafood Salad recipe, cook some mussels, prawns and squid, and mix them with fresh rocket, garlic, mint, the zest of a lime, and lime and chili salsa.

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Filed under Salads by charlie reese

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February 16, 2009

Fight Cancer with Food

by Charlie Reese

Cancer fighting 7 layer salad recipes in a variety of updated takes you’ll love to eat!

We all know that fruits and veggies are in, that is, if we want to promote good health. The problem is, how does anyone manage to fit in 5-9 servings of these antioxidant, nutrient rich fruits and veggies in a single day? I’m hard pressed to eat three normal meals a day, much less what appears to involve pounds of produce!

So, lately I’ve been scratching my head trying to figure out how I can improve my dietary intake, obtaining all these health benefits, without becoming so full I need a nap to allow my body to digest these good foods. Ha! I finally hit upon a solution, in the form of the 7 layer salad recipe. Here are some ideas I’d like to share, every one as delicious as the next and all with cancer fighting ingredients!

Salads should be as fresh as possible, both for nutritive value and visual appeal. While the classic Chinese chicken salad is usually a large concoction, intended for a crowd, there’s no reason you can’t downsize to a single serving. The appeal of the 7 layer salad recipe is largely due to the appearance, each luscious layer showcased in a glass bowl. The single serving glass salad bowl serves your purpose just as well. The layered look is what you’re after.

Now, how many ways can you construct and present this anti-cancer paragon of 7 layer salad recipes? The ways are virtually endless. Let’s see how many variations we can produce.

The Quesadilla style 7 layer salad recipe is a great choice for those who like it hot. Lightly fry a few tortillas and set them aside. Place one on the bottom of your salad bowl. Sprinkle a bit of pepper jack, some olives, a dash of diced red Spanish onions, vine ripened tomatoes and Jalapeno peppers. Repeat, until the bowl is full. Slice into pie shaped pieces and enjoy.

Here’s another 7 layer salad recipe to enjoy often. Mix up a batch of assorted greens, such as a spring mix of mesclun, hearts of romaine and spinach in a separate bowl. Lay down a bed of the mixed greens and proceed to layer your choice of veggies. Sweet bell peppers, mushrooms, alfalfa sprouts, sunflower seeds or blanched almond slices make a nice, crisp combination. Top it off with salad shrimp, diced chicken, crab or Krab(TM) meat makes a fine meal.

How about a hoagie style 7 layer salad recipe ” without the hoagie? A simple bed of greens, layered with tomatoes, sweet onions, green onions, freshly shaved Parmesan, deli style roast beef, pastrami and, oh, maybe a few croutons makes a healthful and tasty dish. If you must have the hoagie roll, dress it with a garlic spread and serve it on the side. A honey mustard or poppy seed dressing, drizzled over this salad is a fabulous and satisfying dish.

It’s easy to see how the 7 layer salad recipe can become a habit.

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Filed under Salads by charlie reese

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June 9, 2008

How To Go About Making A Salad Nicoise

by Kerris Samson

The Salad Nicoise is more commonly called a Nicoise Salad and is pronounced “Ni-suaz”. This particular salad originally comes from a region in the South of France called Nice and involves a number of different raw ingredients the details of which will provided for you later on in this article. Most authentic Salad Nicoise’s use only raw ingredients there are some restaurants who make this salad and will include rice, pasta, potatoes, cheese and cooked vegetables in theirs.

What is really great about this salad recipe over some of the others you see is just how simple and easy it is to prepare and just how great it looks once all the ingredients have been combined together. The Nicoise Salad is full of flavor, color and texture that you do not always see in a salad and this is simply because of the variety of ingredients that are used to make it. Below we provide you with a list of the ingredients you will need to make this great tasting salad. Plus we also provide step by step instructions on how to prepare it.

So that you can make this salad for four people you will need to get the following ingredients together:- 1. 10 ripe and large tomatoes 2. A clove of garlic 3. A large cucumber 4. A green and red pepper 5. 6 spring (green) onions 6. Anchovy Fillets (12) which have been kept in olive oil 7. 1/2 Cup (4.5 ounces) of black olives 8. 4 eggs which need to be hard boiled 9. 1/3 cup (3 fluid ounces) of extra virgin olive oil 10. 1 tbspn (15ml) of red wine vinegar 11. Juice from a lemon (These last three ingredients will be used to make the dressing for the salad) 12. Salad Leaves (a number of different varieties such as cos, arugula or rocket are ideal) as well as a good handful of fresh basil. After getting all the ingredients together you now need to start preparing and making your salad. Follow our step by step guide to try making this great tasting salad for yourself.

Step 1 - take the tomatoes, cut this into six pieces each, place them in a dish, and sprinkle a little salt over them. Allow them to stand for around hour as this allows any juices to drain out of them. Whilst preparing the tomatoes you can put the eggs on to cook. It is best if you allow around 5 minutes once the water is boiling to ensure that the eggs are hard boiled.

Step 2 - You need to take the cucumber and cut it along the length and then scoop out as many of the seeds as you can with a spoon. Now you next need to cut the cucumber, which has not been peeled into slices, but you should not make them to thin. After slicing up the cucumber, you next need to then finely slice both the peppers along with the spring onions.

Step 3 - The next step is to take the garlic clove and cut this in half before rubbing it around the insides of the bowl or bowls you are using to present the salad in. If you can use wooden bowls rather than metal, plastic or china as it retains the flavor of the garlic far better.

Step 4 - Now you have prepared the bowl for serving the salad in you can start to place the ingredients into it. Firstly get the salad leaves which you have chosen (and which have been washed thoroughly) and lay these in the base of the bowl or bowls. Now on top of these you layer the tomatoes which have been previously cut in to sixths and allowed to drain. Then on top of these you place the hard boiled eggs which need to be cut into quarters. After the eggs you then add the sliced peppers, spring onions and cucumber before finally laying on top the anchovy fillets. Then finally you scatter the olives over the top.

Step 5 - The final step you need to take in order to make a great tasting Salad Nicoise is to prepare the dressing. So into a jug or jar place the olive oil, red wine vinegar and lemon juice and blend well together and also season it with a little freshly ground black pepper and salt. Once combined you just very gently drizzle this dressing over the top of the salad and before taking to the table to serve roughly tear up some of the basil leaves and scatter these over the top of it. Now take it to the table and enjoy.

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Filed under Salads by Kerris Samson

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April 4, 2008

Salad Ingredients - Selecting The Right Ones

by Kerris Samson

When it comes to making the perfect salad, you first need to learn a little bit about the different types of foods, which can be used. Many salads today will be a combination of several different ingredients each providing their own unique texture and taste the final salad. In this article, we will take a look at various different salad ingredients that you can use and which will help you hopefully to make the perfect salad every time.

1. Lettuce and Greens - Today you do not have to stick to the normal types of lettuce such as iceberg for producing the perfect salad instead why not try a few different alternatives. For example, you could use a butterhead lettuce, which comes with very tender leaves or a cos lettuce, which has a very coarse texture to it, but both will add a completely different texture dimension to the salad you are making.

If however, you are completely fed up of using lettuce in your salads why not try something completely different instead. You could try something like Arugula, which originates from Italy and has a tangy, but mildly peppery taste. Alternatively, for something a little more exotic and to provide a more eastern feel to the salad include some Bok Choy, which has a slightly bitter taste to it.

2. Fruit & Vegetables - Instead of sticking with the more traditional fruits and vegetables in your salads why not try to be a little more adventurous. Apples are certainly ideal and can easily combine with a number of different other salad ingredients also. If you are looking to make a more unusual salad which incorporates the Bok Choy we mentioned above previously why not mix this up with some bean sprouts, cucumber and spring onions and then drizzle with a light coating of sesame seed oil which you have mixed with some soy sauce.

Other fruits and vegetables that you may want to include in your salad in place of tomatoes, cucumber and green onions are broccoli, beans (red, black, green or kidney ones) and carrots. Also, you can further add more flavor to your salads through the use of herbs and spices including not just garlic, but basil, rosemary and cilantro.

3. Meat and Fish - Although most people commonly think that a good salad should solely consist of just vegetables this is not the case. In fact, some of the world’s best-known salads such as Caesar’s have chicken, meat or fish in them. But it is best that you do not go over board on the amount of meat or fish you include.

If you are someone who does not like to use meat or fish in their salad recipes then why not replace these with cheese instead. But again it is essential that you do not use too much in it. Also to add texture to your salad if you are only using basic salad ingredients is through incorporating nuts or croutons into the recipe. The best types of nuts to use when preparing a salad are peanuts, walnuts or almonds. All give additional crunch and texture to what may otherwise be a very bland meal.

When you are out shopping for the right salad ingredients for your salad recipe make sure that you look closely at each one you are considering buying. If you see items which are marked, bruised or the leaves are beginning to wilt then avoid these and go for something different instead. Also it is important to thoroughly wash the ingredients before you use them to remove the chemicals used when they are being grown. You should also make sure you wash those ingredients for your salad which have come ready prepared and packed as they will contain chemicals and additives to help preserve them.

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Filed under Salads by Kerris Samson

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March 28, 2008

SaladMaster Cookware - Why This Brand?

by Kerris Samson

Because of the lifestyles we lead today, much demand is being placed on our bodies. Therefore, in order for us to remain fit and healthy we need to sure that our body receives the right amounts of nutrients, vitamins, minerals etc and to do this we need to have a well-balanced healthy diet. But it is important that when it comes to preparing meals having good quality kitchen equipment is essential and this is where SaladMaster Cookware comes in.

SaladMaster have been developing a whole range of cookware for well over 60 years now all of which have been designed to help the user save time, money and energy. All the latest cookware that this company produces is now made using 316L stainless steel. It is these products, which are actually bringing back the joy of cooking into many people’s lives. But just why do people prefer to buy this type of cookware to some, which are more modestly priced? Below we take a look at some of these reasons.

1. Handles - The handles on this cookware makes actually storing it away much easier as they are detachable and it only takes a click to remove the handle from them. Also cleaning the products produced by SaladMaster is very easy to do all you have to do is remove the handles and then place them in the dishwasher. Yet although the handles are detachable, they are 200% stronger then any others available as well as being complete safe to handle.

2. Cooking Surface - Most cookware sold today which is made using steel is made of that which is 18/10 grade. The problem with this metal is that when it becomes hot it begins to expand and this is the reason that food often sticks to it. Whereas the cooking surface of the SaladMaster cookware range used 316L surgical this is, non-porous so there is no need to pour any kind of oil into prior to cooking. Also, this particular steel does not react in the same way as other stainless steel does when it comes into contact with the salts and acids found naturally in food.

3. The Distribution of Heat - Many people would recommend that if you want good quality kitchen ware for cooking with then the heavier they are the better. But this is simply not the case any more since the introduction and development of the SaladMaster cookware range. All the pans etc., in this range are made from seven layers of surgical grade stainless steel and which ensures that the heat it comes into contact with is more evenly distributed throughout the surface of the whole pan. Because of this even at much lower temperatures the food quicks just as quickly as it would at a higher heat under more conventional stainless steel cookware.

4. Control Temperature - Unlike fridges and oven controlling the temperature at which you cook food on a hob can be somewhat hit or miss. Often we cook food on our hobs at temperatures which are far too high which results in large amounts of the nutrition being removed from the food that our bodies require. With the SaladMaster range you will find that they come with a patentned system known as the “Vapo Valve” which allows you to use much lower temperatures and therefore help the food to retain more of its nutritional value.

Through the introduction of such high quality cookware, the SaladMaster Company is now helping people towards living much healthier and happier lives. This is because they are designed to help the food retain those nutrients, minerals and vitamins that the body needs.

So if you enjoy cooking and would like to know that at all times the food you are preparing is going to be extremely healthy and nutritious then it is worth your while considering spending a little extra cash investing in good set of SaladMaster Cookware.

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Filed under Salads by Mark Thompson

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March 27, 2008

Some Ways To Make A Salad Vinaigrette Dressing

by Kerris Samson

For someone who likes to eat salads on a regular basis you may find that without some kind of dressing they can taste a little boring. However, rather than resorting to using ready made ones from your local grocery store or delicatessen you could actually have a go at making your own salad vinaigrette dressing. In this article we show you some very simple ways of being able to make such a dressing along with a very basic recipe that you may want to consider trying.

When it comes to making, a very basic vinaigrette to dress your salad with you can use either a blender, food processor, whisk or a jar to mix the ingredients up in. But you first need to get the ingredients together. Generally, a very simple vinaigrette is made up of 1 part vinegar to two parts oil, plus any herbs or spices that you wish to include in to the dressing.

If you are going to be using a blender or food processor in order make up your dressing, you need to first place the vinegar into the bowl. Next, add a few herbs or spices and blend these together for a short while. Once all these ingredients have blended together whilst the machine is still on you begin to slowly pour (dribble) in the oil until all of it has been added to the mixture.

However if you have a little more time on your hands then you could whisk up the ingredients together instead. In to a bowl place the vinegar along with spices and herbs and then very gently whisk these together. Once you feel that these have been well mixed together you should now start to include the oil again as with making the vinaigrette using a blender or processor you should pour the oil in very slowly. Whilst pouring in the oil you also need to continue whisking the ingredients together. It is probably better using an electric whisk rather than trying to make it using a hand one.

But probably the easiest and simplest way for you to make a good basic salad vinaigrette dressing is to first put the herbs and spices with the vinegar into a jar and shake vigorously (do not forget to put the lid on before you do this). Now take the lid off and add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the mixture then put the lid back and again shake vigorously. After the first tablespoon of oil has integrated with the rest of the mixture, you can continue to pour in the rest by adding 2 or 3 tablespoons at a time and shaking vigorously after the oil has been added.

For you to be able to make a very simple and basic vinaigrette dressing you need to get the following ingredients together.

1. 200ml of Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2. 100ml of Balsamic Vinegar 3. 3 Gloves of Garlic which have been pressed 4. 1 tspn Oregano (if you can use fresh rather than dried) 5. 1/4 tspn Rosemary (again fresh is better as it needs to be crushed before being added to the vinegar. But if you can not get any of it fresh than dried rosemary will be adequate).

Now you have the above ingredients together you just need to combine them and this can easily be done using one of the methods that we have mentioned previously in this article. You will find that it will only take around 5 minutes to produce a great tasting salad vinaigrette dressing that will provide your meal with a little bit more. Also as long as any you have left over is kept in a jar in the refrigerator it can be used again for a further two weeks.

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Filed under Salads by Mark Thompson

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