MIXED SALADS, PERFECTLY PRETTY Healthy, Vegetarian

MORE PRETTILY PRESENTED RABBIT STUFF...  

Mixed Salad, Prettily Presented 

Outer layer: English lettuce; layer 2: halved cucumber slices; layer 3: carrot peelings; layer 4:sliced raw mushrooms (with stems); centre: halved baby yellow and red tomatoes topped with tenderstem broccoli. Surface scattered with chopped green beans (cooked 3 minutes and shocked in ice or cold water) and red onion rings. Remove or add items, such as rings or strips of bell pepper, cress, lamb's lettuce.  Also leftover veg or raw cauliflower florets, corn or diced butternut squash cooked or as for green beans. Serve with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Simple Tomato Salad 

Spray halved baby tomatoes with olive oil.  Salt lightly.  Add olives and red onion rings.  Alternatives: sprinkle with one or some of torn fresh or dried basil, mozzarella/feta/artichoke hearts/lemon marinated avocado. 

   

Ham 'Rose' Mixed Salad

As with Mixed Salad above.  The ham rose is formed by wrapping strips of ham around a central point.  Other sliced meat can be used or tuna-sweetcorn or flaked smoked mackerel with plenty of grated lemon zest. Serve with yoghurt-mayo.

Tip: See also Fantastic Frugal Salad

Copyright: These salads have been designed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may only be reproduced in home kitchens.  Not for commercial use.

"I'M ON HOLIDAY TOO!' EASY PEASY CHOCOLATE CAKE, Indulgence, No-butter

Easy-Peasy Chocolate Cake (with cherries)

This is a great cake to make on rainy days on holiday, and it's so easy, children can do it.  All that's needed is a bowl, a wooden spoon and something to bake it in.  A casserole dish make a fine substitute for a cake tin. 

There may not be much left over but it's better eaten on on the day anyway. Stale cake is perfect for trifle.

This recipe comes from the late Michael Barry, the head of London's first commercial radio station. 

Cost: £1.50. (2015)
Feeds: 8-12

Oven: 160 C / 325F
Grease and flour two 7 inch sandwich cake tins, or line a 9 inch square or a 9 inch by 13 in rectangle with greaseproof paper. (Or line a cupcake tin with paper liners.)   

Ingred:  
   6 oz/175 gm self raising flour (plain flour, add 2 tsp baking powder)
   4 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder (NOT drinking chocolate)
   1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
   1 heaped teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
   4 oz/125 gm caster sugar
   5 fl oz/150 ml sunflower oil
   5 fl oz/150 ml milk
   1 tsp vanilla
        or orange or peppermint essence (opt)
   2 large or 3 small eggs

FILLING:    
    Double Cream
    Fresh fruit or low-sugar jam

Method:

1. Put everything except the filling in a big bowl.  Beat with a wooden spoon or whisk until smooth, dark brown and creamy. 
2. Pour into cake tin/s or cupcake tins (2/3 full).
3. Bake 45 mins for cake, 25 mins for cupcakes.  Check 5-10 minutes before the with end of the cooking time.  A skewer or point of sharp knife should come out clean.  Cool.
4. Single Cake: serve as is with topping of choice (see below), or use a serrated knife and slice carefully into two layers. (If cake is too thin to slice, cut it into two halves.) 
5. Double Layer Cakes: Spread jam over bottom layer (home-made Instant Jam is good).  Whip cream until it holds its shape; spread on top of jam.  Cover with top layer of cake, dusting lightly with icing sugar .
6. Cupcakes: Frost with No Icing Sugar Icing OR split and stuff as with cakes OR use an apple corer to remove centres and fill with whipped cream and/or a little chopped fruit or jam; replace core;  top with icing sugar or light buttercream  frosting

Variations: 

• spread jam on top and sprinkle with dried unsweetened coconut
• substitute jam with store-bought caramel sauce

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.

"I'M ON HOLIDAY TOO!" SUNSHINE SALAD Easy Peasy, Healthy

A thrown-together salad (with a bit of knifework) for the family cook who also wants a break

It's got it all: moist & salty meat, juicy crunchy fruit, crisp salad, sharp herbs and a hum of heat 

The salad is wonderful on holiday; get yourself a rotisserie chicken, some ham and a few salad ingredients and in minutes you have a spectacular main course.

It's wonderful in summer when perfectly ripe ingredients are abundant.  But at any time of year,  the texture makes this a delight; every forkful is succulent, with layers of flavour and texture.  

And it's so easy...it's basically an assembly job.  

Though the salad's not frugal  none of the ingredients are expensive and it does feed a lot of people. It will go further served with baked white orsweet potatoes (skins scrubbed, sprayed with olive oil and seasoned) or soft store-bought buns and beautifully scented, undressed baby vine tomatoes.  The perfect dessert is the I'm on Holiday Too! Easy-Peasy Chocolate Cake.   

This salad was served at a pretty hotel overlooking a ferry terminal in Mallaig, Inverneshire and the guests loved it.  It's adapted from Robert Carrier.

Cost: £7.50'ish (7/23)
Feeds: 6-8 with sides

Ingred:
  450g/1 lb cooked chicken (rotisserie supermarket chicken) 
  175g/ 6 oz cooked ham hock, ham or pastrami
  4 stalks celery, peeled & thinly sliced
  1 lge green pepper, seeded, cored and finely diced
  3-4 radishes, in matchsticks 
  2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
  4 tsp finely chopped chives or spring onion tops
  2 large or 4 small oranges
  2 eating apples
  1 c/240 ml yoghurt-mayo & zest & juice of a lemon  
  8 drops tabasco or 1/2-1 tsp chilli flakes
  generous pinch cinnamon (opt)
  s & p
  lettuce leaves, and extra chopped chives & parsley to garnish.

Method:

1. Cut chicken and ham in 1 in/2 cm cubes.
2. Combine in large bowl with celery, pepper, radish and herbs
3. Remove segments from oranges (see below); halve & add to bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, mix lemon yoghurt-mayo with  Tabasco or chilli flakes, cinnamon and s&p.
5. Cut apples in 1/2 inch/1 cm dice and add to yog-mayo mix coating apples so they do not brown.
6. Spoon out apples; add to rest of salad. Add enough of the dressing to moisten but not not overwhelm the other ingredients.  Mix well.  Refrigerate for a couple of hours.






3. Carefully push down, up & out

7. Serve on bed of lettuce, garnished with chives and parsley.

1. Slice off top, bottom & sides.

2. Slide knife between segments

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.   

PRINCIPLES OF HEALTHY LIVING AND GRACEFUL AGING

Note: Much of the information in this editorial was posted in the first few months of 2015 but is repeated for new visitors.   

67goingon50 believes there are four essential aspects to well-being and graceful ageing:  diet, exercise, managing stress and discipline NOT deprivation.


HEALTHY EATING: PRINCIPLES 
What makes a healthy week's eating; Eating plans/ diets; Beware Cheese; Make Meat go Further; Reducing white foods...Click on link 


Exercising Safely and Wisely
If there is one thing to which 67goingon50 can attribute good health, youthful appearance and energy, it is regular exercise.  Our bodies were meant..." Click on link 


Managing Stress Maintains Good Health
"Stress is a part of life...but there are psychological and physical techniques which can minimise damage..." Click on link  


Discipline not Deprivation: Healthy Eating
"Depriving yourself of any food group can be an own goal; eventually you'll crack and probably..." Click on link 




DISCLAIMER: The author accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  Any information not sourced to a second party is the copyright of the blogger.