The question is but how to make the humble salad more interesting?
And unfortunately, the answer my friend, is definitely not blowing in the wind. I’ve been eating salads for the most part of 3 weeks now and I’m bored bored bored.
My pants aren’t any looser, my muffin top isn’t any smaller and I’m heading for a great big chocolate binge! I spent 10 minutes in the chocolate aisle at the supermarket today, trying to decide if I wanted Lindt with whole hazelnuts or Lindt with chili, before telling myself that I had dried cranberries at home that I could snack on instead. Yes, I know, dried cranberries are also loaded with sugar, however providing I don’t eat 3 packets, dried cranberries are still better than chocolate!
Anyway, I’ve been cruising the
Beetroot.
I
bought cooked beetroot (I’m too lazy to deal with raw beetroot) and the delicate sweetness was an ideal match for my peppery rocket. Topped with smoked salmon and a scattering of sunflower seeds and it was heaven on my taste buds.Add to that a light drizzle (or a heavy downpour in my case) of a creamy Asian flavoured dressing and I was once again inspired to chow down on salads for the next 3 weeks….um…ok…maybe 3 weeks is exaggerating, but at least for the next week!
Salad ingredients for 2
Rocket (about 2 big handfuls)
4 beetroots (cooked) sliced
sunflower seeds
150-200g smoked salmon
Garlicky creamy Asian salad dressing (adapted from CooksRecipes)
1 tbs mayonnaise
1/2 tbs soy sauce
3/4 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp sesame seed oil
2 tsp water (omit if you like a thicker dressing)
2 tsp minced garlic lightly fried in olive oil
Mix the mayonnaise, soy sauce, sugar, pepper, sesame seed oil and water well until the sugar is no longer grainy. Lightly fry the garlic in oil. Drain the oil then add the garlic to the dressing. This makes roughly ¼ cup of dressing.
Then, drown your salad in the dressing!
Ok, I know, eating salad drenched in dressing sort of defeats the purpose but I can’t just eat plain salad!
Looks (and is) delicious yet healthy, Wok&Spoon. (You're welcome!)
ReplyDeleteI use a very simple dressing of balsamic vinegar or raspberry vinegar and olive oil or pumpkin seed oil, plus a sprinkling of ground sea salt and black pepper.
Hey, the white-dressed slices of beetroot look like aubergine, you agree?
What a healthy dish, and I agree with you on drowning the salad with dressing! :)
ReplyDeleteI prefer plain salad if having it with lasagne but I can't eat plain salad if it's salad alone with cold meat. Sometimes I add a bit of lingham chillie sauce for a change instead of french or italian dressing. Sometimes I open a jar of satay peanut sauce (Yeo's). :P
ReplyDeleteMy pants ARE getting tighter and my muffin top is bigger....I'm worried.
ReplyDeleteNeed to get salad-spiration from you.
Wow, 3 weeks of salad. I try eating only fruit and veggies but they never fill me up! My tummy just rumbles and rumbles. :( And let's not even talk about my muffin top.
ReplyDeleteI should really eat more salads (or veges & fruits for the matter). Weird thing is I'm not one of those people who hate greens... I love them and juicy fruits of all varieties... I'm just too darn lazy...
ReplyDeleteIt's not easy being a bachelor living alone without a kitchen or fridge to eat all that healthy and keep to a tight budget... But I keep trying, and this photo, well, let's just say I must have myself some good salad-eating days this week! ;)
wow! i dont think i can eat salad for more than 1 week. u're great wok&spoon.
ReplyDeleteu're salad looks nice and healthy :)
Hmmmmm looks great, i shall try next time! Thanks for share
ReplyDeleteYou can't beat beets!
ReplyDeleteI love beets, healthy eating :)
ReplyDeleteI used to eat beets with my potato salad, with carrot,celery, and pineapple.
hi wokandspoon, have you ever try paul newman salad dressing?, sesame with ginger, it taste like when you eat this japanese salad with wakame, very light and yummy
ReplyDeleteThis looks so refreshing and delicious!
ReplyDeleteI haven't had beets in ages!
Your salad looks anything but boring! I'd eat it even if I weren't trying to over come muffinage.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind eating salad everyday for every meal if you made it for me...LOL!
ReplyDeleteI would say you succeeded -- This salad looks quite interesting!
ReplyDeletewokandspoon,
ReplyDeleteOnly 1tbs of mayonnaise won't make you fat. hehe.
Argus : I still haven’t tried that pumpkin seed oil! Raspberry vinegar sounds nice too! Hmm…don’t know about the beetroot looking like aubergine – I think it looks a bit like melted goat’s cheese!
ReplyDeleteEastMeetsWest: Yeah, plain salad is too boring!
Judy: Lingham chili sauce! That’s something from my childhood. I used to love that – haven’t had it for ages! Hmmm, must remember to see if my mum has any when I go home ;-)
Tigerfish: hehe – I’m running out of ideas for salad – help me! ;-) Oh well, only 2 1/2 weeks to go before I go home – it’s too late for me to eat salad!
WanderingC: Salad doesn’t fill me up either. I have to make sure that I eat some protein with it…not to mention the after-dinner snacks…hmm..maybe that’s why my muffin top isn’t getting any smaller ;-)
Kenny: What? You don’t have a fridge or kitchen? Hmm…your apartment doesn’t have a kitchen? That’s weird. Do you eat out all the time then?
Isha: Thx. I only eat salad during the week. On weekends, I go crazy and eat anything ;-)
Lia: Thx!
Janet: Thx for stopping by. Hehe – I like the word play.
Everything4sweets: Beets in sandwiches and hamburgers – we do that a lot in Australia. And I’ve seen the Paul Newman salad dressing at the supermarket but I’ve never actually tried it. I will have to try it one day.
Patricia: I hadn’t had beets for ages either…until this week!
Lynn: “Muffinage” Hehe – I like the new word!
Wmw: I wouldn’t mind eating salad if someone else made it for me either! Hehe – I need a personal chef!
Kelly: Thx
Kok: No, but the chocolate that I had for breakfast might ;-)
Wow, three weeks on salad already, you have some strong will! I'm not a beets person, the color and texture scare me already! :P
ReplyDeleteSuccumb to Chocolate! you need it because you're a woman! I'm not big on salads, but i think I will enjoy yours, the dressing sounds really yummy! ;o)
ReplyDeleteThat's what I like about you - your honesty. A week, not three weeks :)
ReplyDeleteI agree.. you can't just eat plain salad, that'd be wrong to begin with. We're not rabbits!
ReplyDeleteI love the beet idea btw, look really nice with the white creamy dressing :)
With beetroot, I usually do a very simple dressing of red wine vinegar, a bit of French mustard, olive oil, pepper and salt with a bit of chopped parsley or chives. Very nice :)
ReplyDeleteI like salad , but I think you right sometime was boring,but certanly with these dressing (that sounds delicious for me) makes the salad more fun.
ReplyDeleteWe Indians cook Beets in all sorts of ways!! Salad is not one of them.Looks great there.We do a simple stir-fry though.Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteHi, came over from Shilpa's blog. I identify with your diet/salad travails though this past hot week, a totally plain salad of fresh cucmber, tomato and red peppers has been tasting good to me. I have all the stuff for this beetroot salad, will try it out.
ReplyDeleteI never eaten beetroot before, but yours look yummy :)Lindt with Chili?! you are so lucky to have that in Paris!
ReplyDeleteLittleCorner: You don’t like beets? Really? Try again. I never used to like them when I was younger but now I do.
ReplyDeleteOh for the love of food: You’re right, you’re right! I’m succumbing to chocolate!
Cynthia: Hehe – I’m realistic! ps. If I was really honest, I’d say 3 days ;-)
ExpeditedWriter: The only problem with beets is the red juice – don’t wear white clothes when you’re eating them!
CookingNinja: Yum – I love red wine vinegar! Argus also suggested some pumpkin seed oil for the dressing – that sounds nice too!
Sylvia: Hello, thanks for stopping by. Dressing definitely makes the salad fun!
Asha: Hello and thanks for coming by. Hmm…stir fry beets?? Now that’s one dish I haven’t tried. How do you season it?
Sra: Hiya and thanks also for coming by. Yep – salad and hot weather definitely go together. I never feel like slaving over a hot stove when it’s warm outside!
Mandy: Hello! You definitely have to try beetroot! And I’m in Frankfurt now and we also have Lindt with chili here – I just bought some today!
we get cooked beet too??? I dont know what is next to make lazy ppl even more lazier :)) I love mayo in my salads.
ReplyDeleteSharmi: hehe - frozen vegetables. When i first met my husband, he never cooked fresh vegetables - only frozen ones as they were all cut up!
ReplyDelete