Salads | Shelley kamil

Transform Your Tuna Salad in 3 Easy Steps

April 21, 2016 By shelleyk

Favorite Tuna Salad
If you’re sick of seeing beautiful images of fancy salads on social media and just can’t face another day of your average tuna salad, please read on. Right here are three easy steps to take an otherwise run of the mill weekday salad from 0 to 100.

1. Season condiments separately. Giving ingredients a little individualised love and attention makes all the difference. Blanched broccoli is bland no longer once you dress it with a little extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt. Carrots take on new life when you add spices like cumin or cinnamon. Spinach or Kale become a vibrant shade of green when you massage them with a little lemon juice and sea salt.
2. Add star ingredients. Tamari Roast Chickpeas and Sunflower Seeds are amazing all on their own, but throw them in a salad and you have a real point of difference, adding texture, taste and a burst of flavour.
3. Add a nutritional powerhouse. Beets, nature’s greatest detoxifier literally pull the toxins out of your body. Drenched in lemon juice they are the perfect addition to any salad. Trust me, your liver will love you for it.

Favorite Tuna Salad
Recipe by Shelley Kamil

Ingredients
(Serves 2)

1 large carrot, grated
1tsp cumin
1 large beet, grated
2 generous handfuls of spinach
1 handful parsley, roughly chopped
1 can organic chickpeas, rinsed and dried thoroughly
1tbs Tamari
2tbs sunflower seeds
1 head broccoli, blanched
Juice of 1 lemon
2tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large can tuna / 2 small cans
Sea Salt to taste

Directions
1. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking tray with baking paper. In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the chickpeas, sunflower seeds and Tamari, mix together well. Transfer to baking tray and bake for approx. 10 minutes or until just golden.
2. In a large mixing bowl add the carrots and the cumin plus a squeeze of lemon. Mix to combine. Add the beets, tuna, spinach, parsley, a good squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of sea salt. Gently mix to combine.
3. In a small mixing bowl, add the blanched broccoli, 2tsp olive oil, a little lemon and a pinch of sea salt, mix together well. Add to the tuna mix and mix once more.
4. Divide salad mixture between serving bowls, top with chickpeas and sunflower seeds plus an extra drizzle of Tamari and lemon for good measure. Serve with a little brown rice or you favourite healthy bread.

How to Bring Leftovers Back to Life Plus a Roast Veggie, Tamari & Maple chickpea Salad

April 6, 2016 By shelleyk

One of the best ways to eat healthy is to envision food prep and cooking as one bug continuum. If pouring your heart and soul into a meal for loved ones at night, then forgetting all about yourself the following day sounds familiar, please read on. Granted, not all dishes will work as leftovers, but some are the perfect nourishing alternative to a store bought focaccia on the run. Below are my three top tips PLUS a Quinoa and Roast Veggie Salad with Tamari Roast Chickpeas that makes the for the quintessential leftovers xx

1. Buy Extra. When you’re contemplating whether or not to buy that little bit extra for dinner (like that fourth chicken fillet you’re doing your head in over at the butcher), think of me and if you can afford to, do so.

2. Store Condiments Separately. The recipe below would have been a soggy mess and much less appealing had I not stored key condiments in separate containers. Tamari and Maple Chickpeas last 2-3 days in the fridge and make wonderful additions to all kinds of salads. Roast veggies come up beautifully twice roasted. Refresh cooked quinoa by mixing it back with alkalising greens such as spinach leaves, celery and loads of lemon juice.

3. Revamp your leftovers with bursts of flavour. In this case, I kept some Maple Roasted Pecans on hand and added pomegranates, but herbs, spices, nuts or seeds can bring your salad back to life.

Roast Veggie_Pecan_Chickpeas_Main_ShelleyKRecips
Quinoa & Roast Veggie Salad with Tamari Roast Chickpeas & Maple Pecans
Original Recipe Inspired by Calgary Avansino, Adapted by Shelley Kamil

Ingredients
(Serves 4 as a side plus leftovers)
2 cans organic chickpeas
1tbs tamari
2tsp maple syrup
1/2 cup pecan, crushed
2tsp maple syrup
Sea Salt to taste
1/2 butternut pumpkin, peeled and chopped
6 baby beets, washed and chopped
2tbs olive oil
1/4 cup cranberries
1.25 cups quinoa
1tsp vegetable flavouring / stock
4 handfuls salad leaves
Dressing
Juice of half a lemon
Rind of half a lemon
1 heaped tsp dijon mustard
1-2tbs extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt to taste
For the following day
2 handfuls spinach leaves
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 tbs pomegranate seeds
Juice of half a lemon

DIrections
1. Drain and rinse quinoa. Cook as per instructions on pack. Add 1tsp vegetable stock to cooking process

2. Drain and rinse chickpeas, dry thoroughly. Preheat oven to 180. Line a baking tray with baking paper. In a small mixing bowl combine chickpeas, 1tbs Tamari, 2tsp maple and some sea salt, mix together well. Lay out evenly on baking tray, bake for approx 10 minutes or until just golden. Remove from oven, place on plate and allow to cool. Store 1-2 handfuls for the following day.

3. In a small mixing bowl, combine pecans, 2tsp maple plus sea salt and mix to combine. Lay out evenly on baking tray and transfer to oven for 5-7 minutes or until just slightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside. Store 6-8 pecans for the following day.

4. Place the beets and pumpkin pieces on the baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until slightly charred. I often find the beets are ready 10 minutes prior to the pumpkin. Once cooked remove and set aside. keep a small selection of veggies aside for the following day. Refrigerate and store in an air tight container.

5. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients, set aside.

6. To assemble the salad, in a large serving bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, chickpeas, and leaves, mix gently to combine. Add the dressing and mix together once more. Top the salad with roast veggies plus a sprinkling of pecans and cranberries.

7. The Following Day:
In a mixing bowl, combine spinach leaves, 1 cup cooked quinoa, sliced celery and a generous squeeze of lemon juice, mix together thoroughly. If possible re heat veggies in the oven for 10-15 minutes careful not to burn. Transfer quinoa mixture to a serving bowl, top with chickpeas, pecans, pomegranates and a side of avocado, an extra drizzle of lemon juice and a sprinkle of sea salt xx

Detoxifying Miso Beetroot Slaw

March 23, 2016 By shelleyk

Reposting an oldie but a goodie tonight for two reasons. The first, I came up with it so far back it’s almost surely been lost in the ranks. The second, it’s seasonal. Just as we cosy on into Autumn I’ve been drawn back toward this salad. You see, the body naturally wants to detoxify. It’s calling on you to eat from the earth, from what nature has to offer. And beets are ready and waiting. Nature’s greatest detoxifier, they are a natural blood cleanser. Whether or not you’re into the latest craze of cleanses and detoxes, beets are a wonderful place to start. They literally pull the toxins out of your body and help to expel them through your liver.

To make this recipe really go the distance, I’ve incorporated Miso paste in the dressing. Miso, being a fermented soy product is excellent for supporting good gut health, as it helps to restore the good bacteria in your gut. If you’re wary of soy, eating fermented soy products is a safe and healthy way of consuming it. Just ask the japanese who have know this through the ages. Best part of this recipe is it’s versatility. Serve it on a bed of greens and add chickpeas and sun flower seeds for extra zinc, magnesium and protein, and you have a lovely salad all of it’s own. Or, use it as a slaw and serve it on brown rice or buckwheat crackers for a healthy snack or light lunch. Either way, it only takes 10 minutes to whip up and stores in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Miso Beetroot Slaw
Recipe by Shelley Kamil

Ingredients
(Serves 3-4)

For the Slaw
1 large fresh beetroot (or 2 small), peeled and grated
1 Can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (optional)
2 carrots, grated
2tbs sunflower seeds, toasted
3-4 radishes, finely sliced
Miso Dressing
2tbs Miso paste
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
1tsp Maple syrup (optional but not necessary)
2tbs apple cider vinegar / brown rice wine vinegar
1-2tbs tamari
To serve
4-5 kale leaves, torn off the stem
5-6 radicchio leaves, finely sliced

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the slaw.
2. In a small mixing bowl add the dressing ingredients and whisk together until a smooth paste forms.
3. Pour the dressing over the slaw and mix together thoroughly. Add sea salt to taste.
4. Divide the kale and radicchio between serving bowls and top with Miso Beetroot Slaw

Charred Broccoli & Brown Rice Salad

March 21, 2016 By shelleyk

I’m a massive fan of greens, not only for being nutritional power houses, but because I genuinely find them delicious, even crave them. I’ve often thought how strange that may sound, but my theory is, the more real, whole food you eat, the more your body craves it. And the more your body craves it, the more you come to listen to and understand what your own body needs. Nutritional content aside, I have a husband and some little kids to sell my theory to, so I’m always finding delicious and different ways to prepare them. This recipe’s not really for the little people, unless they have quite developed pallets and have acquired a taste for garlic and green olives. In our house, a colourful array of fresh veggies, some extra plain rice and the same Japanese Grilled Salmon we served alongside the Charred Broccoli dish did the trick for the kids. As usual, a recipe from Donna Hay never fails to impress, however, I have tweaked it to make it extra clean and healthy.

Charred Broccoli & Brown Rice Salad
Adapted form Donna Hay, by Shelley Kamil

Ingredients
Serves 2-3
¾ cup brown rice (I used 2 cups of cooked rice)
1 clove garlic
1tsp ground cumin
1tbs olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Sea salt and pepper
1 head broccoli, sliced
10-12 Sicilian green olives, pitted and sliced
2tbs pine nuts, toasted
Dressing
1tbs olive oil
2tbs apple cider vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
1tsp honey
1 long red chili, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
2tbs toasted pine nuts to serve (optional)
½ avocado, sliced, to serve

Directions
1. Cook the brown rice as per instructions on pack. A ratio of 3:1 water to rice usually works, cook on a low flame for 20-25 minutes, season water with sea salt or good quality vegetable stock.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Add the sliced broccoli and toss to combine. Heat a non-stick char grill pan over medium heat and then add the broccoli mixture. Char grill the broccoli on either side for 4-5 minutes or until tender.
3. To assemble the salad, combine the brown rice, half the dressing, pine nuts and olives in a serving bowl and toss to combine. To serve, top with the broccoli mixture, avocado and a drizzle of the remaining dressing.

Red Quinoa, Lemony Chicken & Herb Salad In a Flash

March 9, 2016 By shelleyk

Ok let’s talk Red Quinoa and whipping up salads whilst kids are around or for a quick pack-me-up work lunch. First, red quinoa, it has one of the highest protein contents of all grains. Though eaten in place of grains, quinoa is actually a plant, a derivative of the rhubarb family to be precise. Add to that, it’s high in iron and a good source of fibre, zinc and folate. In terms of prepping the salad; Grilled Lemon and Herb Chicken is a great dish in its own right, make a little extra, shred the leftovers and throw it in a bowl with cooked red quinoa, green beans and red capsicum and you’re on your way. . . Full recipe below, quick, easy and bursting with oxidants and nutrients xx

Red Quinoa, Lemony Chicken & Herb Salad
Recipe by Shelley Kamil

Ingredients
Serves 2

1 Free range chicken fillet, grilled with lemon and herbs then shredded
2 cups cooked red quinoa
1/2 capsicum, finely diced
Handful green beans, blanched, finely diced
2 handfuls mixed leaved
1 zucchini, shaved
Juice of 1 lemon
12 walnuts, crushed
4tbs pomegranates
Sea Salt to taste
1/2 avocado, sliced, optional

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine quinoa, shredded chicken, beans, capsicum and zucchini plus a good squeeze of lemon juice, then mix together thoroughly. Add the mixed leaves and mix together once more.
2. Transfer to serving bowls and top each bowl with walnuts and pomegranates, sea salt to taste, an extra squeeze of lemon juice plus a side of avocado if using xx

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