Corn salad with avocado dressing

One of my goals is to throw away as little food as possible. According to the European Union, about 90 million tones of food is wasted annually in Europe alone. And in industrialized countries, a shocking 40% of food waste happens at the retail and consumer level. So, we can all try to minimize food waste and I think we should keep this in mind when we’re at the supermarket.

But, what to do with an overripe avocado? In all honesty.. I do not really like avocados that are super soft, I like them with a little bite, but I really really didn’t want to throw it away. So, I turned it into a dressing for my corn salad and it turned out to be DELICIOUS!

[klik hier voor het Nederlandse recept]

CORN SALAD WITH AVOCADO DRESSING

 

THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED (yields 2 servings)
For the salad
– 200 gr kernels of corn
– 1 red onion, chopped
– 2 scallions, chopped
– 12 cherry tomatoes

For the dressing
– 1 very ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
– 2 heaping tbsp cream cheese
– 1 clove of garlic
– sea salt and pepper

– (hand) blender or food processor
– medium sized bowl

THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO
1. Turn the avocado, cream cheese, garlic, sea salt and pepper into a dressing by using the (hand) blender or food processor.

2. Put the corn, red onion, scallions and cherry tomatoes in a bowl and mix well.

3. Put the avocado dressing on top and enjoy!

Aragula salad with balsamic strawberries and toasted walnuts

Lunch time. I look at a plastic bag in the hallway, given to me by my granddad. The plastic bag is filled with fresh walnuts. Beautiful, delicious walnuts from the walnut tree in my grandparents’ garden. While I am thinking of a way to use them for lunch, I search my kitchen cabinets and the fridge for ingredients to combine them with. This salad is the delicious result of my granddad’s gift and my search for ingredients to combine the walnuts with.

[Klik hier voor het Nederlandse recept]

ARAGULA SALAD WITH BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES AND TOASTED WALNUTS

THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED (yields 1 serving)
– a handful of aragula/rocket
– a handful of a lettuce mixture of your choice
– 1 tbsp olive oil
– 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
– some basil leaves (cut
– 5 strawberries
– 5 walnuts (cracked)
– a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper

optional ingredients
– 1/2 red onion
– some grated parmesan cheese (for the non-vegan version of the salad, obviously)
– 1 tsp honey (don’t use it if you don’t like the salad to be sweet(er) or if you want it to be vegan)

– small bowl
– medium sized bowl
– skillet

THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO
1. Take the small bowl and mix the balsamic vinegar, honey and basil leaves.

 

2. Slice the strawberries and add them to the small bowl with the balsamic vinegar and honey mixture.

3. Toast the cracked walnuts in the skillet, over medium heat, for about 3 minutes. Do not let them get burnt!

4. Take a handful of aragula/rocket, and a handful of your other lettuce mixture and put it in the medium-sized bowl. Mix well and sprinkle with olive oil. Also add a pinch of sea salt and pepper.

5. Optional: slice the red onion and add it to the salad.

6. Add the balsamic strawberries and walnut to the aragula/lettuce mixture and mix well.

7. Optional: add grated parmesan cheese.

 

Homemade falafel with a yoghurt parsley dressing

I have been a fan of falafel for a long time now, and I always eat it when I’m making my ‘I don’t want to spend too much time cooking-dish’, which is couscous with onion, carrot and raisins. Usually I buy them at my local north african shop (which is one of my top top top favorite stores in town) and I heat them in the oven, BUT, this time around I had more time to spend on my couscous and falafel dish, so I made my own falafel. And honestly, I was surprised  how easy it is to make! Try it for yourself, I’d say.

[klik hier voor de Nederlandse post]

HOMEMADE FALAFEL WITH A YOGHURT PARSLEY DRESSING (yields 2 dinner-sized salads)

THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED
For the falafel balls
– 150 gr broad beans (cooked)
– 150 gr chick peas (cooked)
– 1 egg
– 1 very small onion, chopped
– 15 gr fresh parsley
– 1 clove of garlic
– 1 tsp ground cumin
– 1 tsp ground coriander
– 1/2 tsp chili flakes or powder
– sea salt
– 50 gr flour
– 50 gr breadcrumbs
– vegetable oil

For the yoghurt dressing
– 200 mL yoghurt
– juice of 1/4 lemon
– 15 gr fresh parsley
– pinch of salt and pepper

For the salad
– Any type of lettuce, I used iceberg/cabbage lettuce
– 1 red onion

– food processor or blender
– skillet

THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO
1. Process the broad beans and chick peas in the food processor or blender.

2. Add the egg, onion and 15 gr of fresh parsley and process again.

3. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, chili and sea salt to taste.

4. Form little balls, the size of a walnut, and cover them in flour. Set to firm in the fridge, for about 2 hours.

5. Meanwhile, make the yoghurt dressing by adding all ingredients together and mixing them well.

6. Cut and wash the lettuce if necessary. Cut the red onion in rings.

7. Take the falafel balls out of the fridge and cover them all in breadcrumbs.

8. Heat oil in a skillet and bake the falafel balls 5 pieces at a time, for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Alternative Lunches (2) Quinoa salad with avocado, tomato, pine nuts and lime

Quinoa is hot and happening right now. Over here, in The Netherlands, it was even sold out for a while and the constantly growing demand is driving up its price (which makes me unhappy). But what exactly is the reason for its popularity? …

Alternative Lunches (1) Green pesto salad with avocado, chickpeas and cucumber

Last week, I posted the first recipe in the Breakfast Inspiration series. Now it’s time for the first post about alternative lunches. If you compose it well, a salad is a good alternative for your usual sandwich. In order for …