Make salads sing
July 27, 2012 in Cooking with Woolies
I know that winter is still here for a bit longer, but this week spring started to show itself just a little. So, in the spirit of spring, I have been inspired to share ways to make salads sing and get you munching on bowls of crunchy greens.
Fresh basil pesto I like to make my own pesto because you can make it using almost anything you have in the fridge, such as basil, rocket or sundried tomatoes. I simply blend a clove of garlic with a couple of handfuls of basil (in this case). Traditionally, basil pesto is made using pine nuts, but if they don’t fall into your budget, you can use a handful of blanched almonds. Add grated hard cheese such as Parmesan or Gruyère and decent drizzle of olive oil. Blend the pesto until it’s smooth but slightly rustic, stir in a squeeze of lemon juice and season to taste.
Salted caramel nuts Simply toast 50 g of your favourite nuts in a dry pan until lightly golden – I really love using walnuts, blanched almonds or cashew nuts. Add 2 T icing sugar and a shake of sea salt to the pan, let the sugar melt slightly and caramelise, sticking to the nuts. Remove from the pan and leave to cool before tossing into a green salad or with balsamic roasted beetroot.
Home-made croutons Preheat the oven to 180⁰C. Slice or tear a few slices of day-old bread and toss with fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme. Drizzle over 2 T olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss. Bake for about 10 minutes until golden and crisp.
If you don’t have the luxury of time, Woolworths’ new range of Lovely Veg salads are the perfect meal solution on the run. They’re packed with the freshest and best veggies around – I can’t get enough of the pea and mint ravioli with leeks, baby marrows, peas and edamame beans on basil pesto. You get all of delicious crunch with mouthfuls of sweet ravioli to keep you full throughout the day.
Remember to visit Woolworths The Pantry for more ideas and recipes.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Hannah
Consultant Food Editor, Woolworths TASTE












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