TOFU, MANGO AND CUCUMBER with coconut rice salad

Place tofu in a bowl. Add oil, coriander and garlic salt. Toss to coat and set aside. If barbecuing, soak skewers in water for around 20 minutes.

Pour coconut milk into a large measuring cup. Add water to make 2 1/2 cups. Pour into a large saucepan. Stir in rice, cardamom, cinnamon, salt and chili flakes. Cover and bring to a boil over a high heat. Stir and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Trim beans and slice in half. After rice has cooked 10 minutes, scatter beans over top. Cover and cook, until liquid is absorbed (approx 10 minutes). Turn into a large bowl. Stir in onions. Set aside.

Slice mango into thin bite-size strips. Slice cucumber in half lengthwise. Scrape out and discard seeds. Coarsely chop. Stir both into rice mixture.

If barbecuing the tofu: Oil grill and preheat barbecue to medium. Thread 4 to 5 tofu triangles on a skewer. For easy turning, thread a second skewer through tofu. Repeat. Grill for about 2 minutes per side. Otherwise, heat oil in frying pan and sauté tofu for a few minutes, until lightly browned.

Serve tofu over coconut rice salad, garnish with fresh coriander.

1 pack firm tofu, cut into triangles
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp each ground coriander and garlic salt
fresh coriander

8 wooden skewers (if barbecuing)
400ml can light coconut milk
1 C basmati or long-grain rice
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp hot chili flakes
250g green beans
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 ripe mango, peeled
1/2 cucumber

SWEET POTATO SALAD with peanut butter dressing

Combine all of the salad ingredients in large bowl.

5 sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled, and diced
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 red capsicum, seeded and diced
2 Tbsp parsley, minced
1/2 C toasted pumpkin seeds or walnuts, chopped

Peanut butter dressing
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 tsp brown rice vinegar
1/4 C orange or pineapple juice
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp powdered ginger

SUSHI SALAD

Mix sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, chilli flakes and salt and pepper in a cup to make a dressing - adjust quantities to taste and set aside.

Slice tofu, capsicum and avocado into bite-sized pieces before adding cut carrots and lettuce. Combine all the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Add dressing just before serving.

1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Salt and pepper
150g deep fried tofu
1/2 capsicum
1 avocado
1 carrot, sliced into sticks
2 C lettuce, finely chopped
1 C wholemeal brown rice, cooked and cooled
1/2 C edamame beans, defrosted
1/4 C pickled seaweed, defrosted
1/2 C sweetcorn

LEBANESE WHITE BEAN SALAD

VIETNAMESE-STYLE WARM SALAD

Wonderfully refreshing with the mint and cucumber! Combine dressing ingredients in a cup and set aside.

Fry the mock abalone in the sesame oil for about 4-5 minutes, turning frequently. Whilst the abalone is frying, cook rice noodles according to instructions.

Place noodles in a bowl and top with all salad ingredients and mock abalone. Give dressing a stir and pour over salad. Garnish with peanuts. Enjoy!

Dressing
3 Tbsp soya sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp red chilli flakes
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
Handful of coriander, chopped
Juice of one lime
2 Tbsp water

Mock abalone (from Asian stores) or puff tofu
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 portions of rice noodles
1 C cabbage, sliced finely
1 C lettuce, sliced finely
4 sprigs mint, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cucumber, chopped into matchsticks
Handful of salted peanuts

WARMED RED CABBAGE SALAD

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Toss the walnuts in the walnut oil, salt and pepper, then roast in the oven for five minutes until they begin to smell nutty. Quarter the cabbage and remove the thick white core. Cut the wedges into pieces roughly 1cm wide by 5-7cm long and break the remaining wedges apart.

Cut the apple lengthwise into sixths; core, then slice the pieces thinly, crosswise. Put the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and vinegar, and sauté for one minute. Add cabbage and cover, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes or until the cabbage is just wilted.

SPINACH AND BEAN SALAD

Drain beans and place in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine olive oil with vinegar and mustard. Pour dressing over beans. Add spring onions, pepper, spinach, cheery tomatoes and parsley.

Stir well to combine, ensuring all spinach leaves are coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill before serving.

SIMPLE SUMMER SALAD

Combine ingredients and serve chilled!

CHILLED BEETROOT SALAD

This recipes requires the beetroot to be cooked the night before and chilled.

To cook beetroots, peel and remove ends. Cut in half and place in a pot. Cover with water, add half a teaspoon of salt and bring to boil. Reduce to a low heat and gently cook for 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and allow to cool before placing in fridge overnight.

Cube the chilled beetroot. Combine all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl. Gently toss. If you have fresh young leaves from the beetroot, pick and wash the leaves and add to salad or use to garnish plate.

CHAR-GRILLED VEGETABLES

Preheat a char-grill pan or barbecue plate over medium-high heat. Cut capsicums into quarters; remove seeds and membrane and brush skin with oil.

Char-grill skin side down, until the skins blacken and blister. Place into a sealed plastic bag or container, leave at room temperature until cool. Peel off blackened skins and cut each quarter into three pieces. Brush remaining vegetables with oil and cook until softened with light grill marks. Cut into bite size pieces. Combine vegetables, parsley and olives in a large serving bowl or on a platter.

To make dressing, whisk mustard, garlic, sugar and vinegar together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, gradually whisk in oil until well emulsified.

1 red capsicum
1 yellow capsicum
olive oil
200g kumara, peeled and sliced into 5mm rings
2 small eggplant, sliced thinly, length ways
2 zucchini, sliced thinly, length ways
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
1 C parsley
1/2 C black olives, pitted
1 radicchio lettuce, trimmed (optional)

Salad dressing
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

JULIENNED ZUCCHINI with miso vinaigrette

In a small skillet, toast sesame seeds over moderate heat until golden brown. Transfer to a plate to cool. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso paste, soy sauce, spring onion, rice vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and chilli. Whisk in the olive oil and stir in the coriander. Season with salt and pepper.

Using a mandoline (grater with thin blade), slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin slices. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini with the dressing. Transfer to a platter. Scatter the nori and toasted sesame seeds on top and serve right away.