Surprising Summer Salad: Watermelon and Feta!

Trust me, this sounded weird to me too. Watermelon and feta?! Really?! I had never had watermelon in any kind of savory context. Having both ingredients in the fridge, I decided to experiment. Why the hell not?

An unexpected combination results in a refreshing and totally delicious salad!

The result was way beyond expectations -- absolutely delicious. Refreshing. New. Incredible. The salty and creamy crumbly feta brought out the sweetness of the watermelon in new ways. I added a few mint leaves from my little window garden and a drizzle of olive oil and voila -- added layers of complexity and flavor in what is definitely going to become one of my summer staples.

I came back from work feeling hot and tired the other day and just made a new batch in minutes, scooping chunks of watermelon with a spoon straight into the bowl, crumbling the feta over it with my hands and adding the mint leaves and olive oil. I also tried a bit of balsamic vinegar the second time and that tastes wonderful too -- I can't wait to try a bit of lemon juice... I had a quick, healthy and refreshing snack in no-time and it felt so sophisticated too! 

I hope to play around with this recipe some more this summer, as the possibilities seem endless...

Gourmet Salad with Mango

This is my first salad creation of the summer, and a follow-up on my post about the 5 rules for making a full meal of your salad!

My salad consists of some lettuce from my very own roof-top veggie garden, and the usual culprits: ripe tomatoes and carrots. But the extra protein and fruit I added are what really made it special!


Color:
The bright summer colors did a lot to make this salad visually appealing and beautiful!


Protein:
I added a mix of walnuts and almonds as my protein #1, and cubes of feta cheese as protein #2.

Fruit:
I added juicy, ripe mango as my fruit -- it added an unexpected sweetness to this savory salad and balanced out the salty feta cheese really well!

Texture:
Crispy fresh lettuce, juicy soft mango, the crunch of the nuts and the dry crumbliness of the feta made for a great variety of textures that kept this salad interesting and exciting!

Homemade Dressing:
I made a simple oil and vinegar dressing for this salad, but the key was using balsamic vinegar. This type of vinegar has a natural sweetness that went really well with the mango flavors and really enriched the salad!

This colorful salad had enough variety to make for a full meal, and the protein kept me sated even though it was all relatively light.

Let me know if you have experimented with any delicious salad combos of your own! Post comments and recipe suggestions in below and I will be sure to follow up. Happy eating!

5 Rules for Making a Full Meal of Your Salad

The season of long days and steamy nights is inching nearer, and with atmospheric CO2 levels at a 3-million-year high, I suspect it'll be a hot one! Nothing better than a light, refreshing salad to keep you cool as a cucumber, and able to show off your sexy summer body guilt-free. But often, eating a salad sounds boring and you end up having the same old lettuce-tomato-carrot combo that leaves you dreaming of those sexy gourmet salads at your favorite bistro or restaurant...

Fear not! Your days of boring salads are over if you just follow these 5 simple rules that allow you to mix and match to create your own gourmet dish from both fresh ingredients and things that may be lying around in your pantry or refrigerator. Your favorite salad can go from midsummer night's dream to reality in minutes!

Begin with your favorite base of greens and veggies, whatever is in season and looks beautiful in the market stalls. Summer is a great time for tomatoes, peppers, and all sorts of colorful produce -- be adventurous! Once you have your favorite veggies together, time to take it to the next level!

RULE #1: PLAY WITH COLOR

Make your salad visually appealing by making sure to mix and match different colors on your plate. This will also ensure that you hit upon different nutrients and minerals in your dish, something really important if you are trying to make a meal of it. Dark and light greens, plump ripe tomatoes in red, yellow and orange, crunchy carrots, bell peppers of different colors, the purple pink of red onions, black olives, etc. -- make it a rainbow and try to get at least 5 different colors in your bowl!

RULE #2: ADD SOME PROTEIN

Play with different protein combos for the variety of textures they add -- more on this later!

Protein will keep you full for longer and adds an important nutritional component to any salad. Different protein types to choose from include:

Seeds and Nuts:

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Sunflower seeds, etc.

Dairy/Cheeses:

• Feta
• Brie
• Parmesan
• Plain/Greek yoghurt

Meat or Meat Substitutes:

• Smoked Salmon, Turkey Breast, Ham etc.
• Grilled Chicken or Steak
• Boiled Egg
• Tofu

Protein-Rich Grains:

• Beans/Lentils
• Quinoa etc.

As a general rule, try to include at least one ingredient from any 2 of these protein groups to make your salad rich in nutrients and vary the kinds of protein you are eating!


RULE #3: ADD A FRUIT!

Go beyond what you imagine is acceptable in a salad -- you won't regret it!

This is a secret that can really separate a gourmet salad from a plain one -- a little bit of fruit! Of course I am not counting tomatoes here, since we are used to eating them savory. So think beyond tomatoes and the usual raisins/Craisins, avocado (though I love avocado) and apples/pears. Summer is full of bright colorful fruits that will add a truly delicate touch to your salad, and a burst of color/flavor. Try to get creative with berries (like strawberries or blueberries), citrus fruits like grapefruit and oranges, and summer fruits like grapes, mango or peach! Since they can be pretty intense, I would not recommend adding more than 1 fruit flavor to your salad.

RULE #4: PLAY WITH TEXTURE

Beyond the visual appeal of a colorful salad, think about combining different textures to create something that appeals to your sense of touch as well! Combine a soft, juicy fruit like mango with dry crunchy nuts, or a crumbly cheese like feta with the satisfying pop of blueberries or grapes to create interesting sensory experiences with your food!

RULE #5: MAKE YOUR OWN DRESSING

For the healthiest and most flavorful salad dressings, nothing is a good substitute for plain old salt, pepper (to taste) and extra virgin olive oil. The stuff you buy in the store is filled with bad oils (even when it says it's made with olive oil, read the ingredients!! I don't know who allows manufacturers to lie on these bottles!) and emulsifiers that keep the ingredients from separating.

For the most part, I personally am a fan of plain old olive oil and vinegar. Sometimes, a bit of mustard or yoghurt is more than enough flavor for my salads. But if you are still adjusting your palatte to the taste of veggies on their own, some of these extras might help.

Beyond these basic ingredients, you simply need to add an acid and any other things you love. Here are some ideas:

Acids:

• A vinegar (balsamic, apple cider, red/white wine all work -- experiment, and try to match it to your salad!)
• Lime or lemon juice (freshly squeezed over your salad for the lightest and most refreshing flavors!)

Something creamy:

• A bit of mustard (dijon is delicate and delicious if your salad has meat in it!)
• A dollop of yoghurt (my preferred mayo substitute, it is healthier and very flavorful!)

Extra Flavor:

• Minced garlic (can be great on more intense/spicy salads)
• Fresh or dry chilli peppers (I'm thinking of Thai papaya salad!)
• Anchovies or olives for the extra intense saltiness
• Honey (a tiny bit can go into creating your own honey-mustard variations)
• Fresh herbs like cilantro, mint, fennel, etc. can add a punch of fresh flavor!

Get creative with your own healthy dressings!

Now that you know these basic rules, experiment and mix it up to create the most amazing salads this summer! I will be posting some of my own creations throughout the season -- stay posted!

Roasted Veggies Day 3: veggies with a side of rice

A quickie -- I did not much time to prep or think of a proper meal this morning, so I just served the veggies with a side of rice snug into my Bento box and ready to take to work! My husband had conveniently cooked some extra rice the evening before, so it was waiting for me in the fridge in the morning.

My Bento Box, packed and ready for lunch!

It was a nice, light lunch and heated in the microwave, with a little drizzle of olive oil, made for a delicious way to get me through the day!

Roasted Veggies Day 2: Arugula salad with roasted veggies and nuts

This is a hearty salad that can definitely make up the main course for a light evening meal during the week!

I simply washed some fresh arugula and served some of my roasted veggies over it, adding some walnuts for the crunchy texture and for the protein. I tossed it in a little olive oil and vinegar, since the veggies are already flavored and salted. With a slice of good, whole-grain bread as a side, I went to bed very content!

This easy salad can be ready in minutes once you have your veggies ready!

Roasted Veggies Day 1: Mediterranean Pita Sandwich

Simple, delicious and healthy!

For lunch today I packed my little bento box with some of my roasted veggies and a side of my homemade Greek yoghurt. I brought some pita bread to work and, voila, a delicious, mouth-watering, tasty, happy-dance worthy meal in under 3 minutes.

A gourmet meal in minutes!

I didn't even warm up the veggies since I don't mind them cold, though that would be an options. I simply warmed up the pita in a toaster oven, opened it up and spread the yoghurt onto the bread with a knife, and added a drizzle of olive oil before putting in the veggies -- divine!

For good, affordable yoghurt in Shanghai, visit the Avocado Lady or learn to make your own by reading one of my earlier posts, here.

If you missed my post about prepping roasted veggies in advance, read it here.

Roasted Veggies: Getting my raw materials ready for the week!

How to eat healthy, homemade food, save time and not end up with soggy rotten veggies in your fridge at the end of the week?

I have blogged before about prepping veggies in advance for the week. It ensures that even when you are dog tired and don't feel like cooking at the end of a long day, you can still eat something delicious and healthy at home!

This week I bought a bunch of veggies at the market on my day off and got them all ready in no time by using the oven to roast them. The advantage over other kinds of cooking is a) the flavor and versatility of roasted veggies and b) the fact that you are free to read, blog, nap or watch cat videos on YouTube while your veggies cook!

Veggies all chopped up and ready to be seasoned in the bowl!

Fresh ingredients this week:

• 1 zucchini
• 1 eggplant
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 carrot
• 5 cloves of garlic

Other ingredients:

• Sea Salt
• Black pepper
• Dry Thyme
• Olive Oil

Before cooking, the seasoned veggies are all spread out on a baking sheet/pan.

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius
• Wash and chop the veggies -- I sliced the eggplant and carrot into rounds, quartered the onion and tomatoes, cut the bell pepper into thick strips and left the garlic cloves whole, with the skins on. The zucchini was chopped into bite-sized cubes.
• Put all the chopped veggies in a large bowl.
• Add salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle some thyme and add a few lugs of olive oil.
• Toss to coat.
• Spread onto a baking tray.
• Pop into the oven for 45min. or so. Go do something fun.

These ingredients are to be transformed throughout the week into delicious meals, different every time so you don't get bored. Stay tuned!

Cooked and ready to be transformed into any delicious meal!

Mr. Cen and his Woks: Finding the perfect wok in Zhabei district, Shanghai

I have been freaking out a little lately, with all the food safety scandals in China recently. I am eating mostly vegetarian and cooking at home. But then I started to freak out about the pan I use at home.

I bought my old wok in the market where I buy my fresh produce and it's a cheap piece of $#@% to be honest, and I wouldn't care if I didn't get to thinking that it might be poisoning me. Who knows what's in the lining? The paint? What kind of metal it's made of? I always think it smells funny when it gets really hot, like it's emitting some chemical fumes...

"Where can I get a good, affordable wok in Shanghai?" I thought. "Carrefour might be a good bet but it's far and can I really trust what I get there?" I thought of Lemon Zest but the thought of paying hundreds of Yuan for an imported wok when I LIVE IN CHINA really bugged me.

Thankfully, some online research quickly led me to Mr. Cen, the number one wok man in Shanghai.

Mr. Cen has made woks in his little workshop for more than 50 years!

Mr. Cen was featured in a CNN Travel article back in 2009, and I couldn't find anything more recent to confirm that he was still there, working in the same place. I decided to go investigate!

I ended up finding Mr. Cen hard at work pounding iron at the very same address described by CNN, 214 Baoyuan Lu, near Baotong Lu (宝源路214号，近宝通路). He had the cotton plugs in his ears and everything, just like they described in the article!

Mr. Cen is not the type for small talk. He was kind in letting me take his picture though!

Mr. Cen has worked out of this little shop for more than 50 years, doing the hard work of pounding sheets of iron into woks with just a hammer and some moulds to help him. It is really hard work! He is said to be one of the last such artisans in Shanghai.

There are woks of many sizes in the shop but they are all basically the same shape and type, with handles on two sides. (Wok fun-fact: This type of shallow wok is typical of Shanghainese cuisine, whereas the deep woks are used more in Guangdong.) I got my handcrafted wok for just 110RMB (under $20 USD!!)

I am the proud owner of this handcrafted wok, with all the cute little dents made by Mr. Chen's hard work!

Getting there:

Take Metro Line 10 to Sichuan Bei Lu station (四川北路) and go out at Exit 2. Walk north on Sichuan Bei Lu, crossing over to the other side of the street. Take a left at the Bank of China -- it looks like you are walking into a dead end but there's a small lane there called Xin Guang Lu (新光路) where you can take a right. This lane will cut all the way through to Baoyuan Lu (宝源路), where Mr. Cen's shop is located.

Once you arrive at Baoyuan Lu just take a right. If you have headphones on, take them off and you will soon hear the clanging of Mr. Cen's hammer!


The field-trip to Zhabei was a treat in and of itself, exploring an old part of Shanghai that I seldom have reason to visit. Lane life there is alive and kicking! Keep going for some pics I took of the lanes around Xin Guang Lu!

Student picking up some tasty snacks from a cart.

Old shoes on a windowsill, airing out those old smells!

Auntie taking little Emperor for a stroll.

Stores full of manly nick-nacks like tools, speakers and even workout equipment!

Students getting home from school, backpacks on backwards to stave off pickpockets!

Deep-fried goodness.

Veggies on tarps.

The most patriotic snack shop I saw.

Garlic and ginger -- what more do you need?

Al fresco fruits.

I think this was actually a dentist, operating on the sidewalk. Freaked me out a little.

Steamed Veggies for a Week of Healthy Eating

I spent a few hours on the weekend chopping, washing and steaming a bunch of veggies, including squash, onions, garlic, spinach, cauliflower and broccoli. I also made a good portion of whole rice mixed with barley to keep in my fridge, and defrosted some black beans i had cooked a while back. I have talked before about how my busy schedule makes it hard for me to cook during the week, and I have found that washing and cooking the veggies in advance helps me eat home cooked meals throughout the week!

Reimagining the veggies and creating dishes with them later in the week is fast and easy! A bit of vegetable broth and I have soup, a few spices and I have curry, a blender and I have a dip or purée to eat with chips or pita...

This pic is of the veggies eaten pretty much straight up, with some salt, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some olive oil! Yum!

Brazilian Black Bean Soup with American Characteristics

As the weather begins to cool and the leaves begin to fall, it's wonderful to sit down to a warm and filling meal. Soups are some of my favorite dishes of the season, and I love how they can be used to deal with leftovers of all sorts. This black bean soup is hearty and healthy soup that is most accommodating of anything you want to throw in it!

I added fresh tomatoes and a dollop of plain yoghurt along with a drizzle of olive oil to my bowl, something distinctly un-Brazilian ;)

Usually, I make my black bean soup with the leftover black beans I have on rice, Brazilian style. All it takes is adding some broth and tossing the beans in a food processor or blender. It's up to you whether you want to puree the whole thing, or varying proportions of it, to achieve the desired blend of whole beans and thick soup.

Cooking Black-Beans:
Soak the desired amount of beans overnight. (I usually make a whole kilo at a time since the cooking process is so lengthy, and the beans do well frozen. Once cooked, you can use them in salads, stews, etc.)
Bring the beans to a boil in plenty of water, some salt, and a couple of bay leaves. It will take 1.5-2 hours to cook all the way through or, if you use a pressure cooker, just 45min. or so.
Once the beans are cooked, you can do a lot with them. You can also vary the amount of water you leave, to achieve the desired brothiness. The important thing now is to get the flavoring in!

Flavoring the Black Beans:
(I am sure you can do this in an infinite number of ways, but this is just a basic recipe you can vary.)
Sautee a finely chopped onion and 8 finely chopped cloves of garlic in some vegetable oil.
If you are not vegetarian, you can add a nice piece of Canadian bacon or fatty pork here for a delicious flavor boost!
You can also add diced carrots or cubes of squash/pumpkin here, for a vegetarian dish!
Sautee until the veggies begin to turn soft.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add the cooked beans to the sautee mix!
Add cumin (around 2 teaspoons) as well as Cayenne to taste.
Add a bit of orange juice! I swear it is delicious.
And feel free to experiment with other stuff as well. Like last time I tossed in some red bell peppers to the sautee.

Once these beans are ready, they can be served over rice or you can make them brothier and serve as soup. Either way, I usually put at least a couple of cups into the blender, and then mix that back into the beans so you have a heartier broth.

You can also add cooked pasta to the soup once it's ready, and I often add chopped tomatoes and plain yoghurt (instead of sour cream) to mine, along with a drizzle of olive oil. At lunch today I even added some fresh avocado. DELICIOUS.

Super Seafood Tray Bake!

Last night I had friends over for dinner in my new place for the first time and broke my own rule about not making something I've never made before when I have guests over... I broke the rule because:

• I have been dying to try this recipe from Jamie Oliver's app.
• It looked pretty fool-proof.
• I wanted to do something in the oven so we could chat and hang out while the food was getting ready (best way to eat with guests!)

Photo courtesy of Jamie's app since I totally forgot to take pics until we had devoured almost EVERYTHING!

I did not regret the decision! This dish was flavorful but light, ideal for a late evening meal. it was citrusy and minty, and the smell of the fresh parsley stalks as I cut them reminded me of my childhood for some strange reason I could not quite place...

It was the first time I bought fresh seafood at the wet market! It's weird but all the live fish have intimidated me for a LONG time and it was fun to finally overcome my squeamishness. But more than that I haven't really cooked with seafood very often before either, except for the odd grilled salmon dish or shrimp stir-fry, so it was nice to have this recipe to guide me!

The main ingredients were seafood (Jamie says any kind will do, and his recipe called for jumbo shrimp, shells off but tails still on, and scallops. I added squid to mine on top of that!) and tomatoes. Jamie says a variety of tomatoes, adding up to 1lb (around 450 grams) for 4 people, but it is hard to get much variety in tomatoes here in Shanghai. I ended up using some red cherry tomatoes, some orange cherry tomatoes and a large tomato on the vine. The carb that gave some sustenance to the dish was couscous, and it was light and flavorful!

Ingredients: (for 4 people)

• 8 sea scallops (getting these was hilarious; in the end I had to ask the guy at the market to please kill them for me!)
• 12 extra-large shrimp, shell off, tails on (it was a struggle with the lady at the market over this too! She insisted the heads were delicious, along with the "yellow stuff" inside them, and really wanted me to keep them!)
• 1 1/2 cups couscous
• 1lb mixed ripe tomatoes
• 1 cup jarred roasted peppers
• 3+1 cloves garlic
• 3 cups arugula
• 4 spring onions (Jamie calls them scallions. Also, the ones in China are tiny compared to the ones in Jamie's photos, so I used more than 4.)
• 3 lemons
• 1 bunch fresh Italian parsley (I have no idea what is meant by "Italian" parsley... I just used parsley!)
• 2 tbsp fennel seeds
• 6 sprigs fresh cilantro
• 6 sprigs fresh mint
• olive oil
• sea salt
• black pepper

How To:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius.
• Quarter the large tomato and halve the cherry tomatoes, leaving the very small ones whole. Put them in a big mixing bowl. Then add the roasted red peppers (from a jar), roughly chopped.
• Slice up the spring onions finely, and add to the bowl of tomatoes with the juice of one lemon. Add some salt and pepper to taste.
• Pick the leaves off the parsley and separata them out for later; chop the parsley stems up finely (this is the smell that reminded me of my childhood!)
• Peel and finely slice the garlic cloves; pound the fennel seeds with a pestle and mortar. 

ASIDE:

I am such a disorganized cook! I pounded the stupid fennel seeds and then totally forgot to add them to my dish later on! Haha! I wonder how different it would have been...

• Bring some water to a boil in a saucepan or kettle, and meanwhile heat some olive oil in a frying pan and add the garlic, parsley and fennel seeds (I FORGOT THE FENNEL SEEDS!). Stir and fry until the garlic is golden, then add the dry couscous and stir so it gets coated evenly in the oil. 
• Add 1 and 1/3 cups of boiling water to the couscous and stir until all the water has been absorbed.
• Tip the couscous into the roasting pan and spread it out to make an even layer.
• Add the shrimp, scallops, and any other seafood (in my case, squid!) to the bowl of tomatoes, add some olive oil and toss to coat everything evenly. Then spread this somewhat evenly over the couscous.
• Drizzle everything with olive oil, add some salt and pepper, cover with aluminum foil and stick it in the hot oven!
• Cook for 30-40min (I left mine in a little longer, around 45, and it was fine!)
• While it's doing its thing, pick the leaves from the mint and cilantro, add to the parsley leaves and mince it all up really finely with the zest of one lemon and a clove of garlic.
• Wash and dry the arugula.
• Squeeze the juice of the zested lemon into a glass jar, add twice as much olive oil and some salt and pepper, cover the jar and shake. Use this to dress the arugula once dinner is ready to serve!
• Serve scattered with the chopped herbs, a squeeze of lemon juice and a side of lemony arugula. This dish was a huge success!

To be honest, the only problem is that we all might have eaten a little more if there was any left!

Note: Avocado Lady has the couscous, lemons, mint, parsley, arugula, and other foreign ingredients necessary for this dish! I bought the jar of roasted bell peppers at City Shop on Nanjing Rd.