Donna Hay's spiced chickpea salad

Donna Hay's cookbook Fresh and Light is the quintessence of 21st century cuisine. She offers a joyful, varied and sensible kitchen that gives an alternative to the current trend of restrictive cooking, wheat-free, sugar-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, fruit-free, to name a few. She invites to use fresh, seasonal and regional products, and substitutes traditional ingredients for their healthier equivalent.  Donna made sure that all her recipes are easy and quick to prepare. After all; overly complicated cooking instructions just make convenience food seem all the more appealing.

It was hard to pick just one of her enticing dishes for this introduction of her book.  She actually translates my own way of thinking  and cooking into beautiful creations....

Donna Hay's spiced chickpea salad
(slightly adapted)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon smokes sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
250g chickpeas (soaked over night and cooked )
3 carrots , peeled and shredded using a julienne peeler
a few mint leaves
a few coriander (cilantro) leaves
some dollops fresh goat cheese (combine wonderfully with the dressing!)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil, extra

Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the oil, cumin, paprika, salt and ground fennel seeds. Cook for two minutes or until fragrant. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the chickpea are toasted and coated in spices.

Place the carrots, coriander, mint, lemon juice, honey and extra olive oil in a bowl and toss to combine. Add the chickpeas and mix in gently. Divide between serving plates and top with the dollops of goat cheese.

garden soup // garden salad

broccoli, carrots, fennel, red onions, tomatoes, spring onions and a sprig of lovage 

lettuce, tomatoes, springs onions, radishes and grilled tofu 

a plateful of colours

 pears and beetroots, blueberries, tomatoes, lettuce and avocado

fruit and juices

   1.   The more colourful the more energizing!

    2.    Since in winter there is little choice of seasonal vegetable and greens, salads often turn out
           boring and without enough variation due to the lack of fresh ingredients. Adding some cooked
           vegetable to your salad is a great way to make it a bit richer, but I want to suggest you another  
           delicious alternative: add fruit to your salad!

          Our favourite pairings added to our usual salads:
          pear + rucola
          date + tomato
          pomegranate + lettuce
          orange + fennel
          apple + cabbage

    3.   During the night soak dry goji berries in water. In the morning drink the goji water and spread
          the berries over your muesli.
   

       
    4.   Combine fruit and leafy greens in your smoothies.  Here is my sunshine smoothie for you!

    5.   A three day raw juice and water fast is a great way to detox. It gives your body a fresh start
          without depriving yourself of essential nutrients.
          

Simple lunch between painting old furniture for the guest room and fitting new shutters for the girls' room: Fusilli salad with mini tomatoes and blanched spinach

Yes, we are living most busy and crafty times this moment!

So busy that I finally  forgot to take a picture of the  finished salad.  I'm sorry! Instead I'll give you the exact instructions (very easy) how to assemble and some pictures of the renovation in progress.

As for the salad: in the beginning, just follow the pictures 

250g fusilli

a handful of mini tomatoes, cut in halves

500g spinach, blanched

herbs from the garden ( mint, lemon balm and oregano), finely chopped

Assemble all ingredients in a bowl, pulling the spinach to pieces and season with salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil. Enjoy it lukewarm or cold, it's equally delicious!

everyday freshness

The variety of florentine salads has been the beginning of a long journey of discoveries. Welcome to my guide for salads that never makes you feel like they are just a side dish.

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Assemble a variety of lettuce, arugula or baby spinach on a plate

• add  dried San Marzano tomatos, grated parmiggiano, roasted chicken, fresh and ripe tomatoes, fennel and artichokes cut in slices, Mozzarella di Bufala, chopped pine nuts and pistachios, little balls of fresh goat cheese, thinly sliced turkey....

• sprinkle with nothing else than an excellent olive oil, balsamico, salt and pepper
• dip chunks of white bread into the remaining bits of salad sauce

Choose high quality products - it will make a huge difference since all your ingredients are raw!