Summertime is the perfect opportunity to eat light and healthy and The Heart Foundation have launched a new Fresh Entertaining recipe book with lots of tasty inspiration; www.heartfoundation.org.au/weekender
Here’s small taste-tester of two delicious recipes from the book, which are quick to assemble ahead of time, great for picnics, or to package up for workday lunch. Plus, they are good for your heart… what’s not to love about that!
Greek Tuna Salad Jars
Ingredients
• 250g packet microwave Brown rice & Ancient Grains
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 50g soft feta, crumbled
• 185g can tuna, drained and flaked
• 1 small red capsicum, chopped
• 1 small Lebanese cucumber, chopped
• 60g cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 green shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon sliced kalamata olives
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
• 4 cos lettuce leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons pine nuts, toasted
Method
1. Heat rice blend in microwave according to packet directions. Transfer to a
bowl. Cool.
2. Divide olive oil, lemon juice and feta between 2 x 450ml capacity jars or
containers. Season with pepper. Top evenly with tuna and rice blend.
3. Combine capsicum, cucumber, tomatoes, shallot, olives and dill in a bowl.
Divide mixture evenly over rice layer in jars. Top with lettuce. Seal jars with
lids and refrigerate until ready to serve. Divide pine nuts between 2 small
containers.
4. To serve, invert salad jars onto plates or into shallow bowls and sprinkle with
pine nuts.
Tips
• Salad jars can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. For easy, spillproof
transport, assemble salads in jars or containers with a screw top lid.
• You can use any unflavoured wholegrain microwave rice blend. Check out the
varieties available in the rice section of supermarkets, or substitute plain
cooked brown rice, if preferred.
Chicken Cobb Salad
Ingredients
• 2 x 250g chicken breast fillets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 420g can no added salt corn kernels, drained
• 1 baby cos lettuce, leaves separated
• 1 large avocado, quartered
• 200g grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, halved
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
DRESSING
• 2½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
Method
1. Place chicken breasts on a large plate and rub with oil and paprika to coat.
2. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook about
5 minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a
plate. Cover with foil and rest for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, to make dressing, combine all ingredients in screw-top jar, season
with pepper and shake well.
4. Thinly slice chicken. Arrange chicken on a platter with corn, lettuce, avocado,
tomatoes, cucumber, eggs and onion. Drizzle over dressing to serve.
Tips
• It’s important to cook chicken over a medium heat only to ensure it cooks
through to the centre without burning spice coating.
• Canned corn can be replaced with 2 fresh corn cobs. Cook in a lightly oiled
non-stick grill pan or on a barbecue grill for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally,
until lightly charred. Cut kernels off the cob and add to salad.
• Pack any leftovers into containers and refrigerate for a lunch on the go the
next day.
