Healthy Salad

This healthy fall salad recipe calls for a classic combination of sweet and sour - the sweet supplied by ripe pears, and the sour by pickles and vinaigrette. Jicama strips add a refreshing and delightful crunch to the mix.

Ingredients:

2 ripe pears, peeled and chopped into bite-size pieces

1 medium jicama, peeled and sliced into thin strips

3 green onions, finely chopped

1 yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped into bite-size pieces

4 cups mixed baby salad greens
1/4 cup pickles, sliced

For Vinaigrette:1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or lemon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Whisk 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, Dijon mustard, turmeric and sea salt and pepper together to form a basic vinaigrette for this salad.

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl, drizzle with vinaigrette, then give it a good toss with your hands.

Serve immediately. The quantities listed in this recipe make approximately four portions.

Thanks to Dr Ben Kim for this yummy and healthy salad recipe!

Homemade Roselle Jam

Roselle is known as Hibiscus Sabdariffa and is a species of Hibiscus.  It is known as the rosella or rosella fruit in Australia. It is asam belanda in Malaysia. In Chinese it is 洛神花 (Luo Shen Hua) . 

Roselle is becoming increasingly popular as a health drink as it has 

high content of Vitamin C and is said to contain 3 times more Vitamin C than blackcurrant and 9 times more than citrus fruit. It is also rich in anti-oxidant properties (anthocyanins).

Fresh roselle has been found to contain vitamin D, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and vitamin B2 Complex, Vitamin A, Niacin and Calcium. 

Known benefits of drinking roselle juice:

- decreases inflammation of kidney and urinary tract. 

- good for arteriosclerosis and reduce blood  

hypertension. 

- normalize blood pressure.

- stimulate internal peristalsis.

- relief cough and fever.

- for soft and smooth skin.

We usually make roselle juice by boiling the calyces in water for 8 to 10 minutes (or until the water turns red), then add sugar. It is often served chilled.  However this time, I decided to make roselle jam as my sister had given me a bag of homegrown roselle; 100% organic! 

Ingredients :

- 3 big bowls of fresh roselle (separate the red fleshy calyx from the central seedpod, washed)

- 3 1/2 cups of granulated sugar

- 1 cinnamon stick 

- few pandan (screwpine) leaves

- 1 cup of water 

Method :

1)  Put fresh roselle and water into a blender and blend it.

2)  Then, transfer to a medium sized pot.

3)  Add sugar and cinnamon stick.

4)  Cook at medium low heat.  Stir occasionally.

5)  Add pandan leaves when half way through.

6)  Keep stirring until it starts to thicken.  Remove pandan leaves.

7)  Let it cool before transfer to an airtight container.  Refrigerate.  

Enjoy your healthy Homemade Roselle Jam with bread or cream crackers.  I also mix 1 or 2 spoons into my fresh lemon drinks!  Very refreshing.... :)

Stir Fried French Beans with Fried Tofu and Preserved Radish

French Beans (String Beans) is highly nutritious. It has the same nutritional benefits as other common beans such as lima beans, mung beans, kidney beans, pinto beans and navy beans. 

It is easy to prepare and delicious no matter how you cook it.  Stir fry is one of it and it is especially tasty if stir fry it with preserved radish.  Instead of just the preserved radish, I also add deep fried  hard tofu.  Do try this simple and nutritious recipe :)

Ingredients :

  
- 1 big bunch of french beans (washed and cut)

- 2 blocks of hard tofu (cut into medium size)

- 1 tbsp of preserved radish (washed and roughly chopped)

- garlic (crushed)

cooking oil

Seasonings : (to taste)

- salt

- soy sauce

Method :

1) Heat enough oil in a wok and fry tofu until golden brown. Set aside.

2) With the remaining oil in the wok, saute garlic and radish until aromatic.

3) Add french beans and stir well. If too dry, add some water.

4) Then, add fried tofu. Stir and mix well.

5) Lastly, add seasonings and give it a quick a stir.

6) Serve hot.