Latest news with #salad
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Quinoa and Grilled Asparagus Salad
Quinoa, native to South America, is combined with Ontario grilled vegetables in this easy- to- prepare salad bursting with refreshing flavour. This vegetarian salad is a great option for brunch and outdoor celebrations, as a main dish salad or as a side salad to accompany grilled meat, chicken or fish. Preparation time: 15 minutes Ready in: 45 minutes Grilling Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Makes: 6 to 8 servings Ingredients 1 cup (250 mL) quinoa, rinsed 1 lb (500 g) Ontario Asparagus, trimmed 1 Ontario Greenhouse Sweet Orange Pepper, quartered 1 large Ontario Onion, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick slices 2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh Ontario Parsley 1 tsp (5 mL) grated orange rind 1/4 cup (50 mL) orange juice 1 tbsp (15 mL) Ontario Honey 1 tbsp (15 mL) each red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard 1 small clove garlic, finely minced 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper Instructions In medium saucepan, bring quinoa and 2 cups (500 mL) water to boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with fork, remove from heat; let stand covered for 5 minutes. Place in serving bowl; let cool. Meanwhile, brush asparagus, orange pepper and onion with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil. Place on greased grill over medium-high heat. Grill, covered, turning occasionally, until tender-crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to cutting board as they are done. Let cool slightly and cut into bite-size pieces; stir into quinoa along with chickpeas and parsley. In small bowl, whisk together remaining oil, orange rind and juice, honey, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper; pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat. Serve at room temperature. Nutritional Information 1 Serving (When recipe serves 8):
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Burrata with asparagus, Parma ham and basil dressing
I love handling this type of dish, especially when I have good ingredients. It's an assembly of components. Dishes with burrata are a bit difficult. One globe per person seems too much, but once you split them the cream inside starts to come out. Go for split or whole, depending on your appetite. There's nothing wrong with using frozen peas, especially petits pois – they're little pops of sweetness. Ingredients For the dressing 125ml extra-virgin olive oil (not a bitter Tuscan one), plus extra for drizzling 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, or as needed ½ tsp Dijon mustard 20g basil leaves (no stalks) ½ small shallot, diced For the salad 175g asparagus 30g fresh or frozen peas, defrosted if frozen 25g pea shoots 4 slices Parma ham, torn into pieces 2 burratas Method Step To make the dressing, add 125ml extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, ½ tsp Dijon mustard and 20g basil leaves to a food processor with ½ tbsp water and some seasoning, and whizz. Step Add ½ small diced shallot – it will flavour the dressing as it sits – and pulse until you get a thickness similar to pesto. Taste to see whether you want to fiddle a bit with the seasoning, oil or white balsamic. This makes more dressing than you need but it keeps well in the fridge. Step Prepare 175g asparagus by snapping off the tough woody end of each spear. Steam the asparagus for about 7 minutes, or until just tender – the timing will depend on the thickness of the spears. Dry in a clean tea towel to absorb the moisture clinging to them. Step Divide the salad components – the asparagus, 30g fresh or frozen peas, 25g pea shoots, 4 slices torn Parma ham and 2 burratas – between your plates. Season everything and spoon some of the basil dressing over the top. Add a swirl of extra-virgin olive oil and serve.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Safety warning over popular 'healthy' food that's often laced with deadly bacteria
Experts have sounded the alarm over a surge in the number of people falling ill after eating unwashed salad that's contaminated with deadly bacteria. An alarming 17 per cent of people in the UK have admitted that they don't bother washing their salad, significantly increasing the risk of being infected by potentially deadly bugs such as listeria, according to a new study. Listeria—which can kill—usually causes a fever, sickness and diarrhoea. But, in more serious cases, it can lead to deadly conditions such as meningitis or sepsis. More than 280 people meanwhile were struck down by a virulent form of food poisoning that was linked to contaminated lettuce grown in the UK last summer. An investigation by food safety experts linked the outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing (STEC)—a rare strain of the diarrhoea-causing bug multiple types of ready meal sandwiches containing the leaves. In a fresh report analysing UK residents' salad washing habits, experts warned that better awareness of bacteria lurking in salad—even products that are labelled washed and ready to eat—is essential to keep food poisoning at bay. Dr Deborah Lee, a UK-based GP turned medical writer, said: 'Salad leaves are a common source of pathogens, including norovirus, Hepatitis. A, cryptosporidium, giardia, toxoplasma, salmonella, campylobacter, yersinia and listeria. 'They can become contaminated at every step of the production process, from contact with soil, water, handling, equipment or storage. The NHS recommends rewashing all prewashed salads and vegetables before use. This is a vital step in food preparation to help reduce gastroenteritis (food poisoning).' The study analysed the salad washing habits of 2,000 UK residents and found that, whilst 60 per cent of people were aware that unwashed leaves could cause food poisoning, 64 per cent of those who admitted to not washing their produce said that didn't think it was necessary. Almost eight per cent of participants said they only use pre-washed, bagged salad. However, Dr Lee warned that just because a salad bag says 'washed and ready to eat', it does not mean that it is free from bacteria. 'Prewashed salad is washed with chlorine as a disinfectant, then rinsed with pure water,' she explained. 'Although this kills over 90 per cent of bacteria, many remain.' Importantly, food that is contaminated with bacteria such as listeria may not look or smell spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. For most people, listeria poisoning is similar to the flu, causing a high temperature, muscles aches or pains, chills and nausea or vomiting. Usually symptoms will improve after a few days. Health experts recommend re-washing salad at home, to better protect against potentially life-threatening infections. 'Rewashing at home provides an additional opportunity to remove any pathogens,' Dr Lee advised. 'For best results, after washing or rewashing, always dry lettuce leaves before eating. I would advise always drying salad leaves in a salad spinner – spinning the lettuce creates a centrifugal force that pulls the water and any pathogens away from the leaves,' she added. This is because leaving produce damp can encourage the growth of deadly bacteria and mould. The study also found that more than 70 per cent of people thought that rinsing produce under the tap would suffice, with only 10 per cent using food-safe cleaning solutions such as vinegar. Heidi Thomas, Head of Marketing for brands such as Zyliss who commissioned the study, said: 'Consumers are increasingly aware of the need to eat healthily, but it's just as important to eat safely. 'The potential risks of not washing salad are very serious – so we must all take time to prep our greens appropriately, even if it slows the cooking process down momentarily,' the food expert added. Official also raised the alarm last month over a surge in cases of STEC seen since the pandemic. In 2024 alone, more than 60 salads, sandwiches and wraps sold across 11 major shops in the UK were slapped with 'do not eat' alerts, over fears they could contain STEC. The outbreak sickened 288 patients, causing nine cases of haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) — a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure — and two deaths, the UKHSA reported. Experts believe the fact that salad items, such as lettuce, are not usually cooked could be behind the surge in cases, as heating can kill off bugs, decreasing the risk of food poisoning. Symptoms of infection vary from stomach cramps and vomiting to bloody diarrhoea, UKHSA says, with around half of people infected experiencing the latter. However, it is often difficult to spot because the same symptoms can be caused by a variety of bugs, including norovirus. According to the annual report, other bacterial infections rose including yersinia infections— rising to 660 cases from 454— and cyclospora cases almost doubled from 61 in 2023 to 123 in 2024. Between 2022 and 2024, Campylobacter laboratory reports rose 27 per cent between 2022 and 2024, with 70,300 cases. Campylobacter is the most common source of food poisoning. It typically causes diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting that gets better naturally within a week. In severe cases, however, it can be life-threatening for vulnerable groups, including young children, the elderly and immunosuppressed. Apart from the misery and pain of the illness itself, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) estimates the bacteria costs the economy some £900million a year in terms of NHS treatment and lost days at work.
Telegraph
28-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Chargrilled pepper and tuna salad
This vibrant salad could be the perfect early summer dinner with it's chargrilled peppers and good tuna and just the right amount of a slightly sweet, tart dressing – and you could serve with warm bread and butter or a few steamed Jersey royals, if you're feeling hungry. Overview Prep time 20 mins Cook time 12 mins Serves 4 Ingredients 1 small red onion, finely sliced juice of 1 lemon 2 romano peppers 1x 180g jar tuna fillets in olive oil lettuce for 4 people small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped bread and butter, to serve For the dressing 2 celery sticks, very finely diced 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tsp runny honey 3 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp cider vinegar ½ tsp chilli flakes Method Step Sit 2 romano peppers directly on the gas flame of your hob and turn the heat to medium. Leave for 6 minutes, then carefully use tongs to turn the peppers. Leave for another 6 minutes until charred all over. Step Put the peppers in a bowl and put a plate on top. Leave to steam for 15 minutes. Then pull off the charred skin and finely slice. Step While the peppers are cooking, make the dressing. Put 2 celery sticks, very finely diced in a big mixing bowl with the juice of half the lemon, 2 tsp wholegrain mustard, 1 tsp runny honey, 3 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp cider vinegar and ½ tsp chilli flakes as well as a big pinch of salt. Beat with a fork to combine. Step When you come to assemble the salad, put the small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped in the bowl too, along with half the peppers. Add the lettuce and use tongs or your hands to mix through, making sure everything is well dressed.
The Guardian
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Kitty Coles' recipes for lemon- and oil-poached fish and cucumber and yoghurt salad
There's something quietly luxurious about gently poaching fish in good olive oil and lemon. It's the sort of cooking that feels generous but effortless; everything simmers away in one big pan, and produces a sauce that's rich and thick from the potato starch but lemony and fresh-tasting, too. I also often find myself craving an entire cucumber for lunch, so I love today's salad for its simplicity and for its big flavours. I really enjoy writing recipes that I believe people will come back to again and again, and I think this is definitely one of those. I love serving this with a simple courgette salad to cut through the richness, as well as a dollop of creme fraiche, if you fancy it. This is a perfect lunch or dinner when you want things to feel a bit special without any drama. I haven't added any extra herbs, so the dish has a cleaner flavour, but if you'd like to add some parsley, chives or mint, they'd be a great addition. Prep 10 min Cook 30 minServes 4 150ml extra-virgin olive oil2 bay leaves, or a few thyme sprigs1 lemon, 2-3 slices cut off, the rest juiced, plus extra lemon wedges to serveSea salt and black pepper4–5 medium cyprus potatoes, or 400g new potatoes – I peel them, so they have that clean, waxy texture, but if you prefer them unpeeled, that's fine, too6 small banana shallots, peeled and trimmed4 thick sustainably-sourced cod fillets, or hake, haddock or any firm white fish 2 courgettesCreme fraiche, to serve (optional) Pour the olive oil and 600ml water into a wide, high-sided pan (about 28cm), then add the bay leaves, a few slices of lemon and a good pinch of salt. Slice the potatoes into 1½cm-thick coins, halve the shallots lengthways, then drop them into the pan, too. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for eight to 10 minutes, until the potatoes and shallots are just tender. Make four indents in the mix for the fish fillets, then nestle them in; the liquid needs to come about halfway up the fish, so if need be top up with a splash more water. Cut out a circle of baking paper to fit the pan, then lay it over the fish and vegetables. Turn down the heat to medium and leave to bubble gently for six to eight minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. The sauce should have reduced slightly, and the starch from the potatoes will have thickened it; if it still looks a bit watery, carefully lift out the fish and potatoes, and simmer the sauce for a few minutes more to reduce. Meanwhile, grate the courgettes into a bowl and season with salt, pepper and the juice of the remaining lemon. Serve everything straight away, topping the fish with a dollop of creme fraiche, if you fancy, and with extra lemon wedges on the side. The Guardian aims to publish recipes for sustainable fish. Check ratings in your region: UK; Australia; US. When testing this dish, I plopped a few spoonfuls of tinned tuna over the cucumber and celery before spooning on the yoghurt, and I'd highly recommend doing the same, so long as you're not serving this as a side. Prep 5 min Cook 20 min Serves 4 as a side 2 cucumbers 4 celery sticks1 unwaxed lemon 25g salted butter1 generous handful pine nuts 1 heaped tsp harissa Salt and black pepper 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil2 of your favourite tins of good-quality tuna in olive oil, drained (optional) 200g natural yoghurt Start by slicing the cucumber and celery however you like: thin rounds, half-moons or even dice. Use a vegetable peeler to pare the lemon zest into nice wide strips. In a small saucepan on a medium heat, melt the butter with the pine nuts. As the butter melts, the pine nuts will begin to toast; keep a close eye on them, though, because you don't want the nuts or butter to burn, although a little browning does add a lovely, nutty depth. Once the pine nuts are golden, stir in the harissa and lemon peel, leave to bubble gently for a minute, then take off the heat. Squeeze in the juice of half the lemon and season with a little salt, if needed. Transfer the cucumber and celery to a bowl and drizzle over the olive oil, the juice from the remaining lemon half, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then spoon on to a platter; now's the time to add the tuna, if using. Dollop over the yoghurt, then spoon the warm harissa-pine nut butter on top. Eat straight away, while the butter is still warm. Kitty Coles' latest book, Make More with Less: Foolproof Recipes to Make Your Food go Further, is published by Hardie Grant at £22. To order a copy for £19.80, go to
