Easy Christmas Salads

By Jo, Dec 24, 2017

Christmas is a day to celebrate and to bond with loved ones or friends. While we are preparing the mains like meats and fish laboriously, I like to have some simple side dishes to go with it.  The followings are two super easy salads, you will love the freshness that lends to the meats!

A) Easy Apple Salads

This is a simple fruity salad that goes well with any roasted meat! For the colour of Christmas, I use both green and red apples.  It is crunchy and fresh! The sourish taste of green apple and the sweetness of the red one blend well together, and I want to retain this natural flavor by using salt and argan oil only.  The nutty flavor of argan oil will enhance the taste altogether.  If you don’t have argan oil, replace it with extra virgin olive oil and add more chopped walnuts instead. 

Ingredients: 2 green apples, cubed 2 red apples, cubed

Garnishing: 2 tbs raisins 2 tbs chopped toasted walnuts 1 tbs chopped parsley 1 tsp salt 1 tbs argan oil

Methods: 

1) Clean the apple skin, cut all apples into cubes. While cutting, transfer all freshly cut cubes into salt water immediately. You must have enough water to cover the apple, add 1 tbs salt into the water. 

2) Once finish cutting, pour the apple cubes into a sieve and drain the water away thoroughly. 

3) Put apple cubes on plate.  Sprinkle with salt,  argan oil, raisins, chopped walnuts and parsley. 

2 green and red apples.

Soak cut apple cubes I mmediately in salt water.

Drain the water away with a sieve.

Sprinkle with salt.

Sprinkle all oil, raisins, nuts and parsley on top.

B) Easy Spinach Salad

You should try this spinach salad with a twist. I am using the imported spinach from Hong Kong. However, a bag of organic baby spinach will do much better in terms of texture, taste and convenience.

Ingredients:

200g baby spinach 2 red shallots, sliced  3 tbs apple cider vinegar 2 tbs sugar 1 cup dried cranberries  2 tbs toasted sesame seeds 1 tbs sesame oil 1 tsp salt

Methods:

1) Marinate sliced shallots with apple cider vinegar and sugar.

2) Mix sesame oil and salt together.

3) Place baby spinach in a salad bowl.

4) Pour oil mixture on top of leaves.

5) Sprinkle with cranberries, pickled shallots and lastly sesame seeds.

Marinate shallots with vinegar and sugar.

Pickled shallots, cranberries, oil mixture, sesame seeds.

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