Summer Salads made in a jiffy using OXO Mandolin and Nesting Bowls.

We have been very fortunate for the last few weeks to have had mostly good weather. The sunshine has meant that we can do a lot of the outdoor chores that were accumulating.

I have also spent a little more time in the garden growing some tomatoes, chillies, coriander and strawberries. For some one who does not have green fingers at all I am very proud of my self.

Since the weather has been hot, we have been eating mostly in the garden. Our lunches have mainly been quick and easy salads that are healthy and delicious too. 

Salads don't need to be boring, you can add not just lettuce, tomatoes radishes, onions, peppers and tomatoes but fruits in salads too. I love peaches, apricots, plums, oranges, grapes and apples in my salad too. Of course not forgetting the different varieties of melons too. Water melon and feta pair well together  and I love orange and grapefruit in my salads too to give that citrus kick.

With the recent COVIDsitation, I have been extra careful with my fruit and vegetables. As soon as I get my shopping home, I soak the fruits and vegetables in a solution made of  vinegar and bicarbonate of soda in large bowl for an hour, after which I drain the vegetables and fruits and give them a really wash and good rinse in cold water. I then leave them to air dry before storing.

I find my OXO’s 9-Piece Nesting Bowl and Colander Set is really handy in the kitchen. The set has three bowls, three colanders, and three lids in small, medium and large sizes. They bowla with the colanders really handy for washing fruits and vegetables and also for draining cooked pulses, beans, rice and pasta too.

The bowls are also perfect for baking too, the handy non-slip base keeps bowls stabilised when mixing.

Putting a salad together is really easy especially if you have a mandolin to slice the vegetables thinly. The OXO Hand-Held Mandolin Slicer is my best friend in the kitchen. It's compact and fits into my kitchen drawer and is so handy to slice my vegetables uniformly.

The mandolin has a sharp blade with a thickness adjuster to select the thickness you need and it has a special holder that you attach to the fruit or vegetable that you are slicing to keep it secure and protect your fingers from the blade. It also helps you to slice to the last bit of the fruit or vegetable with very little waste.

The mandolin is easy to clean as well, it just needs a rinse in warm soapy water. It just saves getting the food processor out as the mandolin is so quick and easy to use.

You can also add grains like couscous, quinoa and Bulgar wheat to your salads to bulk them up. Adding beans such as black eyed beans, borlotti beans, green lentils, kidney beans and chick peas are a great way to add protein to the salad.

Having the right equipment in the kitchen certainly makes prepping food a lot easier. OXO have a vast range of kitchenware that is great for all types of food preparations. Do check out the OXO UK website for the full range. What is your favorite kitchen gadget that you love. Do share in the comments below.

**Collaborative Post

Chinese Style Fried Vegetable Rice

This is one of my favorite all time recipes to use up left over rice. The flavoursome Chinese style fried rice goes so well with sweet and sour vegetables. It is also just tasty on its own for a light lunch.

Yield: Serves 4

Author: Nayna Kanabar

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Chinese Style Fried Vegetable Rice

Chinese Style Fried Vegetable Rice - A really versatile and tasty dish that can be put together with basic pantry ingredients.

Prep time: 10 MCook time: 15 MTotal time: 25 M

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Cashew Nuts
• 1 Tbsp Sunflower Oil
• 3 Cloves Garlic finely chopped  
• 1 Onion finely sliced
• 30 g Red Pepper finely sliced
• 30 g  Green Pepper finely slice
• 3 Spring Onions finely chopped
• 1 Carrot peeled and shredded
• 400 g Precooked Cold Boiled Rice
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Chinese Five Spice
• 1 Tbsp Vegetarian Stir Fry Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds

Instructions:

1. Add oil in a wok, when it is hot add the cashew nuts and stir fry until golden brown. Remove from wok and keep to one side.
2. In the wok add the garlic and saute, then add the peppers, onions, spring onions and carrots and stir fry until slightly soft on high heat.
3. Add salt and the Chinese five Spice and the vegetarian stir fry sauce and mix together.
4. Add the boiled rice and toss all the ingredients until well mixed and the rice is hot.
5. Add the sesame seeds, freshly chopped coriander and the cashew nuts.
6. Toss together and serve warm. The rice goes well as an accompaniment with all types of Chinese and Indo Chinese dishes.

Created using The Recipes Generator

You can also see the you tube video of this recipe on my you tube channel.

You may like Jollof Rice

Middle Eastern Spicy Fruit Salad

I love fruits and salads and during lockdown, I have been trying to create different types of salads and dressings. My recent discovery is making savory and tangy fruit salads. When I was in India on holiday I tried a fruit chaat which was fruits dressed with a spicy dressing. I immediately fell in love with the idea.

This salad made with fruits is an idea I got from my recent holiday to Turkey. I have used Middle Eastern flavours of  paprika, cumin and pomegranate molasses. I love the sharp and tangy flavour of the pomegranate molasses together with the spices in this salad. The salad is delicious served cold.

Yield: 1 bowl

Author: Nayna Kanabar

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Middle Eastern Spicy Fruit Salad

Tangy, spicy fruit salad with Middle Eastern Flavours.

Prep time: 15 MCook time:None Total time: 15 M

Ingredients:

• 2 Oranges peeled and cut into circles
• 15 Red Grapes cut in halves
• 15 Green Grapes cut in halves
• 8 Strawberries thinly sliced
• 2 Peaches thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon almond slivers
• 4-5 Basil Leaves hand torn

Dressing

• 2 Tbsp Lime Juice
• 1/4 Tsp Chili flakes
• 1/2 Tsp Fresh Ginger paste
• 2 Tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin

Instructions:

1. In  a large bowl add the prepared fruit.
2. In a jar add the ginger, salt, ground cumin, chilli flakes, coconut sugar, lime juice and pomegranate molasses. Put the lid on and shake the jar.
3. Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss to mix everything gently.
4. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and garnish with torn basil leaves and almond slivers.

Created using The Recipes Generator

**collaborative post

Review Viners Assure Knife Set

I am a big foodie and I am sure all my readers know that and also know that I am also very particular about my cookware, knives, chopping boards and utensils that I use in my kitchen. Having good quality pans, chopping board and definitely knives are of paramount importance to me when doing my meal preps.

During lock down I have had time to clear out my kitchen cupboards and take stock of what I need to keep and what I need to throw out. Remember that pan with the broken handle, the blunt knifes and that chopping boards that have discoloured and so scratched that the wood has started to splinter. Well I had all these so I ruthlessly threw them all out.
I have so many pans and also a lovely new Samuel Groves pan which you can read all about in my last post so I did not need any new pans. I also have a couple of new chopping boards stashed away which are now replacing the old ones.

The only thing I did not have were some new knives, so in my search for replacements I came across this set of Assure 4 piece set of knives. The set has a 6" chef knife, 6" santoku knife, 3.5 "paring knife and a 5" utility knife. The knives have a square tip to maximise safety and soft touch handles for optimum comfort. The blades are finished with a black non stick coating too to improve their performance and they come with a 10 year guarantee.

I love the knives, as they are not bulky at all. They are  lightweight and the perfect size for everyday use. Although they can't be put in the dish washer, that is not a problem for me, as I always hand wash my knives and put them away after use, in fear of someone cutting their hands on them if placed in dishwasher. I adore my knife set and the best thing is that they are affordable at only £15.99 for the set. You can check them out and purchase them from any kitchen stockist, or on line at Viners

I would love to know what your favorite knife is in your kitchen, do let me know in the comments. Also tell be honestly now, how many of you are hoarding chipped mugs, scratched and discoloured chopping boards, pans with handles missing and coating coming off? If you have these isn't it about time you too were ruthless and cleared them out? Go on do it, you will feel better for doing it.

** collaborative post

Samuel Groves Casserole Pan Review and Giveaway

We are almost into the 7th week of lock down and I am spending even more time in my kitchen. I have been clearing out the cupboards and being ruthless. I am sure like me, many of you also have pots and pans with handles missing, nonstick coating coming off that you hoard, so I decided it was time to clear out and replace my cook ware with good quality cookware. My search led me to the amazing Samuel Groves Tri Ply Stainless steel range. The heavy duty pans are made from Tri-Ply Stainless Steel and are suitable for hobs that are induction base, gas, electric or ceramic.

There are various different pan sizes available in the range but my favorite is the 20 cm casserole pan with lid. It's so versatile in its use, I use it for boiling pasta, for making stock and stews in it and its great for making a large batch of soup or chilli. The pans are dishwasher safe which is a must in today's kitchen. I also like that the handles are really secure and durable, unlike some of my cheaper pan where they are loose and dropped off. These pans are superior quality and fully designed, made and shipped in England. The pans looks sleek, smart and stylish too. The full range is available on the Samuel Groves website .

I love my 20 cm casserole pan with lid and as always I love one of my readers to be able to try the product out. The lovely people at Samuel Groves have offered to send one of my readers a 20 cm pan casserole pan with lid as a prize.

Prize:  1x20 cm Samuel Groves Casserole Pan with Lid
This giveaway is open to all readers over 18 who live in the UK.
Giveaway closes 10th June 2020 12 am

How to Enter:
Complete the three mandatory questions and then follow the bonus entries on rafflecopter for more chances of winning.

The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter (which uses random.org) and announced on this page.

• Simplyfood is hosting this giveaway in collaboration with Samuel Groves. Their decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. They reserve the right to withdraw the competition at any time should any unforeseen circumstances arise, in case that the prize is not available a similar prize of same value will be substituted.  No monetary compensation will be given.
• Samuel Groves will be responsible for sending out the prize to the winner, by entering you are **consenting** to share your address for the prize to be sent and be contacted by email to notify you if you have won the prize. 
• Please note to be complaint with the new GDPR rules by entering the giveaway you are consenting to allow simplyfood to contact you if you win the prize and to share your details with Samuel Groves so that you can be sent your prize. Your data will NOT be used for any other marketing purposes
• All entries will be verified, failure to follow instructions correctly will result in participants being disqualified. Please do not cheat.

**Images copyright of simplyfood
**Post in collaboration with Samuel Groves

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