Asparagus, Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

This is a quick-fire, super scrumptious salad which is easy to make and brightens up any Winters day or Summer BBQ dinner. Get creating!

INGREDIENTS
a handful of baby asparagus per person
1/3 packet of cherry tomatoes
1 spring onion finely chopped
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
1 lug of good quality olive oil
juice of half a lemon
1/3 ripped fresh mozzarella
small handful of basil leaves
seasoning to taste

METHOD
Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water whilst you prepare the tomato topping
roughly dice the cherry tomatoes and place in a bowl with the lemon, oil, garlic and onion and salt and pepper
drain the asparagus and arrange on a platter, top with tomato mixture
garnish with mozzarella and basil

Ta-daaah! A taste sensation!

Variations: use blue cheese instead of mozzarella for a stronger flavour or top with Kalamata olives

LoveBites Delish Fish and Lentil Ensomble

This recipe was derived from a recent meal a friend of mine had at a local gastro pub in Hampshire...

INGREDIENTS
serves two

• 2 cod fillets (or firm white fish fillets)
• 2 tspns tomato paste or sundried tomato paste (1 tspn per fillet)
• 2 chorizo sausages, sliced
• 10 mixed coloured cherry tomatoes, halved and quartered randomly
• 80g fresh baby spinach
• handful of chopped parsley
• 3/4 cup of puy or green lentils
• Lemon juice and garlic butter to garnish
• Garlic butter - 1 clove pured garlic, 2 tbspns butter, melt in microwave for 20 - 30 seconds

METHOD

1. Cook lentils as per packet instructions
2. Paint fish with tomato paste and place on a baking tray covered in foil,
3. Loosely cover fish with the foil and bake in oven with tomatoes for 10-15 minutes
4. Fry the sliced chorizo sausages in a fry pan until cooked through
5. Blanch fresh spinach in boiling water then drain and cool under fresh water immediately
6. Make garlic butter
7. Serve spinach on top of lentils, followed by fish, topped with tomatoes, parsley and sprinkle the chorizo around the outside
8. Garnish with garlic butter and lemon juice

NB: I use Marks and Spencers sunblushed tomato cod fillets which saves you covering the fish yourself. You can also make this healthier without the chorizo and a different alternative is to not cook the tomatoes but have them fresh on top as a Summer time option (see below). Enjoy!

2am Pizza

Coming home at 2am when no one will deliver pizza calls for some drastic measures to raid ones fridge and make ones own! Here is my recipe for 2am Pizza that is guarenteed to taste saucy even if its not after a few wines!

Ingredients

• x2 Tortilla / flatbreads or pita (leftover from dinner two nights ago)
• 1/2 Red onion sliced (leftover from yesterdays salad)
• 1 Tomato sliced or a handful of cherry tomatoes (same as above)
• A few slices of salami, pepperoni or choizo, sliced halveways
• A handful of rocket
• Grated cheese (as much as necessary to cater for ones aquired gooey-ness)
• Heinz tomato sauce

Method to the Maddness

• Turn the oven up to about 180 degrees
• Spread the Heinz tomato sauce like a tomatoe paste over the base of the tortilla or chosen pizza base
• Sprinkle the red onion, tomatoes, rocket and cheese on one pizza and meat and cheese on the other
• Bake for approx 5-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the tortilla has crisped up
• Slice as desired and consume!

This recipe can be cooked at any hour and is especially good as a snack, lunch or just to use up leftovers!

LoveBites Thai Beef Salad

Thai Beef Salad is one of my all time favourite dishes. There are so many variations with this salad that I always seem to do it a different way. When I went to my LoveBites Asian Inspired Beef Salad original post recently, I realised that I don't really make my Thai Beef Salad's like this anymore.
So it's time for an update: a new recipe, something easier to follow and quicker to make = perfect LoveBites standards!

Feeds 2

 Ingredients

• 300g Rump Steak
• 2Tbspns Soya Sauce
• 1Tbspn Fish Sauce
• 1/3Cup Sweet Chilli Sauce
• 1 Clove Garlic, crushed
• 1 Red Chilli, de-seeded and diced
• Juice of1/2 a Lime, other 1/2 slice into wedges
• Handful of fresh Coriander, roughly chopped (save some leaves for garnish)
• 1/2 Red and Yellow Capsicum, sliced thinly
• 1/2 Cucumber, peeled lengthwise
• 1/2 Large Red Onion sliced thinly (can also use x2 Spring Onions sliced thinly)
• x2 Packets individually packed Vermicelli Noodles (optional)
• 1 Cup Sugar snap Peas sliced (optional)

Method

• Combine Soya, Sweet Thai Chilli, Fish sauce, 1/2 the fresh Chilli, and 1/2 the lime juice in a small mixing bowl or jar
• Crush the garlic and press into the beef in a dish and pour over half the sauce mixture, set aside
• Chop the salad ingredients and combine in a large bowl, boil the jug
• Place the noodles in a bowl of boiled water, cover and set aside
• Sear the steak for approximately 2 minutes per side, remove from the pan and once slightly cooled, slice in 1cm thick slices
• Drain the noodles and combine with the salad, mixing well with your hands
• Scoop into individual bowls or plates, arrange the steak slices on top and sprinkle with the remainder sauce, lime slices and garnish with the rest of the coriander.

The picture used for this recipe did not have noodles. If you are not using noodles I would recommend using more herbs and rip them up in your hands so they are still quite large rather than dicing them. Capsicums (peppers) can be any colour, orange was used for this pic.

I also made a bit of a dressing to go with this version : combine soya and fish sauces, sweet chilli, lime, coriander and chilli and pour over the dish. This recipe is a great backbone so make it as you so desire!

LoveBites Chocolate Chippie Cookies

I made this recipe in abundance in my college and university years. It makes the yummiest shortbready like cookies and not to mention the best cookie dough (EVER) so needless to say I would have to make

more than twice the recipe!

These cookies are the best 'milk and cookie' cookies and delicious dunked in hot chocolate, tea or coffee. They can have anything added to them, rasins, cornflakes, M&Ms, and still taste mouth-watering. Use this recipe as a good base for all cookie creations its super quick and fail safe! 

INGREDIENTS

• 125g Butter
• 1/2cup Sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2tspn Vanilla Essence
• 11/2cups Flour
• 1tspn Baking Powder
• 1/2cup Chocolate Chips

METHOD

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
3. Add the egg and vanilla essence and beat well
4. Sift in the dry ingredients and combine
5. Mix in chocolate chips or desired alternatives
6. Roll into small balls and place onto a greased oven tray
7. Bake for 15 minutes and voila, ready to eat goodness!

LoveBites Asian Baked Salmon

INGREDIENTS

Salmon

• 2 Salmon Fillets (boned and skinned)
• 2 Spring onions, sliced
• 1 Red chilli, de-seeded and sliced
• 1cm cube of fresh ginger, grated
• 1 Tablespoon coriander, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Teriyaki sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Soya Sauce

Sides

• Seaseme oil
• Pak choi
• Sugar snaps
• Green beans
• Basmati rice
• Chopped coriander to garnish

METHOD

• Place the salmon on a large piece of aluminium foil (big enough to wrap the salmon in afterwards)
• Sprinkle the chilli, onion and coriander over the salmon
• Combine the teriyaki and soya sauce with the ginger and pour over the salmon
• Fold the foil over the salmon and place in the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes
• Whilst the salmon is cooking, cook the rice  stir fry the pak choi and sugar snaps in a small amount of seaseme oil
• Cook the beans with a small amount of water, cover in cling wrap and cook in the microwave for 3 minutes
• The salmon is cooked when the flesh has turned a milky pink
• Combine the veges, rice and salmon on a plate and pour the rest of the marinade over the salmon and rice
• Garnish with a sprinkle of coriander

LoveBites now on Twitter!

Hey Y'all

LoveBites has just joined Twitter and just completed my very first Tweet!
Spread the word and follow me @love__bites  (2 underscores)

Don't forget LoveBites is also on Instagram follow me @love_bites (1 underscore) for some inspiration and foodporn!

Much love