A Plate of Good Food

My adventures in the kitchen and other things

Warm Brown Rice, Kale, Orange & Feta Salad

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Last Sunday we visited the farmers’ market held weekly in Mountain View, a very short drive from where we are living at the moment. It’s one of the most popular farmers’ markets in the Bay area and with good reason. A wide range of fresh organic seasonal produce can be found here. There’s no way you’ll ever leave there without bags full of lovely vegetables and fruits. This time round, I picked up some freshly plucked purple kale along with some juicy large Californian oranges among other things.

purple kale

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One Fruit, Many Uses – Strawberry Mint & Lemon Drink + Strawberry & Goat’s Cheese Salad

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The weather has definitely turned warm and we’re having something of a strawberry summer. So if you see an onslaught of strawberry recipes here, please bear with me! I keep thinking of novel ways to use up the fruit before another batch appears. Today we’re making strawberry icecream – perfect for a sunny day. Earlier this week, I made  a refreshing strawberry mint drink with a dash of lemon and alcohol to cool us down after a long day outdoors.

I’ve never made a salad using strawberries but have come across quite a few recipes for it, so I gave it a go myself. Turns out this is one versatile fruit that can be put to many uses. And that’s good news because there are plenty more ripe strawberries waiting to be picked in the garden!

freshly picked strawberries

So even if you don’t have a bounty of fruit in the backyard, go ahead and try these simple recipes with store or market bought strawberries. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

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A Sunny Rainy BBQ & Some Recipe Ideas

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Last Tuesday we had a barbecue. It was a warm day with temperatures reaching over 20C,  a pleasant change from the rain and gloom that has pervaded these early spring days. It was a short lived dose of sunshine though as it began drizzling once again even before we could fully wrap up our meal.

barbecue recipes

easy bbq recipes

chocolate mousse

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Herbed Pita Bread with Grilled Pork & Tzatziki

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I’ve tried making pita bread only once before. The results were quite mediocre which is why I was never tempted to try it again. However, as time has passed, I’ve gained a little experience and confidence in the baking department. The other day, when we were stuck at home thanks to a continuous downpour that showed no signs of stopping, I had to think of  something for supper.

pita bread recipe

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A Great Weekend Dinner

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Last weekend was a blur of rain, sun, cooking and catching up with friends. We had two very good friends over for dinner on Sunday. The one thing that both Peter and I knew we wanted on the table was a nice roast leg of lamb. We’d made this for the first time as part of the main course for our Christmas dinner last year and have fallen in love with it ever since. Making a roast at the start of spring may sound a little odd but believe me, slowly roasted, meltingly tender meat can be had anywhere, anytime. And, isn’t roast lamb a part of Easter tradition? 😉

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