Recipes: 3 easy green dishes to try

Courtesy of The Surf Cafe

Courtesy of The Surf Cafe

Here are three simple recipes that add variety to your meal and tick all the right boxes in terms of nutrition.

Recipes and photos provided by Thomas Bator, executive chef of LaOla Beach Restaurant and The Surf Café Dubai, www.thesurfcafedubai.com

Butternut squash and steak salad

Serves 1

Ingredients

Salad

100g rib-eye steak

100g mesclun lettuce

120g butternut squash

Handful of fresh shallots, chopped

Fresh chilli, chopped

Balsamic vinaigrette

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp honey

3/4 tsp fresh garlic, minced

Method

Balsamic vinaigrette

• Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Salad

• Roast squash until golden in colour.

• Season steak with salt and pepper and grill to your liking.

• Rest it to the side, whole, for 2 minutes.

• Slice into pieces roughly the size of your fingers.

• Cut shallots into thin strips and julienne the chilli.

• Except steak, toss all salad ingredients well with the mesclun lettuce. Layer beef strips on top and dress with the balsamic vinaigrette.

Avocado smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients

75g avocado, diced

1 stick celery, diced

8g spinach

10g honey

175g cucumber, diced

4-5 ice cubes

Method

• Place all ingredients into the blender and mix until smooth and creamy. Serve in a tall glass.

Chimichurri prawns

Serves 2

Ingredients

300g fresh prawns

100g rice

Chimichurri sauce (recipe below)

30ml olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Chimichurri sauce

1/2 cup red vinegar, cider vinegar or lemon juice

1 tsp salt

3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 Fresno chilli or red jalapeño, finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh coriander, minced

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced

2 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method

• Chimichurri sauce

• Combine vinegar, salt, garlic, shallot and chilli in a medium bowl and let stand for 10 minutes.

• Stir in coriander, parsley and oregano. Using a fork, whisk in oil.

• Remove 1/2 cup chimichurri and place it in a small bowl. Season with salt to taste and reserve as sauce.

Prawns

• Heat the pan to a very hot temperature.

• Once hot, add the olive oil.

• Add the prawns and cook for one minute.

• Add the chimichurri sauce while the prawns are in the pan. Toss for 30 seconds over heat and serve with steamed rice on the side.