Summer is raging on and here we are trying to come up with fresh recipes for all of us

to enjoy. This month’s foodletter is all about healthy fresh salads which were

suggested to us by Bertha. We also have a nice Nutella ice-cream for you to try out.

What is summer without cocktails? Well, we got you covered there as well. Try out the

tasty cocktails we found online and tell us which one is your favourite.

I hope you all appreciate the fact that you can now find all the foodletters online on

www.issuu.com. This was an amazing idea which was suggested to us by Katja and we

simply could not resist not doing.

No more teasing, here is our July issue enjoy!

Welcome

I N S I D E

T H I S I S S U E :

What Librarians Eat! J U L Y 2 0 1 3 I S S U E 7

Foods to use for

quick salads

2

Thai-Style

Melon & Beef

Salad

3

Summer Drinks 4

Chicken

Waldorf Salad

6

Nectarine &

Prosciutto

Salad

6

Smokey Bear

Quinoa Salad

7

Salad Dressings 8

Ideal for Lunch 9

Farro and

Cucumber

Salad

10

Food from

around the

worlds: Ireland

11

Nutella

Ice-cream and

Cookie Bowls

13

Ask Us

Something

14

P A G E 2

Food to use for quick salads

Quinoa is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible

seeds. It’s nutrient composition is very good compared with

common cereals. Quinoa seeds contain essential amino

acids like lysine and good quantities of calcium,

phosphorus, and iron. It is very similar to couscous in the

way it looks and even the way it is cooked. It is a healthier

substitute for quick healthy salads especially during the

summer months.

Couscous is another salad type staple. Commonly used in

Middle-Eastern and North African dishes, it has found it’s

way into Mediterranean and European cuisines and other

exotic dishes. In fact it was voted the 3rd most favourite

dish by French people in 2011. Couscous is a traditional

Berber dish of semolina (tiny granules of durum wheat)

which is cooked by steaming. It is traditionally served with

a meat or vegetable stew spooned over it. However, it has

found its way into refreshing salads by lifting a boring salad

with vegetables, making it more exciting.

Rice/pasta cold or warm salads have become increasingly

popular these days. They are ideal when prepared in

advance for lunches to take to work or school. You can

make any combination of flavour you like using rice or

pasta as your base. Although refreshing, due to the high

carbs one suggests to alternate and not take past or rice

salads regularly. A quick way to make rice salads is when

you have leftovers from previous meals. Instead of

throwing them away one can combine everything into a rice

salad to have for lunch the following day.

Bulgur wheat is a whole wheat grain that has been cracked

and partially pre-cooked. As a whole grain, it is a naturally

high-fiber, low-fat, low-calorie vegetarian and vegan food

ingredient. Bulgur wheat is not suitable for those on a

gluten-free diet. Though bulgur wheat is most commonly

found in tabouli (tabbouleh) salad, you can use it just like

rice or couscous, or any other whole grain, such as barley or

quinoa. Instead of rice, try pairing your favourite stir-fry or

curry with whole grain bulgur.

P A G E 3

Ingredients:

12 ounces beef sirloin, or other boneless

steak, about 1 inch thick, trimmed

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup lime juice

3 tablespoons fish sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1 clove garlic, grated or minced

1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 medium-to-large firm ripe melon

1 small green bell pepper

1 small red bell pepper

6 cups lightly packed torn Boston lettuce,

(about 1 head)

1 Red onion, sliced

Cucumber, halved and sliced

Fresh coriander leaves

Fresh mint leaves

Preheat grill to medium heat.

Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper.

Grill the steak for about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare and 6 minutes per side for medium. Transfer the steak to

a clean cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing crosswise.

Meanwhile, whisk lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, garlic and crushed red pepper to taste in a small bowl.

Cut the melon into 5-inch-long matchsticks enough to make 4 cups. (Reserve any remaining melon for another use.)

Cut bell peppers into 2-inch-long matchsticks.

Combine the melon and peppers in a large bowl along with the lettuce, onion, cucumber, coriander and mint.

Add the sliced beef to the salad.

Whisk the dressing, pour it over the salad, and gently toss to combine.

Thai-Style Melon & Beef Salad

P A G E 4

Frosted Red Sangria

8 oz. red wine

10 raspberries

10 strawberries

1 orange

1 lemon

Ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until

smooth and pour.

Sum m e r Drinks

What more can I say? Cocktails and Summer! There needs no explanation.

Send us your favourite cocktails so that we can showcase them in the August Issue.

White Citrus 1 bottle Lipton Diet Green Tea with

Citrus

1¾ c. white grape juice

¼ c. orange juice

1 orange, sliced

1 lemon, sliced

1 lime, sliced

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and stir.

Red Peach

1 oz. Peach Sweet Leaf Tea

1 oz. Rum

1 bottle red table wine

1 lemon, juiced

1 oz. Sugar

2 oranges, sliced

2 ripe peaches, chopped

2 apples, chopped

Let fruit soak in tea, rum, sugar, and lemon juice

in the bottom of a large pitcher for one hour, stir-

ring occasionally. Top off with red wine, stir, and

chill. Serve over ice.

P A G E 5

Red Grapefruit 1½ oz. Camarena Tequila Silver

1½ oz. pinot noir

½ lime juice

½ oz. agave nectar

2 oz. grapefruit soda

Garnish: lime wedge

Combine all ingredients except grapefruit soda in a

glass filled with ice. Top with soda and stir. Garnish

with a lime wedge.

White Candy Apple 1 c. Shellback Rum Silver

1 bottle moscato

1½ c. apple cider

1 c. ginger ale

Garnish: apple and lemon slices

To make simple syrup, mix equal parts hot

water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and stir.

Let it sit for two hours before serving.

White Passion Fruit

3¼ c. white wine

5¾ oz. orange liqueur

3 oz. simple syrup

3½ oz. passion fruit juice

9 oz. orange juice

1 orange, sliced

1 lime, sliced

¼ pineapple, sliced

15 ginger slices

½ pint blackberries

In a large pitcher, combine all ingredients and stir.

Serve over ice with apple and lemon slices.

P A G E 6

Chicken Waldorf Salad

Leftover cooked chicken makes this chicken Waldorf salad, loaded with apples, grapes, celery and walnuts, a snap to

assemble. If you use rotisserie chicken, keep in mind that it’s salty and omit the salt in the dressing. Serve over

watercress, with a chunk of whole-grain baguette.

Ingredients

1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1/3 cup non-fat or low-fat plain yogurt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast

1 medium red apple, diced

1 cup halved red or green grapes

1 cup sliced celery

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted if

desired and divided

Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice and salt in a

large bowl.

Add chicken, apple, grapes, celery and 1/4 cup walnuts.

Stir to coat well.

Serve topped with the remaining 1/4 cup walnuts.

Nectarine & Prosciutto Salad Ingredients

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 cups arugula, trimmed if necessary

2 ripe nectarines, cut into wedges

1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

3 paper-thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces),

torn into 2-inch strips

Freshly ground pepper

Combine the lemon juice, shallot, mustard, honey and salt

in a large bowl.

Whisk in oil until combined.

Add arugula and toss to coat.

Divide among 4 plates and top with equal portions of

nectarine, Parmesan and prosciutto.

Serve with a grinding of pepper on top, if desired.

P A G E 7

Smokey Bear Quinoa Salad

This month we had a special request by our dear friend Joe from Melitensia. He asked us if we had any gluten-free

recipes.

Dear Joe, here is your gluten-free recipe for this month and since we are talking about salads, This is also a very tasty

salad using Quinoa. For more information about Quinoa check our Page 2 about other foods one can use for salads.

Ingredients (2 servings)

1 cup mixed beans

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 red pepper, diced

2 carrots, chopped

1/2 cucumber, diced

8 baby tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

1/4 cup curly parsley, diced

1/4 cup smokey bear dressing

1/8 medium red onion, sliced

Mix and serve!

Ingredients

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup unpasteurized honey

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp onion

1 tbsp gluten-free mustard

1 tbsp lime juice

1 clove garlic

1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp dried oregano

dash of freshly ground pepper

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until

smooth

For the Smokey Bear Dressing

P A G E 8

Sometimes what makes a perfect salad is not what you put in it but the dressing accompanying it. Here are some quick

and tasty salad dressings that will make your taste buds tingle.

Salad Dressings

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chickpeas

1/3 cup water

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup raw tahini

1 tbsp white vinegar

3 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil

pinch chili flakes

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If the

consistency becomes too thick, add some olive oil to loosen it.

Serve immediately or place in an air-tight container and store in

the fridge.

Salad ingredients used: greens, cucumbers,

pickles, walnuts, raisins

Hummus Dressing

Honey Mustard

Dressing

Ingredients

5 tablespoons medium body honey

3 tablespoons smooth Dijon

mustard

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk

until smooth. Serve as a dressing or a dipping

sauce.

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, optional

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup olive oil

Balsamic Vinigarette

Dressing

Beat the vinegar in a bowl with the optional sugar, garlic, salt and pepper until the sugar and salt dissolve. Then beat in

the oil by droplets, whisking constantly. (Or place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine.)

P A G E 9 Ideal for Lunch

Combine the cooked bulgar wheat, edamame, corn and onion in a large bowl. Bulgar wheat is cooked like rice with a

2:1 liquid to grain ratio. For 2 cups cooked, use about 1 cup uncooked.

Season with salt & pepper to taste

In a smaller bowl combine the remaining ingredients for the dressing and whisk together.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Talking about salads. All the recipes in this months issue are all ‘ideal for lunch’. Salads make for refreshing lunches

and healthy snacks. This recipe is something that follows the same rules. Using Bulgar Wheat here is a salad that is

healthy and makes for a perfect lunch especially during summer. Also we have a prawn salad to die for.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked Bulgar Wheat

1 cup shelled edamame beans (or you can

use what other beans you fancy)

1 cup frozen corn, defrosted

½ small red onion, diced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

½ lemon, juiced

½ orange, juiced

1 teaspoon sugar

salt & pepper, to taste

Bulgar Wheat Salad with Orange Dijon Dressing

Best if refrigerated and left to sit for at least an hour

but it can also be served immediately.

Prawn, Bell Peppers and Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

1kg cooked prawns, peeled and deveined

1 green and 1 red bell pepper, finely

chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 red onion, diced

handful chopped fresh coriander

1 avocado - peeled, stone removed and diced

100ml olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to

taste

Place prawns in a large mixing bowl with red and green capsicum, garlic, onion, coriander and avocado.

Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavours to develop.

P A G E 1 0

Farro is a food product composed of the grains of certain wheat species in whole form. The exact

definition is debated. It is sold dried and is prepared by cooking in water until soft, but still

crunchy (many recommend first soaking overnight). It may be eaten plain, though it is often used

as an ingredient in dishes such as salads and soups. It is sometimes ground into flour and used to

make pasta or bread.

Farro and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup farro

Kosher salt

2 cups 1-inch pieces pumpernickel

bread

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon honey

3 small or 1 large cucumber, cut into

1-inch pieces

4 baby red or yellow beets, very thinly

sliced

1/4 cup dill sprigs

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Cook farro in a medium pot of boiling salted water until tender but still al dente, 30–40 minutes.

Drain and let cool.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. Toss bread with 2 tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet,

squeezing bread to help it absorb oil; season with salt and pepper. Toast until crisp but not hard,

10–15 minutes. Let cool.

Toast caraway seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing, until fragrant, about 1

minute.

Coarsely chop caraway seeds. Whisk vinegar, mustard, honey, and chopped caraway seeds in a

small bowl. Gradually whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons oil; season vinaigrette with salt and

pepper.

Toss cucumbers, beets, dill, parsley, farro, croutons, and dressing in a large bowl; season with

salt and pepper.

P A G E 1 1

FOOD FROM AROUND THE WORLD: IRELAND

We know what you might be thinking! Ireland? You say,

that is not a very summerish destination. You are probably

right. However we did it on purpose. We wanted to have

some contrast with food you most probably would cook on

a cold wintery day. We decided that the best country for

this would be Ireland. Here are a few recipes which taste

great and also have a nostalgic feeling for the cold winter

days.

Shepherd’s Pie

There’s nothing like a slab of Shepherd's pie on a cold day. Shepherd’s pie is the perfect simple dinner that’s sure to

put a smile on the face of any Irish person in your life. Shepherd’s pie, or cottage pie as it’s known in Britain, is

believed to have existed since around 1791 when potatoes became an available, affordable crop to the poor. This dish

was a perfect way to stretch leftover roasted meat. Originally, the pie was lined with mashed potatoes as well as

having a mashed potato crust. The term Shepherd’s pie came into use, alongside cottage pie, from around 1870.

Here’s a simple, tasty and inexpensive recipe for Shepherd’s pie.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Irish butter

1 medium chopped onion

2 sliced carrots

4 tablespoons cream flour

600ml/1 pint browning stock

chopped parsley and thyme

450g/1lb cooked minced beef

675g mashed potatoes

Melt the Irish butter in a saucepan and add the chopped onion cover and let it sweat for a few minutes.

Add the carrots.

Stir in the flour and cook until it is slightly browned, then add the stock and herbs.

Bring to the boil and reduce it a little by boiling for about 5 minutes.

Add the meat and bring back to the boil.

Place in a pie dish and cover with the mashed potatoes. Put into a medium hot oven (180°C/350f/) for about 30

minutes.

FOOD FROM AROUND THE WORLD: IRELAND

Ingredients:

CRUST:

4 cups shortbread, crumbled.

4 tablespoons melted Kerrygold un-

salted butter

FILLING:

3 X 8oz cream cheese (at room temp)

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup Irish Cream

3 eggs (at room temp)

Preheat oven to 325°C. Lightly grease a 9” spring form pan.

Do not use sprays. Make sure you grease the sides for easier

removal.

Mix the crumbs and melted butter. Press this mixture into a

pan. Bake for approximately five minutes or until lightly

golden brown. Remove from the oven. When cool, place in

refrigerator to chill.

Next beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs,

one at a time, and vanilla. Beat this very well and add Irish

Cream.

Now pour this prepared mixture over the base. Bake for ap-

proximately 80 minutes. It is best to make this a day in ad-

vance, as it sets nicely.

Traditional Irish butter shortbread

cheesecake

TIP: When I serve this, I just remove the outer pan, place on a cake plate and decorate around the perimeter with

lots of Raspberries. This way, there is no worrying about removing the base!

TIP: When the cheesecake is baked, it is supposed to be a little wiggly in the center. You may leave this in the

oven (turned off of course) for an hour to allow it to cool gradually, preventing cracking. The key here is to slowly

cool the cheesecake.

P A G E 1 3

Nutella Ice-cream and Cookie Bowls

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Nutella

1 Tbs Vanilla

1 Cup Chocolate Chip

2 Cups Whipping Cream

1 Can (14oz) Condensed Milk

Combine the Nutella, Vanilla, Condensed milk in

a bowl.

Whisk everything together into a smooth texture.

Whip up the whipping cream until it forms soft

peaks.

Fold the Nutella mixture into the whipped cream.

Add the chocolate chips.

Place into a container and freeze over night.

What a perfect summer treat! This ice-cream is on of my favourites

and it is pretty easy to make. Also the special cookie cups make the

perfect combination. It also saves washing up later.

Here is how to make the cookie dough for the cookie

bowls.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk

Any amount of any mix-in you'd like -

I use chocolate chips but nuts, or fruit

would all work.

Mix all ingredients in a big bowl. That's it!

In-order to make the bowls, pre-heat the oven at 175°C.

Then simply turn over any muffin moulds you have and

place the dough over them. Bake off until the edges turn

golden, 9-12 minutes should do it. Make sure to allow

the cookie bowls to cool before removing them from the

moulds.

“Ask Us Something!” We Need more requests and questions! We appreciate the fact that you like the foodletter but you can

help us by telling us what you would like to see more of and ask us any questions you might have that has

something to do with food. This month, since it is all about salads, we decided to tackle 2 fruit salads and

show you how it is more than just throwing a bunch of fruit together.

Ingredients:

2 pints strawberries, hulled and quartered

1 pint fresh blueberries

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into

2-inch cubes

1/2 honeydew, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

Fresh mint leaves, for garnish, optional

In a large serving bowl, combine the fruit.

In a mason jar, mix together the vegetable oil,

lemon juice, white wine vinegar, sugar, poppy

seeds, Dijon mustard and salt.

Put the lid on the jar and shake until mixed

together. Store the dressing in an airtight

container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Before serving, let the dressing stand to room

temperature; whisk until blended.

Drizzle desired amount of dressing over the

fruit, and gently toss to coat. Garnish with fresh

mint if desired. Serve immediately.

Fruit Salad with

Limoncello

Ingredients:

7 ounces Greek yogurt

1/3 cup good bottled lemon curd

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups sliced strawberries (1 pint)

1 cup raspberries (1/2 pint)

1 cup blueberries (1/2 pint)

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons limoncello liqueur

1 banana, sliced

Fresh mint springs

For the fruit salad, carefully toss together the

strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, sugar,

and limoncello. Allow them to stand at room

temperature for about 5 minutes to let the

berries macerate with the sugar and liqueur.

Gently fold the banana into the mixture.

Serve bowls of fruit with a dollop of lemon

yogurt on top. Top each with a spring of fresh

mint.

For the lemon yogurt topping, whisk together the

yogurt, lemon curd, honey, and vanilla and set aside

at room temperature.

Fruit Salad with Poppy Seeds