​Salads and a bit of a luck dip!

Having just a few little challenges being 'out bush' so to speak but I have managed to put together a hotch potch of ideas for simple salads plus a couple of other edibles.
Salads? The variety is endless but here are a couple of my favourites remembering that the emphasis is on cans and easy storable ingredients for those times when you are not in cooee of a shop or don't feel like a trip to 'town' however close. We are on holidays after all!

Spinach and sesame salad (Goma-ae)

You can shred or chop the spinach

1 bunch of spinach or a packet of frozen spinach (or if you are a home garden with silverbeet use the young leaves remove the stalks and use for something else)
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp sugar
1.5 tbsp soy sauce

* Fresh spinach - simple blanch and drain. Frozen spinach (I always have a couple of boxes in the freezer) allow to thaw or nuke for a couple of minutes.
* Squeeze as much liquid out of the cooked spinach and refrigerate till ready to use (can be used as a warm side in which case don't refrigerate - hello!?).
* Toast the sesame seeds in dry pan but watch them because they can quickly burn.
* Remove from pan and spread on a plate to cool - the heat in the seeds will keep them cooking which is not desirable. I always keep a jar of toasted sesame seeds in pantry at home and pack in the van. They are delish on toast or as a topper for lots of things, sweet and savoury.
* Add sugar to soy sauce and toss through shredded or chopped spinach. Add sesame seeds. Taste and adjust for salt.

Lentil salad (this works warm as well)

I always use ANNALISA

1 can cooked lentils, drained
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 small red onion finely diced
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup combined chopped fresh coriander and mint or use semi-dried.

Combine all ingredients and serve.

A few suggested dressings.

Greek yoghurt, squeeze of lemon juice, chopped mint. Mix and use for potato salad or serve with roast vegies or curries.

Easy potato salad dressing. Half and half sour cream and mayonaise (or add yoghurt to the mix. Adjust to personal taste), add chopped mint and a dash of mint sauce if you have it, a touch of garlic and it's delish. Tart it up with toasted pine nuts, chopped egg. Just let your imagination run wild!
For the sour cream which I usually don't have - there is only so much room in the van fridge, I use a small box of UHT cream and sour it with lemon juice. That frozen juice you're carrying comes in handy for lots of things!

Spiced yoghurt
This is rather exotic but variations of it will taste just as good.
* 4 tbsp oil
* 1 cup finely chopped onion
* salt
* 3 tsp minced garlic
* 2 tbsp finely chopped ginger
* 1/4 tsp each of turmeric, cloves, cinnamon (whatever you might have in your spice cache)
* 1 cup yoghurt

Gentle fry the onion and salt till soft, add ginger and fry for a minute or so. Then add the spices and stir for a minute. Finally add the yoghurt then remove from heat.
Serve warm with BBQed lamb chops or other meat. Or use as a spicy dressing for salads.

Coconut rice - yummy with curries
Wash 1 cup rice and place in pan with 250 ml coconut milk and enough water to come 1 cm above the rice (adjust the coconut milk-water balance to taste).
Cover and bring to the boil then reduce heat and leave covered for another 10 minutes. Check once or twice to make sure it hasn't stuck.

Pasta sauce ideas
* Grill some bacon, remove from heat add a raw egg and some cream and Parmesan. Viola carbonara in seconds. Yum!
* The good oil. Simply add a good slurp of good olive oil, garlic and chopped parsley. Add anchovies if you turn to these salty bites.
* Pesto from any of your home grown or store-bought herbs, add cream - viola!