Summer meal favourites - exotic barbeque and salad

Summertime in Australia calls for the numero uno cooking device to come out and play - the barbeque. While charring meat is not good for you, the slow grilling of meat can be very healthy. And barbeques don't need to be all about sausages! You can make a barbeque an exotic affair with a bit of imagination and motivation, which hopefully this meal will inspire!

It was a gorgeous summer evening in Melbourne, so it calls for a meal to match it - barbequed turkey steaks marinaded in my own home made thai marinade, charred asparagus and zucchini spiced with cumin, mango, spinach & mint salad and a glass of Queensland mango wine. 

A healthy, whole food meal and would be great for a detox (minus the wine!)

My favourite summer salad - mango mint nom nom

This combination of flavours has to be my all time favourite summer salad and is very popular amongst my family and friends. The best part? It's really super easy to make!

Toast some pine nuts in a fry pan with a little oil. Watch them carefully - they go from nicely toasted to burnt very quickly. When they start to smell fragrant, toss them around to brown both sides. Remove from heat when cooked and allow them to cool on a plate.

Slice a mango, wash spinach leaves, tear up mint leaves, chop up a capsicum and combine with the pine nuts. add some cracked pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and toss. The flavours of the fruit and vegies are so strong, a potent dressing isn't needed.

Don't feel obliged to stay with just these ingredients - depending on what is in the fridge, I may add extras - spring onions, avocado, cucumber and sundried tomatoes have all made guest appearances to the salad.

The mango and mint hit is so refreshing and summery, it is great with barbeques and grilled fish or meats.