Recipe by : chef ssentongo
# > MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SALAD WITH OLIVES – 10 min
That fresh, colorful salad in the glass bowl. Crisp greens, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and olives with a simple dressing.
Short Recipe – 2-4 servings
1. Salad base:
- 3 cups mixed lettuce – romaine, arugula, or butter lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, sliced into thin rings
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced into rounds
- 1/3 cup black olives + 1/3 cup green olives, pitted
- Optional: 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2. Simple Vinaigrette:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp honey or sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp black pepper + 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- Shake all together in a jar.
3. Assemble:
- Toss greens, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and olives in a large bowl or glass bowl like the photo.
- Drizzle dressing right before serving. Toss lightly.
- Serve with crusty bread and a dip on the side like in the photo.
3 Keys
- Cut veggies thin: Those thin red onion rings + cucumber rounds make it look restaurant-style
- Dress last minute: Keeps lettuce crisp and not soggy
- Balance: Sweet tomatoes + salty olives + sharp onion + tangy dressing = perfect bite
In your kitchen swap: No olives? Use diced bell pepper. No feta? Skip it or add boiled eggs.
Add chickpeas, grilled chicken, or tuna to make it a full meal.
That olive oil bottle in the background is the star – use the best you have.
Want a creamy yogurt-rosemary dressing to go with the bread like in your photo?
# > HONEY GARLIC TILAPIA WITH ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS + PEPPERS – 25 min
That glazed Tilapia plate from your photo.
Recipe – 2 servings
1. Veggies:
- 2 cups Brussels sprouts, halved + 1 red bell pepper + 1 carrot, sliced
- Toss with 1 tbsp oil, salt, pepper. Roast 400°F/200°C for 15-18 min till charred.
2. Tilapia glaze:
- 2 Tilapia steaks
- Sauce: 2 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tbsp honey + 1 tsp garlic + 1 tsp ginger + pinch chili flakes
- Marinate 10 min.
3. Cook Tilapia :
- Sear Tilapia 4 min per side in hot pan. Pour in glaze last 2 min. Spoon over till sticky and glossy.
- Top with green onions.
4. Plate: Serve Tilapia with veggies. Add extra glaze on the side.
3 Keys
- High heat: Gets that caramelized crust on Tilapia + char on sprouts
- Don’t move Tilapia : Let crust form before flipping
- Glaze at end: Keeps it from burning
Swap: No Brussels? Use broccoli. No honey? Use brown sugar.
Want it air-fryer or oven-only version?
# > STUFFED RIGATONI WITH MEAT + MELTED CHEESE – 1 hr
Those big pasta tubes from, stuffed with seasoned meat and baked with cheese on top.
Recipe – 4 servings
1. Meat filling:
- 500g ground beef
- Sauté with 1 small onion diced + 2 garlic cloves + 1/2 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp pepper + 1 tsp Italian seasoning + 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- Cook 8 min till browned. Let cool slightly.
2. Pasta:
- Boil 12-16 large rigatoni tubes in salted water for 6 min only. They should be firm. Drain.
3. Assemble + Bake:
- Preheat oven 375°F / 190°C
- Spoon meat into each rigatoni. Place in baking dish with 1/2 cup pasta sauce on bottom.
- Top with more sauce + 1 cup shredded mozzarella.
- Bake 20-25 min till cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Garnish with parsley like in the photo.
3 Keys
- Undercook pasta: It finishes cooking in the oven so it doesn’t get mushy
- Cool meat before stuffing: Easier to fill and won’t tear pasta
- Sauce on bottom: Keeps pasta from sticking and adds flavor
In your kitchen swap: No rigatoni? Use cannelloni or large shells. No mozzarella? Use any melting cheese. Add chili flakes for heat.
Serve with salad or garlic bread to soak up the sauce.
Want a vegetarian version with ricotta + spinach instead?
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