Our cook Janet shares one of her recipes
This is a time of transition from the deep, darker months (where we are nourished by warming soups, slow cooked casseroles, hearty roasted meals and foods that keep us healthy through the wintry days) to building up and strengthening our bodies ready for the rest of the year.
So this salad is one that uses all the goodness that grows at this time of the year, to invite us to move to a lighter way of eating, cleansing us for what we need to do in the coming months.
I love this salad as it is quick to make so great as a nourishing lunch to take to work, or shared with friends or as a healthy supper at the end of the day.
Ingredients
Spring cabbage
Purple sprouting broccoli
Leek
Pumpkin seeds
Squash or sweet potato
Feta or goats cheese or tofu
Lemon tahini dressing
Fresh herbs
Method
Begin by shredding the cabbage as thin as you can.
Then make the dressing with squeezed lemon, a little crushed garlic and some tahini, mixing it with a little oil until its a smooth paste. Then add a little more oil, or water with some seasoning until the required consistency to dress the salad. It can be thick and creamy, or lighter and fresher with more lemon to your own taste. Mix into the salad well and then leave to marinate while you make the rest.
Slice the leeks and the sprouting broccoli into florets and cut the squash or sweet potato into small pieces.
Steam them separately so they are just cooked. Immediately the broccoli's cooked, run it under cold water immediately so it retains its colour and doesn’t keep cooking.
As the leeks and broccoli are cooking (and it won’t take long) toast the seeds in a dry frying pan with a little tamari on a medium heat till they start to pop and brown a little.
If using tofu then marinate it with tamari, some spice, oil etc and lightly grill or put in the oven till starting to brown. If you're using feta or goats cheese, crumble it up then add all the cooked food to the cabbage and mix in well.
A handful of chopped fresh herbs would be great to add at the end and as with all recipes, there are endless possibilities to create your own from this base, adding nuts, sun blushed tomato, avocado, grated carrot and so on.
So enjoy these early spring vegetables and see how they nourish and nudge you towards a different way of eating as we move into the lighter filled warmer days.
Happy creating!
