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.
Enjoy this easy-to-make salad as a nourishing lunch to take to work, 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 thinly as you can.
Make the dressing with squeezed lemon, a little crushed garlic and some tahini, mixing it with a little oil until it is a smooth paste. Add a little more oil (or water) with some seasoning until you get the consistency you need to dress the salad. The dressing can be thick and creamy, or lighter and fresher with more lemon - depending on your own taste.
Mix the dressing into the salad well and leave to marinate while you make the rest of the meal.
Slice the sprouting broccoli into florets, slice the leeks and cut the squash or sweet potato into small pieces.
Steam the different vegetables separately so they are just about cooked.
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.
As soon as the broccoli is cooked, run it under cold water so that it retains its colour and doesn’t keep cooking.
If you are using tofu, marinate it with tamari, some spice, oil etc and lightly grill or put in the oven until it begins 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.
As with all recipes, there are endless possibilities to create your own versions from this base: consider adding nuts, sun-blushed tomato, avocado, grated carrot and so on.
Happy creating!
