Salads

Coleslaw 

Dry ingredients:

• ½ medium cabbage (red or white), outer leaves removed
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and grated
• 2 sticks of celery sliced
• 1 grated raw beetroot (optional)
• ½ thinly sliced red pepper (optional)
• 2 spring onions or chives
• sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sultanas, 
• walnut quarters, caraway seeds 
• (all optional and added according to taste)

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise (homemade or quality organic or vegan mayo)
• 1 tablespoons raw cider vinegar
• grated rind of 1 lemon
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
• 1 tsp of apple concentrate (optional)
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste

Quarter the cabbage through the core, and then cut out the core. Cut each quarter crosswise in half and finely slice or use a food processor or mandoline to shred. Place the shredded cabbage in a very large bowl and add the other grated and sliced vegetables.

In a separate bowl, stir the oil, mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice and rind, salt, and pepper together. Add apple concentrate if using. Pour over the vegetables and stir well. Adjust seasoning to the taste and wetness preferred. 

Add seeds, nuts and sultanas if using and stir through.

Eat right away or let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour to let the flavours mingle and the cabbage to soften.

For a creamier version add 2 tbsp of non dairy single cream or organic greek yogurt

This stores well in the fridge for 5 days or more.

Braised cabbage 

• 1 medium red cabbage finely sliced or shredded
• 2 raw beetroot grated (optional)
• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp raw cider vinegar
• 1 tsp apple concentrate (optional)
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 4 cm piece of fresh ginger chopped fine
• 3 petals of star anise (optional)
• black pepper to taste

In a large saucepan gently sweat the onion and garlic for a few minutes until soft with the fennel, ginger and star anise.

Add the cabbage (and beetroot too if using) and stir well, allow it all to sweat for 10 mins.

Add the vinegar, apple concentrate if using and pepper and cook on a very low heat until soft, usually 20-30 mins.

This keeps well in the fridge for 7-10 days.

Pak choi salad with tahini dressing

• 3 pak choi
• half a red pepper
• half a green pepper 
• 1 spring onion
• 1 small fennel bulb
• 100g beansprouts (sprout your own mung beans)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 handful of fresh coriander

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp tahini
• juice of 3 limes or 1 lemon
• half a red chilli finely chopped (optional)
• a splash of tamari
• 4cm piece fresh ginger grated
• black pepper 
• 100ml water

Wash and slice the veg and combine all ingredients into a bowl.

Blend all the dressing ingredients with a blender or food processor or stir by hand, adding the water as much as desired for a thinner dressing.

The sauce will store well in the fridge and can be added to different salads and it’s great with a stir fry too.

Salad ideas

Here are some salad making tips. Salads are great for taking on picnics and as packed lunches and they stop you reaching for the loaf of bread.

Salads don’t need to be a lot of extra work. You can cook extra food when preparing an evening meal especially grains, pasta and roasted or grilled veg and keep the leftovers in the fridge, or if making from scratch you can steam veg and even poach an egg over your simmering grains. I like to keep the fridge stocked with my favourite raw veg, tomatoes, peppers and spring onions and a lemon for dressing. I keep broad beans in the freezer which I add to my simmering quinoa then I throw in some olives and fresh herbs.

Grains

Quinoa (white and red), millet, roasted buckwheat (best bought from Polish supermarkets called kasha). These grains will all cook in under 10 mins using a small saucepan, simmer 1 cup of grain to 2 cups of water until the water has been absorbed.

Whole grain barley, brown rice & spelt mixed together will cook in 20 mins in a pressure cooker with the ratio of 1 cup of grain to 2 cups of water.

Wholemeal pasta made from spelt, green peas, buckwheat, millet, beans or chick peas

Veg

Avocado, asparagus, grated, spiralized or cooked beetroot, grated or spiralized carrot, spring onions, celery, fennel bulb, tomatoes, raw or grilled peppers, spiralized or grilled courgettes, cucumber, green beans, broad beans, peas, Belgian chicory 

Leftover roasted root veg; sweet potatoes, butternut squash, peppers, carrots, beetroot

Other yummy additions

Green and black olives, artichoke hearts
Cooked chickpeas or Puy lentils
Feta cheese or smoked tofu
Quality tuna or grilled chicken breast
Boiled egg

Dressings

Fresh parsley, mint, coriander can be prepared fresh or if you have big crop to harvest, chop it all in a food processor and put in a jar with a pinch or salt and some chopped garlic then fill with extra virgin olive oil to cover the herbs completely. Keep the herbs covered in oil and they will keep in the fridge for a few weeks.
Tahini dressing (recipe above)
Lemon juice and olive oil
Pesto

Toasted seeds

Keep these in a jar as a handy ‘go to’ snack or topping of any salad

Sunflower, pumpkin, sesame and flax seeds

• Toast the larger seeds without oil in a heavy frying pan on a medium heat until browned, stirring regularly.
• Turn the heat down and add the smaller seeds to toast, be ready to use a lid if they spit.
• Chia seeds can be added when cooled.
• Add a pinch of Himalayan pink salt if using as a snack to replace crisps.