Spring is sprung
Da grass is riz
I wonder where dem boidies iz
Da little boids is on da wing
Ain’t dat absoid
Da little wings is on da boid
– Anonymous
I know it’s rather risky in Melbourne to pronounce the early arrival of a season. Half the time the seasons never really arrive at all, they are merely hinted at and then disappear back into a medley of warm/cold/rainy/sunny, “if you don’t like the weather wait 10 minutes”, changeability that drives both weather forecasters and their followers to distraction.
That said, doesn’t it feel like spring? I’ve only been back in the country a few days, but it’s glorious! Sunny, blue-skied days, blossums blooming, birds chirping, I keep expecting Mary Poppins to drop from the sky at any moment!
The warmer months are welcome relief to us raw foodies. Not only does it mean an abundance of seasonal produce, but also menus overflowing with salads. No more lectures from the guy at the health food store about why Winter is not the time to go raw (I know that NOW, I replied, but I’ve already started writing a blog!)
Spring is so colourful with all the trees sprouting green leaves, flowers blooming, and blue skies, it brings to mind my mum’s jewel salad. Hers is not entirely raw, being based on brown rice, so I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart.
I tell you, a storm could brew and blow this house down, but while I’m eating this salad it’s perpetual springtime!
Okay disclaimer here. I blame jetlag (how long is this a viable excuse?) My salad doesn’t look as good as it should because I didn’t follow the recipe. Martha says you need to keep all the ingredients separate and assemble them before serving, I just threw them all in and mixed them up. But it still tasted really good!
Spring Jewelled Salad
(adapted from http://www.marthastewart.com/348875/jewel-salad)
- 1 pomegranate seeded
- 1 persimmon, finely chopped
- 1 beetroot diced into small squares
- 1/2 cups finely chopped dates
- 2 mandarins, peeled, sectioned and finely chopped
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 large bulb fennel, finely chopped
- 1 large stalk celery, finely chopped
- 1 head radicchio, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard (optional, not a raw food, unless you use mustard seeds)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp agave syrup
- 2 tablespoons shoyu or Braggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup cashew cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup pistachios
In a small bowl whisk together 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, orange juice, salt, pepper, and agave syrup to combine. Toss dressing with the fruit and beetroot.
In another small bowl, whisk shoyu or Braggs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp agave, and the cashew cheese to combine. Toss dressing with the fennel, celery and radicchio and spread a layer on a large platter.
Add additional layers, alternating between the fruit and the vegetables, and gradually build up the salad.
Sprinkle with additional pomegranate seeds, pistachios, and crumbled cashew cheese. Serve immediately. Kaboom! It’s a flavour explosion in your mouth!
onehundredpercentraw 