I bought myself a new toy for the kitchen: a Spiralizer. I can't stop using it. I tell you it is freaking awesome!
My kids can't wait to use it too. They eat more vegetables. Heck, I am eating more vegetables.
The best new vegetable we have learned to LOVE LOVE LOVE-- are yellow beets.
They are my favorite. Way better for a beet virgin like myself than the red beet. Sorry red beet! I do love marinated red beets just not raw red beets. Yeah, say that fast 10X's.
Maybe I am crazy and there is not a difference in flavor, but in my mind, the yellow beet, taste better. It is a bit sweeter and not so earthy.
Before I went gluten free and started reading labels, we used to eat this salad that had cabbage and a bag of Top Ramen. I sort of miss that salad. I miss the crunchy noodles, the crispy cabbage and the seasoning from the packet. After I made this salad I asked Cory if it reminded him of anything we have had before and he brought up the Top Ramen salad. I had the same thought.
For some reason the dressing, the crunchy almonds and the spiraly vegetables made us believe that we were eating a very similar salad to the one we loved from our early days of marriage. And you know that was a long time ago-- wink..wink
I added chicken for some protein and to help fill us up for dinner. We are trying, and failing miserably on some nights, to not snack late into the night.
I committed a while back to eating more salads and this is one salad that the whole family has asked for several times. It is a great way to involve your kids in meal planning, get them to try new vegetables and get creative. Use any vegetable you want.
If you do get a Spiralizer (this is not a paid post-heck-they don't even know I bought one) I would recommend saving the tails. When you put the vegetable onto the spiralizer you push and crank with one hand and hold the bowl with the other. The vegetable is being pushed through a metal tube and cut at the same time. You are left with an assortment of "tails". I tossed them into a baggie and froze them for when I make a vegetable broth or chicken noodle soup next.
This is a fun salad. It is simple, and yet, you can do so much with it to add that gourmet flair. I threw some black sesame seeds into ours for fun.
Enjoy!
Asian Style Spiral Salad
Makes 4 adult servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
1 carrot, peeled
1 red or green apple
lemon juice (for apple)
1 yellow beet, peeled
1 zucchini, peel left on
4 large red radishes, peel left on
toasted almonds, optional
black sesame seeds, optional
cooked chicken pieces, optional
Meat is optional for this dish. Chicken, beef or shrimp work well. This is a great salad to use any leftover meat in the refrigerator from the night before, this is what we do.
Dressing:
Makes 1/4 cup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Mirin.
Mirin is a japanese sweet cooking rice wine. It can be found in the asian section of most grocery stores.
1. Spiral all of the vegetables into a large bowl.
2. Prepare a small bowl with 1 cup of cold water and juice from half a lemon. Spiral the apple and add to the lemon water. This will prevent the apple from turning brown.
3. Combine the two dressing ingredients into a jar with a lid. Shake. Pour over salad and toss.
4. Salad is best served immediately. Everything is crunchy and crisp. Add any optional ingredients and toss again. Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator and will soften a bit as it sits in the dressing.
Written by Sherron Watson
