I used to be a really good cook. I used to love cooking and be something of a “foodie” and would pore over cookbooks for weeks before having a dinner party. Got all the cooking magazines of course, and often tuned into the Food Channel for various celebrity chef how-to’s.. (still think of some of this as food-porn..). I love good food but in the past couple of years have done less in the kitchen as my husband Andy became more of our household cook. He does it really well and my sons thankfully became more wholesome eaters on his watch.
Still, as I spent less time being creative and involved in the kitchen, something shifted for me. Cooking had definitely been a sensual and creative place to play in the kitchen (when I wasn’t in crazy-perfectionism mode pre-dinner party.. but that’s another story for another time) and I didn’t realize how much I missed it until recently.
Even looking for recipes and “trying them on” is a little adventure. And although there are times when I think those of us with food or body-related issues need to take a little break from over-involvement with food, my hitaus had gone on too long.
This past weekend which was a sunny early spring everything-in-bloom couple of days.. made me want to step back into creation-energy along with the season. So I pulled out a few old favorites and I tried one new recipe.. that I have eaten every day at some point since. Yes, I still have a little “addict” in me.. I just love this concoction. See if you do..
I found the inspiration for the recipe on a wonderful blog, called Oh She Glows, written by Angela Liddon. She basically deconstructed the Detox Salad she’d seen at Whole Foods from their posted ingredient list at the salad bar and made it at home. I made a few tweaks to her recipe but it’s essentially the same.. and delicious. If you want an amazing way to get a big dose of cruciferous vegetables, known for powerful health-giving properties.. and plenty of crunch.. read on and eat up..
Ingredients List:
2 heads broccoli (1 bunch), stems removed
1 head cauliflower, stems removed
2.5 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (I added more)
1 cup currants (I cut these to half a cup so I could add more of the cherries and raisins below!)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (I doubled the parsley.. can’t have enough.. so fresh tasting and delicious)
1/2 cup raisins ( I added a ½ c. dried cherries)
4-6 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste
Drizzle with maple syrup to taste (I skip this and use tahini instead)
In your food processor, process the broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots (in batches) until fine.. you’re almost “ricing” them, but don’t want them to liquifiy or turn to mush. .. so you might want to pulse them until they are very small and fine. This is partly what makes the dish so palatable even to people who might be turned off by raw broccoli and cauliflower.. it’s a whole different mix when made teensy tiny.. trust me.
Mix in the other ingredients, make sure you use fresh lemon juice, the bottled stuff is not the same, and you know it! Add salt and pepper to taste and Angela and I both added Kelp Granules.. they come in a salt like shaker from places like Whole Foods.. I use them on everything.. like a healthy salt substitute.. sea “vegetables” are really good for you with natural iodine and other good things that we need.. (great for thyroid health by the way).
Before serving, I drizzle a bit of tahini this to add a bit more flavor and a little fat. Tahini is a nut butter consistency.. thinner usually, and is made from sesame seeds..
Now listen to me….Before you write this off as too many ingredients.. or you don’t want to pull out your Cuisinart from the cupboards, or whatever excuse you are running through your head.. stop.I almost never post recipes.. seriously rarely. And I hardly ever get super specific about what I am eating.. I just don’t usually write about the food.. not my focus.
That said, this is the most delicious, satisfying, crunchy, chewy, savory, sweet (and did I mention healthy??) concoction and I have eaten it a minimum of once a day for almost 5 days.. It’s also easy on the wallet for how many servings you get. And because most of the people in your house will probably run shrieking if you try to serve it to them, you can have it ALL to yourself.. Which is good, I promise.
Eat this.. love it. It is divine and so are you.. Love and thanks to Angela Liddon for the inspiration. I am back in the kitchen and excited to see what else emerges.
Love from my heart (and kitchen) to yours…
Nona Jordan | the Business Yogini says
Lisa, this salad looks delicious!! I SO relate to poring over cookbooks and obsessively planning menus. My meals have become much simpler and I find my creative energy can go elsewhere now. Thank you for sharing this – off to make lunch (I happen to have all of the ingredients for this!!)
Lisa says
Funny how excited I get at the thought of you making this for lunch, Nona! I still love to obsess over a recipe/cookbook here and there, but have to spread the creative focus around more these days as do you. Happy to see you in my comments section this week! Love to you- Lisa
Michelle says
This. Looks. AMAZING. Can’t wait to try it – though, like you, I’ll probably skip the maple syrup and opt for tahini or olive oil instead. And so many good for you veggies in an easy to eat way! I can’t wait to give it a go. Thank you for sharing it!!
Lisa says
Hey Michelle! The tahini is the best part almost..I just ran out and restocked the ingredients because I cannot bear to run out of this dish I’m so loving it right now. Hope you love it.. I want to know if you do.. FB me!! xox Lisa
Jessica says
This is making me hungry! I have a “food rainbow” for my preschoolers. If they eat each color of the rainbow in a week, they get a sticker (which they collect for fabulous prizes like plastic bracelets). This is going to fill up so many rainbow colors for them! 🙂 Thanks so much!
Lisa says
Jessica..You are one smart mother.. I wish like crazy I had fed my kids like that.. a whole other post there which I won’t go into but major guilt and shame.. This is definitely a colorful bowlful depending on what you add.. and worth eating even without the fancy jewels!! love to you and your rainbow eaters.. Lisa
Teresa says
What a delicious sounding salad! Yum! Of course, I might get decadent and add roasted pine nuts….just because they are my favourite.
Creative energy does seem to ebb and flow and since I use it so much in other areas it doesn’t often shine in my cooking. I like the idea of shifting my the attention to the creativity of it – we might actually have more fun that way!
Lisa says
Hi Teresa..I too move my creative energies around…you know how it goes.. one day you just feel the intuitive twinklings and there you are again doing something that feels just right..Pine nuts would be really good in this.. this recipe can take a ton of substitutions.. tell me if you make it/love it! xox Lisa
Bri Saussy says
Mmmm…it sounds so yummy Lisa! And perfect for the hot and humid weather we are being, er, graced with, in San Antonio right now!
Lisa says
Bri…stay cool my mystical friend and eat things that you don’t need to cook.. just chop chop chop (or push the button on the food processor).. Love to you- Lisa
Julie Geigle says
I laughed through this whole post – you are soooo funny! I could totally see my family run shrieking from the kitchen as I am always trying to shove new healthy stuff in their face. Thanks for sharing and can’t wait to try this recipe!
Lisa says
Julie.. i LOVE when somebody thinks I am funny.. former class clown and sister of stand-up-comic.. thank you! My sons would definitely freak if I tried to get them to eat this.. thankfully my husband ate it and like it..thank you for laughing!! xox Lisa
amy zellmer says
I wish I could get more inspired to cook again, ever since becoming single again, I have no desire to cook…. and I used to really enjoy it! I might just have to try out your recipe on friends 🙂
Lisa says
Hi Amy.. this doesn’t qualify so much as “cooking”.. think of it as chopping.. or shopping and pushing the “pulse” button on the Cuisinart! Anyways..you and your body deserve as much beautiful food and recipes as you and your former partner did, Missy.. And metaphysically if you want to attract another partner, you might want to whip up some delicious dishes in the kitchen and prepare for him… Act as if you are coupled and cooking a deux and watch what happens…(yes I am an expert on love and romance too.. j.k. but actually energetically this does help!!.. just saying.) Love .. Lisa
Inga Deksne says
I love cooking and I love trying new things. I will definitely give this salad a go and will tell you about the results 🙂
Thanks for sharing
Lisa says
Inga yes!! Hope you do and definitely let me know what you think.. hope you love it!! xox Lisa
Leah Shapiro says
This sounds yummy and I will certainly make it!
It’s funny that you mention Food Porn. I’m a big foodie, and when I had cable, I would watch the Food network all the time.
I poured over my Bon Appetite Magazine picking out everything I wanted to make.
It’s funny how things have shifted for me. After doing the Whole Living 21 Day cleanse, I’m still a foodie, but now i drool over recipes like this. I am more likely to tear out the recipes from my Whole Living magazine than Bon Appetite.
Lisa says
Hi Leah..so few people get to the end of those cleanses.. I often get clients who have just quit them because they’re too strict or unrealistic or lead to more binges.. For you it really led to something beautiful, including a heightened appreciation of whole real food while letting you keep your “foodie” sensibilities.. love where you are! xox Lisa
Sammi Johnson says
I love your post, so YUMMY! From the looks of it alone, I really understand why you haven’t been able to stop eating this salad. I’m a vegetarian and a fan of salads myself and I can’t wait to try it in my own kitchen. xoxo
Lisa says
Sammi..so happy that you do.. didn’t know that you were a vegetarian and can’t wait to see if you like this one. Always so curious about what other people eat.. love to you.. Lisa
Jessica says
Lisa – update!
I tried the recipe this weekend, and even my hardcore-carnivore husband liked it! I made a few tweaks:
*added a bit of red quinoa
*used whole sesame seeds, and cranberries instead of currants
*threw in a splash of olive oil and Girbaud’s Champagne dressing
Delish! Thanks so much for my new summer favorite!
Lisa says
Hi Jessica.. so happy that everyone liked it and I also love when people get creative and adjust recipes for their own tastes/families.. I do it all the time.. makes each recipe more ‘mine’..I’ve been adding some chopped greens to it lately.. so versatile.. Thanks for adding this.. xox to you – Lisa