WONDER SALAD Delightfully healthy in more ways than one! By Innes Hope This salad not only nourishes the body. It is socially enriching! Wondering what’s in it? That’s the idea! Invite everyone to wonder what’s in it. The salad itself is ‘game-central.’ Include as many ingredients as possible. People have fun naming as many as they can. IDEAS FOR INGREDIENTS
METHOD
Greens - various types of lettuce, spinach, silver beet, mizuna, cavolo nero (tuscan kale), mustard greens, kale, tatsoi, cabbage: red, green and/or Chinese wong bok. Herbs - parsley, basil, rocket, mint, lemon balm, coriander greens, chickweed, fennel, edible flowers, etc. Grated or sliced raw vegetables - carrot, beetroot, radish, parsnip, squash, zucchini, red onion, leek leaves, spring onion, cucumber, capsicum, mushrooms, etc. Chilled cooked foods - broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, roasted root veges, carrot, corn, quinoa, barley, whole wheat, whole buckwheat, protein pasta, etc. Fruits - tomatoes, avocados, chopped or grated apple, pear, berries, orange, persimmon, kiwifruit, stone fruits, melon, pomegranate, citrus peel, currants, cranberries, dried apricots, sultanas. Lemon juice galore. Extras - nuts and seeds of all kinds, sprouts, cooked beans & lentils, tofu cubes, seaweeds, couscous, wholegrain croutons, wholegrain noodles, sprinkles (kelp, ground hemp protein etc), sauerkraut, kimchi, jalapenos, etc.
Have a paper and pen handy. As you add an ingredient write it down, numbering your list as you go. Choose your own ingredients, which will vary over the seasons. To keep everyone guessing, your salad should ideally be different each time. The game works best when the salad contains finely chopped ingredients. As you serve your creation, explain ‘how to play.’ Tell people how many ingredients there are – often an impressive number! By now, even the kids will be keen to eat their greens.
32 wholefoodliving.life | Spring 2022
Putting a Wonder Salad together inspires the chef too! Cooks need a little fun in the kitchen sometimes to boost our enthusiasm for putting in the extra effort that can make dishes super healthy. If you’re in a rush, a bag of mesclun salad provides a good base.
