Rainbow salad & pesto mayonnaise

I don’t use purple cabbage all that much but when I added it to this salad, it just looked so gorgeous! I don’t know about you but I get into a rut with salads. After a while they are all very similar. That’s why this one is fun as it’s added another colour and with the grated beetroot and carrot there are a few textures too. You could just as easily serve it with a balsamic/lemon/olive oil style dressing. A few nuts or seeds sprinkled on top would be nice too.

Adjust quantities according to the number you want to feed.  This one serves 3-4.

Toss all ingredients together:

• 2 handfuls mixed salad greens
• 1 large handful snow peas, chopped in half
• 1/2 beetroot, grated
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 cup shredded purple cabbage

Serve with Pesto mayonnaise.

To make pesto mayonnaise, mixed equal proportions of  pesto with mayonnaise and either serve on the side or toss the salad in the dressing for a more coleslaw style salad.

Paleo Pesto
1 large bunch basil – leaves removed from stalks
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
Juice 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup almonds (or any nut of your choice – raw or roasted)
olive oil
salt & pepper

Place all ingredients in food processor and blitz until finely chopped and a chunky paste is formed.  You will probably want to taste and adjust flavours eg more lemon/salt and adjust for consistency with oil and even a bit of water if you want it a bit thinner.

Paleo Mayonnaise

• 1-2 garlic cloves
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 egg
• salt & pepper
• 2-3 anchovies (optional)
• 3/4 cup olive oil (or macadamia or avocado)

1. In a food processor or stick blender blitz the garlic, lemon juice, mustard, egg, s&p, anchovies and about 1/4 cup of the oil.  Blitz until well combined.
2. Then with the processor/stick blender going SLOWLY pour in the rest of the oil in a constant but gentle trickle.  Keep going until the oil isn’t absorbed anymore – if it won’t ‘blend’ in anymore, just stop adding the oil.
3. Taste and season again if needed.  Refrigerate.

shredded asian pork kelp noodle salad (paleo)

I was asked to take a savoury paleo dish to an Australia Day lunch that would ‘wow’ the host’s husband.  Feeling no pressure whatsoever (;-)) I ended up do a twist on the pulled pork from the pulled pork taco recipe and turning it into an Asian noodle salad.  Success! This recipe made a large salad – great for a smorgasboard lunch. Begin this recipe a day or 2 earlier for the best flavour.

Slow cooked Asian pork

• 1kg diced pork scotch fillet (sometimes called pork neck)
• about 1/2 cup tamari (use coconut aminos for strict paleo but tamari is GF)
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3cm piece ginger – grated
• juice of 1 lime
• 1-2 Tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 star anise

1. Mix together and marinate for at least a couple of hours, preferably overnight.
2. Put all ingredients into a slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on low (or until tender).
3. Shred.  Set aside.  If you’re not serving on the same day, put into a container and refrigerate until you are going to serve.

Salad

• 500g kelp noodles, rinsed drained and roughly chopped
• 2 grated carrots
• 2 large handfuls of finely diced kale/silverbeet/leafy greens
• 1 large cup of mixed herbs, chopped (I used coriander, mint, Thai basil, basil, flat leaf parsley)
• feel free to add any other veggies you’d like.

1. Put all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss well.

Dressing

• juice of 1 lime
• 1 garlic clove grated
• 2cm ginger piece grated
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp coconut sugar/palm sugar

Assembly

1. Warm the shredded pork if not using immediately after cooking.
2. Add pork including the juices that have come out in the cooking to the salad and toss well.
3. Add dressing and toss well.
4. Serve – could add toasted slivered  almonds or fried onions for a bit of crunch too.

rainbow noodley salad

I just love the look of this salad.  It’s so bright and interesting shapes and textures.  Looks like it MUST be good for you! Serve it with your favourite salad dressing – something fresh and lime-y I think would work really well.

• 1 zucchini – spiralized (or grated)
• 1 carrot – spiralized (or grated)
• 1 beetroot – Julienned
• 1 bunch asparagus (chopped, blanched, drained and cooled)
• 1 bunch broccolini (chopped, blanched drained and cooled)
• 1 pomegranate – seeded

Toss together all ingredients and dress with your favourite dressing.  Serves 4-6

This would work well with nuts if you eat them or adding some diced orange, the options are endless!   Looks fabulous all spread out on a platter.  We ate it topped with poached chicken.

Enjoy.