Thursday, August 30, 2007

Shredded Beet and Carrot salad w/ Spicy Ginger Dressing



This was a practically a regular in last summers daily menu. Last year I used red and golden beets. This is the first time this year that I've made it ( lunch #2), and I had forgotten how good it is.

Shredded; beets, beet greens (or spinach), carrots

Diced; jalapeno, pineapple, dates

Optional; sliced green onion, cilantro, grilled chicken or prawns

*

Dressing

shallot 1/4 c. chopped

ginger, 2 Tbl.

garlic, 1 clove

rice vinegar, 1/4 c.

soy sauce, 1 tbl.

toasted sesame oil, 1/2t.

tobasco, to taste (I use Sirachi, chinese hot sauce)

olive oil, 1/2 c.

Toasted sesame oil is a very strong flavor, I, personally, never use a recipe that calls for more than 1/2 t..

If you think you don't like a particular vegetable, based on a childhood memory or even something crazier than that, like never tying it because it just didn't "sound good", GET OVER IT! Don't discriminate! Grow up, and try everything. I can't tell you how many times I took a salad to work and let a friend try it because it "looked so good", only for them to be surprised by a vegetable they thought they didn't like, for instance, radishes, bell pepper, beets, onions, etc.

Vegetables are good. Vegetables are life. Life is good.

5 comments:

FitwithLizzie said...

Yeah! Often, the vegetables I hated when I was younger were served to me from a can or weren't very fresh. Freshness makes a huge difference.

I like your coffee thermos, it is so groovy. :-)

Tracy Reifkind said...

Elizabeth,

There's nothing, foodwise, that I won't try!

My coffee thermos was one of my favorite birthday gifts....I use it everyday! I think it's groovy too!

fawn said...

Tracy,

When I was a professional cook, the most rewarding experiences were changing the mind of people who didn't like certain things... especially vegetables!

Christine said...

Now that looks goooooooood.

Pete said...

Great salad recipe, Tracy. I had it with the family the other night, and it was as good as it looked.

Thanks, and keep posting recipes!