Raw Slaw and Goji Berries

Hellooooooooooooooo! As my friend Fi has kindly informed me that she was disappointed in me that Healthy Hungry Hippos hadn't been updated in a while I thought I better clean up my act and cook and blog with all my heart.

Recently I bought some goji berries. I LOVE these things and i used make 'power detox juice' by steeping a hand full of goji berries in green tea with some lemon then letting it cool and transferring to my water bottle of the day. It was Antioxidant central! However, I wanted to investigate them in a savory dish like you would put raisins in a carrot and rice salad to add a sweet sharp note. So I look in the fridge and we have a shit load of crunchy vegetables, white cabbage, carrots, bok choi and onion.. SLAW TIME! This slaw has an eastern inspiration, so no heavy fatty creamy dressing just a light tangy and slightly spicy flavor. Perfect side dish or with the satay drizzle a nice summer lunch or dinner.

So here is my Raw Slaw with Goji berries and Cashews with a Satay Drizzle, I hope you like..

Raw Slaw with Goji berries and Cashews

Ingredients

Slaw
2 cups shredded white cabbage
1 large celery stick
1 small bok choi
1 small red onion
2 small carrots
10 dwarf beans
hand full of corriander
hand full of raw cashews
handfull of goji berries

Dressing
3 tbsp of grapefruit juice
1 lime
1 tsp of salt
1 tbsp of rice wine vinager
1 tsp of agave
2 tsp of grated ginger
1/2 tsp of grated garlic
2 tsp of your favourite dried curry spice mix
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of corriander
1 chilli
pinch of cayenne powder



-In the bottom of a large salad bowl combine all dressing ingrediants apart from the chill. Score the chill with a knife and add to the bowl. This will allow the taste and some mild heat to be added to the slaw with out it becoming chilli central.

- Chop into thin batons the celery, onion and bok choi. Add to the bowl along with the shredded cabbage. Throughly mix coating it thoroughly in the dressing. Leave in the fridge for 30-40 mins to brine.

-Meanwhile peel and chop your carrots and dwarf beans into battons and roughly chop your corriander.

- When the slaw has finished its time in the fridge add your carrots, coriander, cashews and goji berries.

Violaaaa! RAW SLAW!

Satay Drizzle  

Ingredients
1/4 peanutbutter
1/4 cup water
1/4 grapefruit juice
1 tsp of rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp of maple syrup
2 tsp of grated ginger
2 tsp of your favorite curry spice mix
pinch of salt

- Combine all ingredients till smooth drizzle is made
- Assemble!

I made it in the peanut butter jar, anything to avoid washing up

Its like a healthy rainbow!

Freshened Up Walnut, Apple and Celery Salad for Family BBQ

I used to LOVE apple celery and walnut salads that you could but in little pots. The combination of crunchy sweet acidic apple, savory celery and nutty walnuts is one of my all time favorite. However whenever you buy them they are drowned in creamy mayonnaise style dressing... ughhh.  Not only does this dressing often contain dairy or eggs, making it unfriendly for vegans and lactose intolerant, but full of saturated unhealthy fat and god knows what, sugar, preservatives, etc etc...

Fresher lighter better.

So when asked to make a salad for our Family's BBQ tonight I thought I would take this salad and make it vegan friendly and a lot more healthier and in my opinion fresher as its not drowned in creamy dressing. My version has sweet sour dressing with apple cider vinegar which is meant to curb sugar cravings and is sugar free as I use agave.

Freshened Up Walnut, Apple and Cerlery Salad

Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks of celery
1 small sweet onion
1 large Granny smith (you can use other eating apples but prepare for a lesser salad, granny smiths rule)
1/4 cup (heaped) of walnuts
Hand full of raisins
3 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp of agave syrup (or honey)
tsp of whole grain mustard
Salt and pepper

-Mix together 3 tbsp of the agave (reserving one tbsp), apple cider vinegar, mustard in the bottom of your salad bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. Your dressing should be slightly more salty and sour then you would like it as when as the water from the salad will neutralize it slightly.
- Dice apple, celery and onion and add to you dressing, toss so all the salad is coated. The vinegar in the dressing will stop the apples browning and partially cook the onion so it is less harsh.. clever ;)
-Lightly crush walnuts (I used a pestle and mortar) and add to a hot pan with a pinch of salt.

Me crushing some nuts

- When the nuts are lightly toasted add the reserved tbsp of agave stir around your pan for 30 seconds more and remove walnuts from heat into a bowl or plate to cool.
- Once cool add the walnuts with the raisins and toss. Cover and refrigerate till needed, the longer you leave this salad the more the flavors 'get to know each other' and the tastier it will be (like left over chilli and curry)