alimentazione sana/healthy eating
River Cottage Veg Every Day arrived in my doorstop just before hopping in the car for the mountains. It turned out to be perfect reading for our rainy afternoons. It didn’t take any time for me to become hooked, as each page turn was a dish I wanted to make. Love at first sight. Really! Forget the red-velvet-cake-will-help-find-a-man-thing. Right now, this cookbook is all I need.
Once home from the mountains, I immediately went to the grocer, returned home with two bags of produce and started cooking straight away. First, recipe I thrw together was the Red Cabbage, Parsnips, Oranges and Dates. Why “threw”? It’s super simple to make, with a chop, chop, chop and a toss, toss, toss. What’s better than that? It is a scrumptiously satisfying salad that is packed with good-for-you attributes. Cabbage still has cholesterol-lowering ability and parsnips, oranges and dates are vitamin powerhouses. Dates are also helpful in uphold a healthy heart. This is important because my eating is teetering on the side of derailment and I need to get it back on track before I plummet off the clean-eating cliff.
Luckily, the juicy tidbits jumbled together in one delicious salad lead to ridiculous craving satisfaction throughout the week, as my small, neatly packed containers came with me to work.
Have you ever made one of those salads that were your go-to yum? I had a couple of slaws I doubled as salads before now. But, this one catapulted to the front of the pack.
Red Cabbage Parsnips Oranges and Dates
River Cottage Veg Every Day
1 large or 2 small oranges
¼ small red cabbage, core removed, finely shredded
1 medium parsnip, peeled, coarsely grated, or julienned
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil*
2 Medjool dates, stones removed, sliced
Thyme leaves, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Prepare orange segments by cutting the top and bottom of the orange(es). With the cup sit down, remove the skin off with a sharp knife. Working over a bowl, cut out the orange segments between the membranes, allowing them fall in the bowl. When finished, squeeze the orange to release any remaining juice into the bowl.
In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage and parsnips. Add collected orange juice (not the segments), and drizzle with oil. Add salt and pepper and toss well. Transfer to serving plates, add orange segments, dates and the garnish thyme. Serve immediately.
Cook’s Notes:
- I used Madarin Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil to add additional hints of orange flavor.
- Don’t have/like dates? Apricots are a comparable substitute. As the other ingredients, carrot can substitute the parsnips, and chervil or parsley for thyme.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Really gorgeous. It took me a minute to figure out what the dates were but I bet they are yummy in this!
Between the dates, parsnips, and orange I bet this is a super sweet salad.
Such a lovely combination of flavors in this salad. Looks amazing.