The pick you up winter salad

Chicory, chicory, chicory!

Chicory is one of my absolute favourite vegetables, because it is one of the very first leafy veggies out there that you can get your hands on in winter. To me it signifies the end of winters' vegetable scarcity (no offense to pumpkins, cabbages and potatoes, I love you too!), and offers a beautiful hopeful transition into spring.

However much I practice to eat mindful and seasonal, I can't deny that come February my body can feel sluggish and in serious need of that Pick Me Up feeling only leafy vegetables can give you. So when I collected the chicory and mushrooms from our local organic farmer, I did a little dance of joy. I whipped this thing up for my man and I on a fiercely cold beautiful bright first day of March. I had walked the dogs for two hours and felt depleted and cold.

The mushrooms and almonds give this salad some beautiful meaty feel and texture and the chili and ginger warm you up from inside out!

Here's to many happy salads ahead! Let me know if you like this recipe by liking the Facebook button below and or sharing it with your friends.

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Ingredients:

For the salad

3 pieces of chicory
250 grams of mushrooms ( I used chestnut mushroom)
1 red chili pepper (thinly diced)
Pinch of salt & pepper
2 large handful of almonds
2 garlic cloves, pealed.
1 tablespoon of olive oil

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons sesame oil (cold pressed)

1 tablespoon Tamari Soy sauce (gluten free)

Fresh grated ginger the size of your thumb,

Juice of half a lemon

Pinch black ground pepper

Preparation:

For the salad.

Cut the chicory in bit size pieces, rinse and then set aside to dry.

Chop the almonds into large bits and roast in a pan on medium heat for about 5 mins or until nice and brown. Toss them every now and then to avoid burning. Set aside.

Quarter the mushrooms and fry them on medium heated pan with the olive oil for a few minutes. Add the diced red chili pepper halfway as well as the crushed 2 garlic cloves and the black ground pepper. Keep stirring until softened. Turn off heat.

For the dressing

Take a large boil and mix all the ingredients of the dressing into the bottom of the bowl.

Serving

Add all the chicory, mushrooms and almonds to the big bowl and stir gently until the dressing is evenly spread on all condiments. Add any more of the dressing ingredients to your liking.

Serve into smaller bowls and eat with chopsticks. Serve with a nice warm cup of green tea. This way of eating will bring you a sense of peace and fulfilment.

Serves 2

Itadakimasu!