Broccoli Stalks Salad with Wasabi Sauce

Broccoli stalks are tender and flavourful. Shredded and dressed with a piquant wasabi sauce, they create a tasty base for an interesting Broccoli Stalks salad. It makes a nice light lunch, or accompanies sushi with panache. Sweet red pepper, freshly-grated ginger root, plump raw pumpkin seeds, arugula sprouts and black sesame seeds add crunch while boosting the nutritional profile of this easy-to-prepare recipe.

You'll need:

4-5 broccoli stalks; 1 sweet red pepper; 1 tablespoon grated ginger root; 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked for 2 hours; 1/2 cup arugula sprouts; 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds.

For wasabi sauce: 

1 teaspoon wasabi powder; 1 tablespoon tamari; 1 tablespoon water.

Method: Soak pumpkin seeds in fresh water for 2 hours, drain and set aside.

Put wasabi powder in a large serving bowl, add tamari and water. Whisk until blended. Set aside for 5 minutes to rehydrate wasabi and develop flavour. Then add drained pumpkin seeds to wasabi sauce, and mix to coat well.

Peel broccoli stalks, and  finely shred with food processor or hand grater. Add to pumpkin seed-wasabi sauce coating well with liquid.

Chop red pepper into small pieces, and grate ginger root. Add to salad, and mix ingredients together using a large spoon, or hands to massage sauce lightly into vegetables. Toss in arugula sprouts and black sesame seeds. 

 Serve as a side-dish with sushi, or Japanese noodles. Or, simply serve this tangy wasabi- broccoli dish with rice crackers for an energizing lunch. Enjoy!

For thoughts about what happens in the kitchen, click here to visit zen-cuisine

Late Summer Salad

As the last late chrysanthemums burst into bloom, we know summer is coming to its inevitable end. Amongst the shades of green, Nature also offers up a rich palette of deep reds, oranges, and golden yellows. This delicious salad is bright with these seasonal colours, anticipating the abundant autumn harvest. It is a great way to enjoy the last of the summer zucchini squash. Easy to make, and bursting with mouthing-tingling taste, this recipe makes a protein-rich light lunch. Paired with soup and a sandwich, its the full-meal deal for healthy eaters.

You'll need: 
1 medium firm zucchini; 1 hot red 'cherry bomb' pepper; 1 sweet red pepper; 1 orange pepper; 1 red grapefruit; 6 - 8 small yellow grape tomatoes; 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger root; 1/2 cup sunflower microgreens; 1/4 cup hemp hearts; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/8 teaspoon Himalayan salt crystals.

Method:
Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a large serving bowl. Wash and dry the red grapefruit; cut off both ends, leaving about 1/2 an inch of flesh on each end piece of peel. Squeeze the juice from the grapefruit ends into olive oil, and whisk until emulsified. Chop ginger root into fine pieces and add to bowl . Peel grapefruit, slice into medium-thick pieces, and dice into bite-size cubes. Add to bowl and coat well with dressing.

Chop sweet and hot red pepper, and orange pepper into small pieces.  Wash yellow tomatoes, and cut into pieces. Add peppers and tomatoes to dressing, mixing well. Wash the zucchini and cut, using either a saladico spiral cutter, or a medium grater. Add to bowl, mixing to coat with dressing.

 Add 1/2 cup sunflower micorgreens and 1/4 cup hemp hearts. Dust with Himalayan salt crystals. Toss all together, garnish with a few thin slices of zucchini and serve. This salad makes a wonderful meal on its own, rich in protein and flavour. Paired with a bowl of soup, or a sandwich, it satisfies the heartiest of appetites.

 Have you seen Zen-Cuisine? a blog about cooking, and practicing meditation in the kitchen: click to visit http://zen-cuisine.blogspot.com/

"Peach of a Pear": Great Guacamole

This great tasting guacamole is spicy and tart-- a perfect combination of juicy peach and buttery avocado pears. Pumpkin seeds, packed with zinc and protein, pump up the nutritional profile of this delicious dish. Just the right combination of spices, red pepper and herbs make "Peach of a Pair" guacamole a wonderful party spread, or a healthy addition to a light lunch. It's tasty enough to pile on crackers or mini-muffins for an appetizing afternoon snack. 

 You'll need: 2 ripe avocados; 1 ripe peach; 2 tablespoons of lime juice; 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt crystals; 1/4 cup soaked raw pumpkin seeds; 1 large handful of parsley leaves; 1 small handful of Cuban oregano; 1 'cherry bomb' hot red pepper, chopped; 1 tablespoon fruity olive oil; 2 teaspoons cumin powder; 1 teaspoon coriander powder; 1/2 teaspoon allspice. Garnish: finely chopped fresh chives; spritz of lime juice.

Method: Wash peach and rub fuzz from skin. Cut in half and remove stone. Dice into small pieces. Cut avocados in half and remove pits. Scoop fruit from shells into a medium bowl, and mash well with the back of a fork. Add peach bits, lime juice and salt, and combine. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap.

In a food processor, grind pumpkin seeds, parsley leaves, Cuban oregano, cherry bomb red pepper, cumin, coriander and allspice until thoroughly combined. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and process to a smooth consistency. Taste for seasoning. Add this mixture to the avocado-peach and mix until just blended. Top guacamole with minced chives, and spritz with fresh lime juice. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Serving suggestions:  Put this guac on a taco, or in a pita stuffed with salad. Turn "Peach of a Pear" guacamole into a flavourful dip for crunchy fresh veggies, or spread on snack crackers. It's also fun to eat with crisp bread sticks, or mini corn muffins.  

For thoughts about the zen of cooking visit http://zen-cuisine.blogspot.com/