Raw broccoli salad and other eats

 

I have been revisiting lots of old recipes lately.  I wasn't going to post any recipes tonight.  I made an attempt at a raw broccoli salad today.  At first it seemed all wrong.  I tweaked it.  I ate it all up.  Not as good as some of the other food I have been making lately but good enough to blog.  Maybe I will return to it and tweak it further.

At first I was so disenchanted with the salad that I added it to a peanut butter sandwich.  It was very good.  Then I added nutritional yeast flakes because it was just too sour with the lime.  I think that helped.  I perhaps should have added some of my Australian bush pepper spice mix.  It remains hidden in the cupboard and I constantly forget about it.

It only occurred to me halfway through eating the salad that maybe I should take a photo.  It was during the chaos that is dinner time.  Well I was making dinner, talking to my neighbour, and trying to get Sylvia to eat.  Once dinner is served, it is amazing what she will discover in her little bags, or decide is a reasonable alternative to dinner (chocolate, marshmallows etc) or how she morphs into a baby cat.

I am trying to eat more vegetables at lunch time.  I used to eat really well at lunchtimes at work before Sylvia was born.  I thought the old habits would return once I was back at work but I haven't been able to be so organised.  A little effort is required.  I have been taking sticks of carrots, capsicum and cucumber to munch on.  I find them pleasing.  Now that Spring is here, I am seeking some easy salads I can take to work.  I thought this might be one but the flavours needs some work.  It was quite good to snack on during the afternoon rather than cake.

Which brings me to other eats.  I thought I might just tell you about a few other foods I have made lately.

Citrus grape cake (pictured top) - Sylvia says that Dolly wants a grape cake for her birthday.  Her wish is my command!  (I even bought grapes out of season.)  I looked up a citrus grape cake I had made years ago.  Strangely enough it was the first cake I baked after Sylvia was born.  Coincidence?  This is a fantastic cake that I highly recommend if your doll wants you to bake with grapes.

Chickpea, potato and tomato stew - This has to be one of my favourite stews at the moment.  I made it again tonight with green beans and split peas.  I soaked the split peas but after 90 minutes of cooking they were still not softening.  Perhaps I had a dud batch of dried split peas.

Mock tuna (chickpea) salad - A current favourite salad.  It is so easy to make and has ingredients I usually have about.  At this time of year I am far less likely to have spring onions and mayonnaise about but the salad is great without them.  This is one of my salads I have earmarked as an easy one to make ahead and pack for lunch at work to help me eat more vegies.

Pasta with pesto and feta (pictured above) - not really a recipe.  I meant to make the chickpea stew last night but ran out of time.  Instead I made pasta with pesto, fried some onions, zucchini and cherry tomatoes and topped it all with feta.  It would have been quick if I had noticed the gas burner going out under the pasta!  D'oh!

Our favourite smoothie - Around the end of winter I lose interest in fresh fruit as I hold my breath waiting for summer fruit to appear.  In lieu of fresh fruit, Sylvia and I have been drinking a lot of smoothies recently.  Our favourite combination is stewed plums, frozen raspberries, banana, oats, chia seeds and soy milk.

That will do for now.  If you are in Melbourne, I hope you are holding on to your hat in this wind.  I could hear it howling around the house tonight.  Winter isn't quite ready to let us go yet.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: Baked beans - that recipe seems very familiar
Two years ago: Isabella's Cafe - lighthouse gourmet
Three years ago: Gravy Train Cafe - yummy yabbering in yarraville
Four years ago: In Search of the Green Smoothie

Raw broccoli salad
loosely adapted from The Taste Space
serves 1 (a generous helping)

1 head broccoli, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
1/2 red capsicum, finely chopped
handful of currants (or sultanas)
juice of 1 lime
drizzle of soy sauce (about 1/2 to 1 tsp)
drizzle of maple syrup (about 1/2 to 1 tsp)
good sprinkle of nutritional yeast flakes (about 1 tsp)
salt to taste
handful of sunflower seeds (toasted is optional)

Mix.

On the Stereo:
Once Upon a Time in America (soundtrack) - Ennio Morricone