japanese miso-shiitake soup (ani phyo) and red cabbage-kale salad with walnuts and a tangy citrus dressing

i’d wanted to make this yesterday, since i’d started the day out with another coconut-flax breakfast cake, but instead was invited to an impromptu vegan taco party (which was definitely delicious). i can’t call this a raw day, since i had a cup of coffee at 630 this morning, and will be headed to an ethiopian dinner later on, BUT, it was a pretty raw middle of the day for me. i got a beta blast after work (carrot, beet, and celery juice), and headed home to make the japanese miso shiitake soup and some kind of salad.

this soup was good, but really rich, and i couldn’t entirely finish my portion. i don’t think my body’s used to consuming large, uncooked, albeit flavored and diluted, amounts of olive oil. i also don’t think i really like the texture of large pieces of raw mushrooms either, particularly shiitake. (i was really digging the portabellas in the risotto, though.) the scallions were a nice contrast to the creaminess, but if i were to make it again i might add more vegetables with crunch to up that contrast.

today, apparently, the natural lighting gods were not with me, so the focus of my pictures is rather blurred. this salad i was more afraid to try, because while i love kale, i have never found myself loving it in raw form. it is bitter, fibrous, and, even cooked and smothered in oils and spices, it can be a lot to masticate. (i really like the word masticate in a creepy way.) this salad proved for me that there are ways around that: 1)make a flavorful vinaigrette, 2)use dinosaur/lacinato kale, and 3)slice it very thinly and let it marinate a little bit. i didn’t write it down, but it went something like this:

red cabbage and kale salad with walnuts and tangy citrus vinaigrette (serves 1):

2 large or 4 small leaves dinosaur kale, destemmed and sliced thinly
1 1/2 c red cabbage, sliced thinly
small handful raw walnut pieces
1 clementine, peeled and seeded
1-2 tbsp lime juice
splash apple cider vinegar
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
2-3 tbsp flax seed oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
dash cayenne

place kale, cabbage, and walnuts in a small mixing bowl. put remaining ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. pour over vegetable mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. let stand 10 minutes to marinade before serving.

this was, as you might imagine, pretty tart. i’d probably up the sweet end of the citrus, or maybe add a splash of agave nectar nectar, though it was certainly edible. it’s not a perfect recipe, but the good news after having made it is that i can EAT RAW KALE AND CABBAGE. well, the second part i knew, but it’s good to know that i can achieve the first, maintaining those healthy nutrients that cooking lessens. hooray! now i just need to get a good vinaigrette going and i’ll be eating raw kale and cabbage salads all the time. now, if only i can get motivated to have regular exercise when there are sub-freezing temperatures to contend with…