Fun with Fresh Herbs
As I make the transition to a raw-foods diet, I am realizing the importance of using fresh herbs to add pizazz to my raw dishes. It is true that flavor is developed and enhanced with heat, so new ways have to be explored of adding more flavor to uncooked food. This is where good-quality fresh herbs come in. When it comes to herbs (not to mention produce in general), I have found that organic definitely tastes fresher and has worlds more flavor than commercially grown herbs.
My favorite restaurant, King of Falafel, makes the most fabulous tabbouleh. It's actually about 90% fresh parsley with a sprinkling of lemon juice and only a small amount of bulgur wheat. I've always used parsley in small amounts as a seasoning, and never given much thought to making it the main ingredient in a salad. Parsley is actually very nutritious--containing lots of vitamin C, calcium, iron, chlorophyll, and magnesium. It also has liver-cleansing abilities. I love the textural contrast the walnuts give to the salad.
Fresh Parsley Tabbouleh
Ingredients (for one serving):
* 1/4 cup raw walnuts, chopped (you can soak them if you want)
* 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped (Italian flat-leaf or curly both work fine)
* 2 teaspoons fresh mint, julienned
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Mix everything and enjoy! Best eaten right away for maximum freshness.
Apples with Mint
I had a box of fresh mint in my fridge and wanted to use it up before it wilted. So, I sprinkled some on a cut-up apple to see what it tasted like. It was amazing! The sweet-tart apple brought out the refreshing mint flavor beautifully--a perfect combination!
Ingredients (for one serving):
* 1 apple, unpeeled and cut into bite-size pieces (I like Braeburn or Pink Lady varieties)
* 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, julienned (to julienthe mint, simply stack the leaves on top of each other, roll up like a cigar and run a sharp knife firmly through, creating long thin strands of mint)
Place the cut apple in a bowl and sprinkle with the mint stands. Enjoy immediately.
posted by Matt and Bobbie @ 7:20 AM
2 Comments:
That tabouli sounds fantastic- I like the idea of using such large amounts of parsley- it is so nutritious, but not if we treat it like a garnish!
And the apples with mint sounds refreshing- I have an indoor mint plant growing like crazy, so I think I'll use it in this way. Yum.
So are you going to switch to 100% raw?
I don't think I will be 100% raw. Maybe more like 85-90%. I really enjoy foods like tofu and cooked beans which I think are fine foods to eat cooked and supply so much nutrition.
I am moving to a condo (hopefully by summer) and will have to start growing lots of herbs and other veggies indoors or on the patio! Right now we have a big garden, which I will miss living in a condo.
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