Ruby Root Vegetable Slaw with Miso Dressing
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| Colorful, Nutritious, and Delicious |
In my last post, I stated that carrots
are more nutritious cooked than raw, because beta-carotene becomes more
available after cooking. However, the reverse is true for vegetables high in
Vitamin C, which are more nutritious eaten raw. Eating a mixture of raw and
cooked veggies makes life more interesting, not to mention nutritious, so this
recipe is all-raw. Ingredients are mainly shredded beets
and daikon (white icicle) radishes,
both high in Vitamin C, plus shredded carrots. What makes the recipe kick is
the miso dressing.
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| Ingredients for Miso Dressing |
Recent disturbing reports about radiation
in California’s ocean have increased my interest in miso, which some
evidence indicates mitigates
the effects of radiation on the body. This fermented soybean paste contains
significant amounts of zinc and various phytonutrients,
some of which reduce inflammation. Plus, miso adds a thick texture and a
salty-sweet lightly-fermented flavor to soups and dressings. If you have a
favorite bottled miso dressing, or want to save a little time, you can
substitute 1 cup of bottled dressing for the homemade.
Change up the proportions of veggies if you like. My idea
was to use enough beets to color the white daikon ruby red, but use your
artistic license to create a variation if you prefer. New Leaf Market, my favorite natural foods store, adds some fennel, and red cabbage might be good. Use hearty veggies that
will stand up to the boldness of the dressing.
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| Grated Slaw Before Dressing |
If you don’t have maple syrup,
either agave or fine white sugar will do. Use the larger amount of sweetener if
you use the larger amount of ginger, for balance. For best flavor, be sure to
allow an hour or two (or more) for the slaw to marinate. Lastly, using a food
processor will make veggie preparation a breeze. If you have more patience and
skill than I do, you could grate them by hand instead.
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| Root Veggies are High in Minerals |
Ruby Root Vegetable Slaw
serves 6 - 8
1 lb. red beets (~ 1 lb.)
1 small daikon (~1/2 lb.)
2 large carrots (~1/2 lb.)
¼ cup white miso
¼ cup warm water
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp. low-salt tamari
1 – 1 ½ tbsp. maple syrup
¼ tsp. pressed garlic (~2 cloves)
½ - 1 tsp. grated ginger
¼ cup olive oil
6 tbsp. sunflower seeds, or to taste
2 – 3 green onions
Salad:
Wash, trim, and lightly peel the beets, daikon, and carrots.
The idea is to remove just the outer discolored layer (dirt) and any root hairs
that you see. IMPORTANT: Dry off veggies. Grate by hand, or cut into food-processor sized chunks and grate.
Mix together in bowl.
Dressing:
Press the garlic cloves. Grate the ginger finely with a microplane
zester.
Whisk together miso and warm water until smooth. Whisk in
vinegar, tamari, and maple syrup.
Whisk in garlic and ginger. Add oil and whisk.
Pour dressing over salad and toss. Let marinate for 1 – 2 hours
or more, stirring up from the bottom to distribute the dressing occasionally.
Garnishing and Serving:
Slice the green onions thinly. Add 1 – 2 tbsp. to salad and
reserve the rest.
Add about 5 tbsp. sunflower seeds (or to taste) to salad and
toss.
Sprinkle top with additional sunflower seeds and green onion.
Serve with additional seeds and chopped onion if desired.
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