GLOW

I find the term "slaw" to be one of the most unappetizing sounding words,  probably because coleslaw is one of the most unappetizing dishes, so I apologize for not being able to come up with a more creative name for this, or perhaps you will thank me for lending it a new, entirely appetizing association. This dish is so delicious, and has become such a staple in my diet, that I feel compelled to emerge from my nearly permanent hiatus on this blog to share it with you. It is exceptionally easy to make (as most raw food is), and the most exotic ingredient in it, really, is the kale. I hope that you try it, and love it as much as I do. (I just polished off my third bowl in two days.)

I like to make this big batch, and keep the leftovers in the refrigerator for easy meals. This is even more excellent after chilling in the fridge, especially the next day, so I highly recommend it. Feel free to cut it in half, though, if you only have a smaller amount of the ingredients on hand. This is a versatile recipe, so eyeballing the amount of vegetables is okay. If using the cashews instead of the sunflower seeds, the salad will be lent almost a Waldorf salad sort of taste, so feel free to run with that and add some grapes and walnuts, too!

ABOUT 8 LARGE RED RUSSIAN KURLY KALE LEAVES (approximate if your bunch includes a variety of sizes. This could be about 3/4 of a bunch, depending.)

8 BRUSSEL SPROUTS

2 LARGE OR 4 SMALL APPLES, PREFERABLY GALA OR PINK LADY

2 CUPS RAW SUNFLOWER SEEDS, OR RAW CASHEWS

JUICE OF 2 LEMONS

SPLASH OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (RAW, WITH THE MOTHER!), OR ABOUT 1 TBS

1/2-1 TBS RAW AGAVE NECTAR (if using cashews instead of sunflower seeds, omit the agave, as the cashews are naturally quite sweet)

ABOUT 1 CUP WATER

SEA SALT TO TASTE

POUR THE SEEDS OR NUTS INTO A FOOD PROCESSOR AND GRIND UNTIL FINE. (I USUALLY LET IT RUN UNTIL I'M DONE PREPARING THE VEGETABLES.) WASH THE KALE, BRUSSEL SPROUTS & APPLES. DESTEM THE KALE AND TEAR IT INTO SMALL PIECES. LOP THE ENDS OF THE BRUSSEL SPROUTS OFF, AND CUT THIN SLICES ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE SPROUT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. SLICE LENGTHWISE ONCE YOU CAN'T HOLD IT ANY LONGER WITHOUT CHOPPING OF YOUR FINGER TIPS. SLICE THE SIDES OF THE APPLE OFF OF THE CORE, AND THEN DICE THE FRUIT. MIX THE KALE, SPROUTS AND APPLE TOGETHER IN A LARGE BOWL. ONCE THE SEEDS OR NUTS ARE FINELY GROUND, WORK OUT ANY LUMPS WITH A FORK, AND MIX IN THE REMAINING INGREDIENTS. POUR OVER THE VEGETABLES AND MIX VERY THOROUGHLY. I FIND A ROUNDED SPATULA TO BE BEST FOR THIS STEP, AS IT HELPS TO MIX UP THE SAUCE THAT POOLS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BOWL BEST. SERVE IMMEDIATELY OR CHILL FOR MORE FLAVORFUL RESULTS.

When I was younger, I was known to eat a bowl of cereal for every meal. That wasn't all I'd eat, but it was kind of an obligatory supplement to each meal. Remarkably, I seem to have graduated now to this meal, which I'm happy to say is a great deal more nutritious, though it is still admittedly ridiculous to eat it for every meal. It's hard to avoid sometimes, though, because it seems, at least for now, to be the perfect protein and calorie boost for me. It is one of the few dishes that actually give me a feeling of regeneration afterward. The vitamins and minerals packed into it are the reason, I'm sure. (Look here and here.) I enjoy this dish because I can wing it each time, and adjust the ingredients according to how much pain I'm in. If my arms aren't feeling up to prepping vegetables, I'll grab some frozen brussel sprouts out of the freezer, and either microwave, steam or saute them, but if time and nerves allow, I'll chop up some fresh sprouts instead. I am such a fan of brussel sprouts, and can completely understand why the French use their name, "petit chou", as a term of endearment. In my opinion, the only way to screw them up is to steam them until they're tasteless and soggy, or to pile unnecessary and uncomplimentary toppings and sauces on them. When sunflower seeds are toasted this way, they have a smoky flavor and scent that makes an excellent substitute for bacon bits. I love it when the simplest ingredients can satisfy cravings for old comfort foods like that. If you want to really help yourself out, toast and grind a bunch of seeds at once so that you can keep the meal on hand to sprinkle on veggies and salads whenever the mood strikes you. Here's what I use:

BRUSSEL SPROUTS (FRESH OR FROZEN)

RAW SUNFLOWER SEEDS

SEA SALT

OPTIONAL:

FENNEL SEED AND/OR GROUND FENNEL

FRESH BASIL

SQUEEZE OF LEMON

COOK BRUSSEL SPROUTS AS DESIRED (SAUTE, STEAM, OR IF FROZEN, MICROWAVE COVERED WITH WATER.) TOAST SUNFLOWER SEEDS IN PAN, AND GRIND IN FOOD PROCESSOR OR COFFEE GRINDER AS DESIRED*. IF USING FENNEL SEED, GRIND WITH SUNFLOWER SEEDS. MIX TOGETHER, SEASON WITH SALT, BASIL & LEMON.

*You can also reverse this. Grind them first, then toast the powder in the pan.