A few weeks ago, after I bemoaned feeling uninspired by the current between-season vegetables, one of you told me I would love the Adventure Bowl at Life Alive, a small-chain of organic cafés in the Boston area. I looked at the menu online and immediately thought of my friend Gena and her book, Power Plates, which is filled with similar* fare: plates and bowls of vegetables, grains, beans, pulses, nuts, spices and herbs, often dressed in some sort of bright, tangy sauce. Feeling inspired, I made a double batch of Gena’s Everyday Lemon Tahini Dressing, a mix of tahini, water, fresh lemon juice, garlic, salt, and a little maple syrup. I tossed the dressing with the last of my winter CSA carrots (shredded in the food processor), along with parsley, toasted pine nuts, and some leftover cooked quinoa I found in the fridge. The whole combination tasted so fresh and nourishing, reminding me once again that carrots can be exciting. This combination of raw, shredded vegetables, herbs, toasted nuts, and cooked grains can be used as a template. Substitute cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, (maybe beets? sweet potatoes?) for the carrots; use any nut you wish; change up the herbs; add dried fruit; swap farro, bulgur, wheat berries, or any grain you like for the quinoa. The only non-negotiable is the dressing, which I hope you make immediately and use lavishly on anything you find in the crisper needing a bit more life. *Every recipe in Power Plates is macro-nutrient balanced, meaning each includes quality protein, fat and carbs, as well as a ton of fresh produce, with the goal of increasing satiety and energy and, in turn, preventing cravings and midday hunger. Read more about her book here: Kimchi Fried Rice. Here’s the play-by-play: If your carrots are especially dirty, peel them; otherwise, there is no need to peel.
Grate the carrots in your food processor fitted with the shredder attachment. Cook some quinoa. I like red for its color. Drain through a fine-meshed sieve. Chop some parsley. Whisk together the dressing, a mix of tahini, fresh lemon, water, garlic, salt, and maple syrup. I love this Soom tahini. Combine all of the elements. Toss with the dressing. Serve immediately. Or pack away — this salad keeps really well in the fridge for days. Everyday Lemon Tahini Dressing from Gena Hamshaw’s Power Plates: 5 from 5 reviews This recipe halves well (both the dressing and the salad as a whole). I also like this salad without the quinoa all together, which is how I made it initially. The quinoa bulks it up a bit — makes it a bit more filling — but if you just want a vegetable salad on the side, it’s nice without any grain. The pine nuts are optional, but I like the crunch. Any other nut would be good here as would some currants or other dried fruit. Cilantro in place of or in combination with the parsley would be good, too. Tahini: I like the Soom brand.
