Moroccan Carrot and Orange Salad

Serves 4

You could call this the Moroccan Antioxidant Salad just from its glorious colour. An ideal summer starter, this salad makes a fine accompaniment to spicy vegetable and grain dishes and strongly flavoured fish dishes. Adding tofu to the salad would mean that the phytoestrogen content is increased.

Ingredients

• 2 large juicy navel oranges
• 350g (12oz) baby carrots
• 1 head of chicory
• Pinch of cinnamon or 1 tablespoon orange flower water (optional)

For the dressing

• 1 tablespoon clear honey
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon linseed oil
• 1 tablespoon golden linseeds
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons coriander, finely chopped (optional)
• Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. Peel the orange, removing as much of the white pith as can. Using a sharp knife, slice the fruit horizontally into very thin round slices and then cut these in half, reserving the resulting juices for the dressing.
2. Scrub the carrots and pare them into long shreds.
   Trim the chicory of its base and discard the outer leaves. Separate the inner leaves.
3. Place the shredded carrots, chicory leaves and orange slices in a salad bowl.
4. Chill briefly. Just before serving, beat the dressing ingredients together with the reserved orange juice until they are well blended.
5. Season to taste.
6. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss carefully until well coated. Sprinkle over some cinnamon or orange flower water if you like.
   Variation: this salad is also good sprinkled with some lightly toasted pine nuts. You could also toss in a few cubes of tofu to create an excellent light meal or snack.

Plenty of beta-carotene, from the orange fruits and vegetables. Phytoestrogens from the carrots and linseeds. EFAs from the linseeds.
From Marilyn Glenville / Lewis Essons’ Healthy Eating for the Menopause

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.