27 Jul Green slaw and finding solace
Recipe for a summery green slaw
If you like having guests as much as we do (every weekend this month) then recipes like this are very useful – it’s easy and quick to pull together for a barbecue or as part of a spread. It’s also refreshing and a bit different. I called this an experimental green slaw when I made it. What makes this green slaw different from all the other slaws I have made (and I do make them often) is the creamy avocado dressing. It was a good match to barbecued meats yesterday and I finished it off this morning with some bread and cheese (which was equally good).
Places of solace
Having guests takes me away from the harsh realities of what’s going on in the world. I prefer hosting at home to going out most of the time, as I also find great solace in spending time here, in my house and garden. This is my happy place and I like to share it with others. Being around people you like, sharing stories and ideas, as well as cooking, preparing, trying to get the kids organised, is a kind of happy distraction. When the guests are gone, I “relax” with my phone, only to find myself in despair at what’s happening out there. The worst thing is that reading the news can be addictive, you’re looking for healing, but in all the wrong places. When I feel this desperation, I know it’s time to put the phone down and find some solace. There is a Tibetan Buddhist practise that helps with this – Tonglen. When you feel distressed, you simply stay with it. You breathe in the pain and discomfort. You can say to yourself something along the lines of: “I am accepting this suffering so that others may be free from it.”. As you breathe out, you send relief to those who are suffering. All of a sudden, our feelings of distress are re-framed. It feels like we are helping in some small way and there is great solace to be had in that.
A recipe for green slaw with avocado dressing
Green slaw with avocado dressing
Difficulty: Easy8
servings20
minutesA green slaw with courgette, summer greens and pumpkin seeds, with an avocado dressing.
Ingredients
Small onion, finely diced
Juice of 1 lime
Courgette, grated
1 small head of summer greens (or other greens), finely shredded
3 celery stalks, finely sliced
Handful pumpkin seeds, toasted
Handful of mint, torn
- Dressing
Half an avocado, diced
3 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of half a lime
1 teaspoon of garlic salt (or half salt, half garlic granules)
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons filtered, cold water
Directions
- First, soak the onion in the lime juice for about 20min.
- Place the vegetables in a large bowl with half the seeds and mint. Toss to combine.
- Make the dressing by blitzing the ingredients in a high powered food processor or blender. Add water until you achieve the consistency of a creamy yet runny sauce.
- Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss once more to combine. Finish off with the remaining pumpkin seeds and mint.