6.11.2012

Raw Golden Beet, Jicama, and Carrot Salad

Now I have to be honest about this recipe:  I'm the only person in my immediate family who actually likes this salad.  George and Aidan will eat it, but Avery won't give it a second look.  Then again, she's picky about her vegetables; she'll eat broccoli, carrots, salad with lemon dill dressing, and cauliflower.  You know, maybe that's not such a short list of vegetables for a kid.  It's all relative.

A second confession: I stole this recipe from a friend.  Even though I changed it just enough to call it my own, the credit for this culinary creation goes to Amy, The Meaty Bohemian.

A third confession: Although I loved the version of this salad that Amy made when I invited myself and my children over to her house for dinner, she added parsley.  While I could never say this to her face while sitting at her table, I hate parsley.  It's probably the only green food I don't like.  Sorry Amy.  Love you!  And obviously I loved the salad despite the parsley!

I made a double batch of this salad last Saturday when we went to our family's house for dinner.  Sandi asked for the recipe before she even took a bite, and her father-in-law sweetly asked me to tell him about this salad while we were eating.  I love talking about food, especially while eating it.  And fortunately, since there was no parsley in my salad, I didn't have any flecks of green in my teeth while waxing on about golden beets!  (By the way, I buy my golden beets from the farmer's market, but I've seen them at Whole Foods and Sprouts.)

Raw Beet, Jicama, and Carrot Salad

Raw Golden Beet, Jicama, and Carrot Salad
(aka Radioactive Salad, because this salad is radiant!)

Salad:
1 bunch golden beets, trimmed, peeled, and grated
1 jicama, peeled and grated
5 medium carrots, scrubbed and grated

Dressing:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (or vinegar of your choice)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
A handful of fresh, chopped herbs (You can use parsley if you want to, but I used what I had growing in my garden: cilantro, mint, thyme, and dill.  The cilantro and thyme are flowering, so I used the flowers too!)

Mix the grated vegetables with the dressing.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Allow the salad to marinate for several hours if possible.  Keeps for several days - and keeps getting better!

Since I'm on an honest streak, I'll share a "behind the scenes" photo:

behind the scenes

Yep.  That's me, in my sweaty gym clothes, standing on the counter in my messy kitchen, taking a picture of my salad.  Just keeping it real.

On a slight tangent,  the "Forks Over Knives" diet came up at family dinner the other night.  My brother-in-law is following it right now and lost 12 pounds as a result.  And I thought he was already a bean pole!  (Just kidding, Mark.  Kind of.)

Anyways, I told him that my diet is virtually the same as the FOK diet, with the exception of meat (and eggs and fat).  My husband laughed about my assertion, but I maintain my position.  The FOK diet is a plant based diet, free of processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and of course, animal products.  The diet promotes whole foods, reduces inflammation, results in weight loss, and has turned people's lives around for the better . . . just like the Paleo diet!

While I realize the difference between the two diets is meaty (and fat), I feel both diets are on parallel tracks.  I'm curious to hear what you think.  We can chat in the comments, where it doesn't matter if you have parsley stuck to your teeth.  No one will notice.

19 comments:

  1. Ha! I love the "behind the scenes" photo - looks familiar!

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  2. I think that the nutritional thrust of both diets is the parallel, but the ecological/philosophical emphasis of FOK is a major attraction for me.

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    1. I can completely understand the ecological/philosophical appeal of the FOK diet. While I'm not morally opposed to eating animals, I am morally opposed to the way our meat industry functions. Sourcing meat from local family farms I can trust has greatly eased my conscience.

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  3. 1. i'd probably be the only one in my immediate family to enjoy this, but, to me, it looks so good! fresh. crunchy. but keep mine full of parsley...and all the other stuff!
    2. nice "behind the scenes" shot. what we do for natural light!
    3. lookin' good mamacita :)

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    1. thank you, rebecca! i love to make a big batch of salad just for myself. then i can eat it for several days without anyone stealing it from me (like the square of dark mint chocolate aidan stole from me a few days ago).

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  4. i just finished my first whole30 challenge and i think i am in love with the paleo movement...my family is not on board but i think i can make it work fro me...i am not sure i would have the same energy with fok but maybe i need to tryt hat too.

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    1. i do believe the fat and protein associated with a paleo diet makes a big difference in energy.

      my family was resistant at first, but they're coming around to the diet more and more. sure, they'd still love some pasta and pizza occasionally, but they understand why we make different choices.

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  5. Salad looks wonderful. Lovin' the behind the scenes gettin' real pic! Love it!!!!

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  6. I have been researching various diets/nutrition viewpoints for a few months now. I've watched FOK and Food Matters and Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. I've tried the paleo thing for a few weeks (I had never heard of it before seeing it on your blog) because it made sense, and I do lose weight while I do it. However, it never felt like the right thing to do. I'm a Mormon, and our scripture expressly states that grain is for man. After pondering that and doing more research, I've actually just the last two weeks added grain back into my life and decided to become vegetarian. I have cut out meat completely out of my diet and I feel great and at peace with my decision! To each their own!

    I think the focus on minimally processed naturally-occuring food and little to no white flours and sugars are the important aspects of both approaches. It's the sugar and the chemicals that are killing us, IMHO.

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    1. nikko, i really appreciate your opinion. i had not thought about the theological implications of various diets. now if only we had access to the grains from biblical times, perhaps we'd all be healthier!

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  7. Oh, and I'm pinning that salad. Looks great!

    And I've taken lots of pictures like that. :o)

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  8. Absolutely must make that delicious looking salad in the next few days! I love that you took the photo from that angle, natural light is at a premium, but "behind the scenes" I can hear my own mother telling me to "get off the counter!" You cracked me up today and for that (and the recipe) I thank you very much. Cheers ~ Conny

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    Replies
    1. thank you, conny! i certainly stand on the counters (and other furniture) more than my children do.

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  9. Ha, my husbands extended family has a "radioactive" salad too, not nearly as healthy as this one though. I wish I could find jicama here in Australia, there is a raw "fries" recipe I've wanted to try for years. I have bought seeds, I should get around to planting them. Your paleo diet reminds me of that Barbara Kingsolver book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle about her family's year of eating locally. Have you read it? I loved it.

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  10. AnonymousJune 15, 2012

    Hi! Fat in the FOK diet is harder to come by but is plentiful in the form of oils, nuts, avocado, etc. Saturated fat is indeed absent. I do love that both diets emphasize whole foods.

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  11. Thanks for keeping it real Molly! And I have good news to share! The "Radiant Salad" can last a whole week! Thank you for leaving left overs with us; we ate through most of it the next day, but about 3/4-1 cup got put in a little container and shoved behind everything else in the fridge. When I found it yesterday, I pulled it out and added it to lunch... delicious! In fact we are making it again today for our Father's Day BBQ.

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  12. get your shoes off the counter, molly!

    i hope to make this tonight for the neighborhood solstice celebration. hope the co-op has the goldens. :)

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  13. I've had quite a few "standing on the counter in sweaty gym clothes" moments myself.
    To be honest, I
    ve never even heard of the FOK diet. Thanks for introducing me to so many way to eat. I'll have to check that out, too.

    BTW, tell Avery that, when she's getting married, I will pack up a traveling metals shop and come to her so that she can make her OWN wedding rings.

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  14. okay. so i just now made this salad and it is absolutely delicious. if i can refrain from snacking on it throughout the day then it can be our contribution for tomorrow's potluck.

    found the goldens at market of choice - a local chain. but next week our neighborhood farmstand will have them fresh out of the ground... just in time for the gathering on the 4th! oh, and i'm totally sharing this recipe with our farmer. i think he'll love it!

    hope you're eating well!

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