Just as much as summer is all about throwing meat on a grill, summer is also about salad. This refreshing Thai salad from Pat Crocker and Nettie Cronish's Flex Appeal combines zest and tang for a veritable delight, plus it's from a cookbook that provides happy opportunities for meat eaters and herbivores to gather around the table together.  

*****

Thai Slaw

Cabbage and daikon radish are combined with flavours of Asia. Add an exotic fruit for an extra boost of the Orient. —Pat

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

3 cups (750 mL) shredded green cabbage

1 cup (250 mL) shredded daikon radish

1 carrot, shredded

1/4 cup (60 mL) shredded rutabaga

3/4 cup (185 mL) Thai Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1/4 cup (60 mL) pumpkin seeds, for garnish

In a salad bowl, combine the cabbage, daikon, carrot and rutabaga. Drizzle the vinaigrette over and toss to combine.

Divide among 4 salad plates or bowls and garnish with pumpkin seeds.

Thai Vinaigrette 

MAKES 3/4 CUP (185 mL)

1/2 cup (125 mL) extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil

2 tsp (10 mL) toasted sesame oil

3 Tbsp (45 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice

1 Tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh oregano

1/4 tsp (1 mL) red chili flakes

In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, sesame oil, lime juice, oregano and chili flakes until well combined.

About Oregano

Often referred to as “the pizza herb,” oregano is a powerful antioxidant with potent antibacterial, antifungal and anti-parasitic properties. As part of the mint family of plants, oregano adds a peppery, spicy taste to tomato dishes and hearty sauces, as well as salad dressings, especially vinaigrettes such as the one above.

Excerpt from Flex Appeal (Whitecap Books) by Nettie Cronish and Pat Crocker. Reprinted with permission of the publisher.