Broccoli & Shiitake Mushroom Salad - Plant-based, gluten, dairy, egg and nut free
Dance moves and year round salads
Recently, the cold weather swept in. Suddenly, I felt less motivated to exercise outside, and my body just... wanted... carbs. Lovely, gluten-free carbs, maybe with a creamy, dairy-free sauce on top.
On the one hand, carbs give me that comforting feeling I crave when I'm cold, but they can also make me feel tired and bloated. As the wind picked up, I struck a deal with myself and did an online dance workout to bring much-needed joy and warmth.
Listening to my enthusiastic, lycra-clad instructor urging me to "close my rings" (an Apple thing), I followed along with her arm-snapping routine while attempting some nifty footwork in my slippers. On me, though, it looked more like I was trying to outrun a mosquito. Aesthetics aside, I felt joyful, a bit virtuous, and inspired to eat something healthier.
On days like this, a plate of lettuce doesn’t hold the same appeal as it does when the sun is warming my skin and my toes want to barefoot around the garden. That’s when I make my warm broccoli and shiitake mushroom salad. It has fantastic texture and depth, and it’s gluten-, dairy-, egg-, and nut-free, making it suitable for many food intolerances and preferences. And can be soy-free too if you use Coconut Aminos. The shiitake mushrooms are crispy, the broccoli soaks up the salty tamari dressing, and the salad elements carry the memory of summer.
This dish works as a main for lunch or as a hearty side to veggie burgers, sausages, or even a frittata. It’s a great way to get 7+ of your 30 different types of veg leaving you feeling full but not heavy.
And yes, you can add cooked baby potatoes if you fancy too. ☺
Servings: 4 as a side, 2 as a main
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
350g chopped broccoli 4-5 cm sized pieces (Thinly chop the stems, as they take longer to cook)
150g thinly sliced shiitake/oyster mushrooms
60g radishes thinly sliced
0.5 of a large cucumber cubed
1 spring onion finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes quartered
50g sundried tomatoes from a jar finely chopped
80g grilled red peppers, from a jar, cut into fine strips
Mushroom Dressing
0.5 teaspoon real maple syrup
0.5 teaspoon tamari*(gluten-free soya)
A pinch of chipotle chilli flakes & garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Salad Dressing
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1.5 teaspoons tamari*
1 teaspoon real maple syrup
A pinch of garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
How to make it.
1. Put the ingredients for the mushroom dressing in a bowl and whisk. Pour over the chopped mushrooms.
2. In a large non-stick frying pan heat the oil and add the mushrooms in their dressing. Spread them out and cook till they have some colour and are crispy. No need to stir all the time just turn them over when one side is done.
3. While the mushrooms are cooking, boil some water in a saucepan, and season with salt. Add the broccoli, and stems and turn down the heat to medium. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes. (They need to be firm and not soggy. )
4. Once the broccoli is cooked, immediately drain and rinse in cold or ice water. This stops it from further cooking.
5. Add the chopped radishes, cucumber, spring onion, tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, and grilled red pepper into a large serving bowl with the mushrooms and broccoli.
6. Mix the salad dressing and taste.
7. Pour over the top. Add fresh parsley, pumpkin seeds, or mixed seeds to the top. Serve straight away. If you are making this in advance, reheat the mushrooms before adding them to the salad. The other salad parts are served at room temperature. Add the dressing before you serve.
If you are soy-free then please substitute tamari sauce for coconut aminos sauce. You may need to add less maple syrup as it is sweeter than soy but also might need more salt. Double check the make you choose doesn’t have gluten/wheat.
Top with roasted seeds, and chopped radishes.
This will be a great recipe for Boxing Day, thank you
Yum!