The most glorious aspect of hot sunny days is you can enjoy outside dining and indulge in lots of delectable salads.
This is one recipe I absolutely love serving with grilled white fish or baked wild salmon and steamed new potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, sea salt, ground pepper and a handful of chopped dill or parsley.
I was moaning about the fact that it took me a lifetime to cut & shred all the veggies with my little knife, but having discovered that my poor client spent a night in A&E on Jubilee weekend after getting into a fight with her mandolin, I’ll keep quiet and just be grateful the skin on my fingers are still intact!:)
Aside from how delectably refreshing and crunchy this dish is, this salad is ideal for anyone suffering from Hayfever or allergies.
Hayfever occurs as a result of our immune system over-reacting to otherwise harmless particles such as pollen or grasses. When our immune system is overwhelmed (because it’s busy dealing with other troublesome particles, bacteria, parasites, viruses or moulds within our body or dealing with high levels of pollution which often exacerbates the issues) it starts to react to these innocuous molecules by releasing a cascade of histamine (from mast cells, a type of white blood cell found in tissues – particularly those that interact with our external world, such as the skin, respiratory tract and digestive tract). Histamine is the chemical responsible for inducing inflammation, redness, itching and other unpleasant allergic symptoms in response
to ‘allergens’.
There are two nutrients that are potent natural ‘anti-histamines’ – Quercetin and vitamin C. Quercetin supports our immune system because it acts as a ‘prebiotic’, feeding the good bugs in our gut. It also augments the effects of vitamin C, which as a natural anti-histamine nutrient, synergistically helps to prevent over-activation of mast cells and the liberation of histamine. Quercetin also acts as a zinc shuttle, getting zinc into cells where it (along with vitamin C) can boost white blood cell production.
Red onion, cabbage, mustard and garlic in this coleslaw are all great sources of Quercetin. Cabbage, red chilli, carrots and radishes provide an abundance of vitamin C.
If the idea of the getting out into the great outdoors fills you with dread because you fear it’s going to result in a bout of sneezes and unbearably itchy eyes, whip up this salad, it must just help you breeze through your picnic or barbie.
Coleslaw Recipe (Serves 6):
100ml white wine vinegar
½ organic M&S sweetheart cabbage or white cabbage, shredded (300g)
3 small organic carrots, peeled and cut into fine strips (175g)
1 medium red onion, finely sliced (140g)
4-5 radishes, finely sliced
1 -2 red chillies, finely chopped (depending upon the degree of ‘spicy’ kick you want)
Optional: 4 organic corn on the cobs, lightly brushed with olive oil (600g) (non-GMO corn available from https://www.realfoods.co.uk/product/16054/organic-sweetcorn)
20g coriander leaves
20g fresh mint leaves
Olive oil
Ground sea salt & ground black pepper
Dressing:
50g mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1.5 tsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
Egg-free dressing:
1 cup of raw tahini
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp raw or wild honey (if a little sweetness is desired)
1 cup of water
Method:
Place the vinegar and 200ml of water in a small saucepan along with 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to the boil and then remove from the heat. Place the cabbage, carrot, onion and radishes in a bowl and pour over the salty liquid. Set aside for 20 minutes to soften. Rinse the vegetables, pat dry and set aside.
Place a ridged griddle pan on high heat or fire up the barbecue. When the griddle pan or barbecue starts to smoke, lay the corn over it. Chargrill for 10-12 minutes, turning to get all the sides of the sweetcorn gently browned. Remove from the heat and cool. Then use a large knife to shave off the corn and add it to the vegetables.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients and add to the vegetables along with the chopped red chilli, coriander, mint, and a grind of pepper. Give a gentle stir to combine and then serve (with white fish, wild salmon or barbecued chicken marinated with lemon and oregano).
There are lots of dietary actions and supplements you can use to effectively put a stop to the misery summer pollen brings. If you’d like a little more guidance, get in contact for a consultation (07789 936344 or hannahbrownnutrition@gmail.com) or DM me via Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hannahbrownnutrition/)