This recipe has been published to mark the start of national vegetarian week.
If you’re not already vegetarian, why not give it a try by going meat-free for the next seven days and see how you get along?
For those who follow this blog on Facebook or Instagram I will be posting a vegetarian recipe suggestion each day during this week to give you some inspiration.
There is a lot to be said for vegetarianism – the diet tends to be naturally lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than meat-based diets, and on average vegetarians generally enjoy better health and longer life expectancy than their meat-eating counterparts.
Vegetarianism is also a more efficient way to consume precious food resources. Currently 40% of the world’s grain crops are used to feed livestock. If more of those crops were eaten directly to humans instead we would have more than enough to eliminate hunger and food poverty.
Vegetarianism is also a way of respecting the animals which share this wonderful planet with us. We don’t need to eat any other living creature in order to live.
Finally, good vegetarian food is exciting and tasty, and usually far more imaginative than non-vegetarian fare. I hope you will be tempted to give vegetarianism a try this week!
The peak of the asparagus season happens to coincide with the first of the new season strawberry crops. It seemed to me therefore obvious that they should go together, and this dish confirms that my instincts were right.
This is a simple but delicious salad using raw ingredients to create a lovely harmony of flavours. Use it as an accompaniment to other dishes, or just enjoy it on its own.
asparagus, strawberry and red onion salad
Ingredients
20 asparagus stems
6 organic strawberries, hulled and finely sliced
½ red onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
for the dressing
75 ml extra virgin olive oil
25 ml raspberry or similar fruit vinegar
½ tsp Dijon mustard
Method
1. Remove any woody stems from the asparagus. Do this by holding the asparagus spear in one hand about two thirds of the way down from the delicate tip. In the other hand hold it near the base. Gently bring your hands towards each other, bending the asparagus spear until it snaps. The lower portion is the woody stem and should be placed in your compost recycling.Use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus stems lengthways.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and Dijon mustard until emulsified.
3. Place the shaved asparagus, in a bowl with the sliced strawberry, sliced red onion and the chopped mint. Pour over the dressing and toss to combine
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Categories: dairy free, gluten free, raw, vegan
Tags: national vegetarian week
Nice recipe
Delicious 🙂
Lovely recipe, although my asparagus is eaten straight from the garden!!! Delicious, crunchy, juicy and sweet. Mind you. I do like it cooked straight from the garden too!!
Hi Margaret. Nothing comes close to freshly picked, homegrown asparagus in my book. How lovely to have it so close to hand. Steve 🙂
What an interesting combination! I’ve made a salad with watermelon, red onions macerated in red wine vinegar, black olives, feta cheese and mint, and that was lovely, but I’d never have thought of strawberries paired with asparagus. Hmmmm…………this may be on the weekend menu. Thanks!
Thank you Vanessa. The combination is a bit left-field but it works really well. I tried the salad out on a group of friends who came round for dinner recently and they all loved it. I must say the sound of your watermelon salad is making my mouth water! Steve x
I’ve been absent for several weeks whilst I effected a rather major move but not that I am vaguely settled in my new place I am delighted to be stumbling across my favourites – you being one, if you hadn’t figured that compliment out! This recipe is divinely luscious, I can tell and speaks to my veggie heart and soul. Go you … I’m going to find your facebook page and bath in all these delights you share there too!
Hi Osyth. Thank you for your lovely comments, I’m blushing. I hope the move was successful, and I’m so glad you’re now back. Steve x
It was eventually … I consider myself a dab hand at moving but this one was more emotional than usual. Once one gets stuck into a new life, though, it suddenly seems so brimful of possibilities that it eclipses the sorrow of leaving another behind. This is the power of positive thinking 😉 x
Love the combination of flavors!