We had an impromptu visit to the Hunter Valley last weekend to help out some older friends. He was about to go in for an operation and we found out over a cup of tea that they were about to pick up a load of hay so was unable to help. From previous experience, loading bales can be tough work and I volunteered our services to help with the loading and re-stacking in their shed. Aside from the fact that we SO enjoyed it and got a tractor ride for the kids as thanks and a tour around their farm, it was worth the 5 hour return drive just for the time to chat to Mr Incredible. I don’t know about you but I find since having kids we can tend to connect when driving and chatting in a way we don’t manage to around the house with everything else going around. I wonder if this is where the traditional Sunday Drive sprung from – regardless, it works for us.

On the way home from our journey we stopped in for a snack at one of the healthier road stop options and it was there that I saw their version of a grated salad of raw beetroot, carrot, ginger and apple. While I didn’t purchase it there, I was inspired to make it myself at home. In browsing further recipes, I came along one which had a lime and honey dressing which I’ve adapted below to also include some apple cider vinegar.

What is super about this recipe is that it’s now become my go-to lunch. I make a big batch of this one day and then scoop some out and add some of the shredded chicken that was cooked as part of our bone broth that week, some spinach leaves from our garden, a few pieces of avocado and some roasted almonds. Super yummy and super good – warning though – it’s RED and you’ll see evidence of that a day or two later!

My Grated Salad with honey, lime and apple cider vinegar dressing.

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 beetroot
• 4 carrots
• 2 apples (cored)
• a good thumb of ginger
• 1/4 red cabbage

Dressing Ingredients

• Juice of one lime (3-4 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. In a food processor with the grater attachment, grate all your salad ingredients
2. In a separate bowl, jug, mix up your dressing
3. Place your salad components in the bowl you’ll use to store it in and toss your dressing through.
4. Store it in the fridge and use as desired over the next 4 days.

Cooking notes:

• this also really works for dinner with some toasted almonds and chicken / seared tuna with a bit of rice if desired.
• having this in the fridge is fantastic because I WANT to come home and eat some if we’re out and about.
• this salad is surprisingly filing!