A “grate” salad and the sweet turned savory
Two recipes feature unusual flavor combinations
I was staring at the wall of energy bars at LaVerdes, looking for a quick snack between work and exercising. Bright and colorful, they tempted the eye with bold statements like “10 grams of protein!” and “Chocolate-Caramel flavoring.” Yet even the “healthy” bars often contained more sugar than protein, and I wanted something more … meaty. Unfortunately, I don’t have the technology to produce a slab of pure dried animal flesh, so I did the next best thing: I made a batch of savory granola.
Granola is an infinitely adaptable recipe. You can add coconut, more spices, and even chocolates. Or, you can go all the way and make it entirely out of meat. The choice is yours.
Savory Granola
2 cups old-fashioned oats
3.25 ounces turkey jerky
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
2 eggs (egg whites)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional)
Makes 6-8 snack-sized servings
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick coating.
2. Finely chop turkey jerky.
3. Mix oats, 1 cup of turkey jerky, nuts, spices, and soy sauce in bowl.
4. Add egg whites of the two eggs.
5. Mix until oats are evenly dampened and mixture is clumpy.
6. Spread mixture onto baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until crunchy.
7. Let cool before storing.
Asian Coleslaw
When I was a child, my grandmother came to the United States to live with my family and help my mother take care of me. She also cooked dinner, introducing my young palate to oriental flavor combinations. This Asian coleslaw recipe is based from memories of her cooking.
Daikon radishes are long, thick white roots that have a peculiar odor. They can be found in Asian supermarkets and at Harvest Co-op. Squeezing the daikon makes the salad less soggy and reduces the pungency of the radish. This is a great, easy-to-prepare side dish for hot, muggy days. Leftovers make good sandwich toppings, or can be incorporated into other salads.
1 medium daikon radish
2 carrots
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon black rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Makes 2-4 servings
1. Wash and peel daikon and carrots.
2. Grate daikon and carrots. Squeeze the juice from the daikon shreds.
3. Mix daikon and carrot shreds, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame seeds.
4. Refrigerate until cool.