Fresh Meets Cooked [Guest Post by Kathy Peterman]

Over the weekend in Portland I saw my friend Kathy Peterman. I could not be more proud of this woman. She’s entered what she calls The 3rd Chapter of her life and is living her passion by helping others on their health journey. She recently released an e-book, Raw Cleansing As A Pathway To Health, and I invited her to share a bit about here with you. Enjoy! ~JL

Raw Cleansing Cover

Fresh Meets Cooked by Kathy Peterman

While I love my raw cleanses and fresh foods, I also enjoy the warm rich flavors of simmered beans and grains. Enter the scene of JL Fields Pressure Cooking 101 class and here’s what you get, that perfect match of fresh and cooked foods to compliment your meal!

One of my favorite salads to make and share with others is a Mandala Salad. It merely is taking all the fresh items you have on hand and combining them into a colorful display for the eyes. I often top it with an edible pansy. It’s beauty is a real crowd pleaser, so wait to toss it with my Simple Dressing after your guests have seen it. Combine the salad with JL’s Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew, add a wine or beer of your choice, then invite some friends or neighbors over and enjoy!

Mandala Salad with Nuts & Seeds

  • 1 head red leaf lettuce
  • 1/4 head purple cabbage
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 4 green onions
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 cup sprouts of your choice
  • 1/3 cup sunflower or hemp seeds (or a mixture of both)

Wash, rip and spin lettuce, then use to line a large bowl with the lettuce pieces (a shallow bowl is best for displaying the beautiful colors). Finely chop the cabbage and layer on top of a small section of the salad. Peel and grate the carrots, then layer on another small section of the salad. Fine chop the celery and green onions and layer as you did before. Add halved cherry tomatoes. Peel cucumber and quarter lengthwise, then chop into medium pieces. Add sprouts and seeds to their own section for a beautiful visual display. Toss with Simple Salad Dressing (page 88) and enjoy! I sometimes add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a bit of the umami flavor I crave.

Serves 4

kathy peterman | mandala salad

Simple Salad Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons flax oil
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Put all dressing ingredients into a small jar and shake vigorously.  Lightly dress the any salad with this dressing, then toss, top with cracked pepper and enjoy!

Serves 4

Variations:

You can use lemon in place of the apple cider vinegar and any healthy oil of your choice. Flax oil is by far my favorite, as it is light and has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for us. You can also half the salt and add one teaspoon tamari and 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger. This version has an Asian taste and is good with cabbage salads or green salads.

kathy petermanKathy Peterman is a registered nurse who retired at age 55 and is now exploring the adventures in life after work.  Her interests in health, photography, travel, being green, veganism and minimalism led her to create her blog The 3rd Chapter.  She has a new eBook “Raw Cleansing As A Pathway To Health.