Five-Spice Marinated Salad

Today was pretty legendary. In my lunch break I went out and sat in the park.. and wait for it, read a chapter of a book! Ermm.. what? I know it sounds pretty ordinary but 1, I normally sit inside and work through lunch because I am boring like that. And 2, I do NOT read. I have tried books, I mean really tried and it just doesn't work and I then I stress about trying really hard to read, and the words stick on the page like cement. I can physically read, but the practicalities of sitting down and finishing a book has never worked for me. I think that is why my vocabulary lacks even slightly complicated words.. which I am determined to change! I have a friend who spends every lunch break sitting in parks reading and it sounded so wonderfully relaxing. I thought it wouldn't hurt trying to read one more time   So out I strolled down to a park, which was surprisingly beautiful being situated in the middle of  noisy industrial West London, found an empty bench and settled down with Russell Brands Booky Wook. It probably isn't the most challenging books I could have found, but it is pretty interesting and funny. I think I will make Lunch time park reading a regular occurrence..   

Now to last nights dinner.  Man, I couldn't stop thinking about food all day yesterday and I was craving chineese soooo bad. I am really loving Coconut milk at the moment. I bought a gigantic tub of coconut milk powder - I didn't know it existed either! But it does, and it is fab - in an attempt to make raw vegan white chocolate with a 'milk' fat content. I haven't succeeded yet.. but when I do I will post my recipe!  I made a really tasty marinade sauce from coconut milk, five spice and soy sauce and chucked in a load of delicious veg. You will LOVE this.

Yummy Five-spice Marinated RAW Salad

For the salad 

1/4 of  a broccoli

5 plum tomatoes

6 chestnut mushrooms

10 green beans

2 handfuls of spinach

2 handfuls of kale

1/2 a parsnip

1/4 cup of raisins

1/4 cup of almonds

For the Marinade

100ml coconut milk ( or 3tbsp of coconut milk powder with 100ml of water)

6tbsp of Vegan Soy Sauce

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

4tsp of 5 spice powder ( or to taste) 

To prep your salad, slice your mushrooms, broccoli, tomatoes, beans and parsnips and place in a large shallow dish with the raisins and almonds. Leave out the spinage and Kale at this point. ( this is so you can marinate large quantities, without needing heaps of sauce! ) Personally i like to use a spiral slicer or Mandolin for parsnips, so they are easier to digest and look fab! 

In a small bowl, mix the coconut milk, soy sauce, spices and ginger. Pour the sauce over your chopped veg, cover with film or a lid and leave to marinate for at least 30mins - the longer the better. The veggies absorb the sauce better is slightly warmed. I like to place my dish over a bowl of warm water or out in the sunshine for a few mins to help the marinating process.

Just before eating, add the green leaves and toss.

YUM.