Vietnamese Salad

At the start of every new year everyone seems to be on a health kick! This is one of my all time favorite recipes adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow's book It's All Good, that I make on a regular basis. I love finding as many of the ingredients as possible at the local farmer's market. I also love adding grilled shrimp or fish when I want to make it a more substantial meal, but it is a great vegetarian option. The flavors are so fresh with the combination of herbs, but the true flavor lies in the dressing. It hits every flavor on your taste buds: salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. 

RECIPE (SERVES 4):

4 large bok choy leaves, rough bottoms discarded, stems cut into ¼” bias and leaves shredded

4 big leaves Napa cabbage, shredded

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

the leaves from about 8 stems each basil, mint, cilantro, roughly chopped

½ small cucumber, thinly sliced on the bias

1 red Thai chili (or more…or less), thinly sliced

½ cup roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped

grilled fish, shrimp, tuna, chicken or tofu for serving (optional)

Vietnamese Dressing

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

¼ cup fish sauce

¼ teaspoon hot pepper sesame oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

Mix everything together. I like to taste and adjust accordingly. If I want an extra kick, I will put a few sliced chili peppers in the dressing. 

Voila! A gorgeous and healthy salad.