Broccoli, Cauliflower, & Runner Bean Salad (with Versatility and an Award!)

...in lemon tahini dressing.

This crisp salad makes a perfect accompaniment to an autumn meal. Or, with some chickpeas, tofu, or similar thrown in, it could double as a meal in itself.  I like to make it by blanching the veggies and then refreshing them, so it's not completely raw (which would be good too), but still packs a healthy crunch and retains the natural color of the veggies.  Alternately, you could make an oven-roasted version, which is also good...that's why this is a versatile dish (I think).

It's based on a salad from a cafe where I worked at in 03/04. If my memory serves, I think we used green beans instead of runner beans and peppers instead of red onion...but again, the little extras you decide to throw in are up to your own whimsy.

Salad:

1/2 lb broccoli florets (save stems for veggie broth, stir fry, or broccomole (scroll down on the broccomole link for recipe)) 

1/2 lb cauliflower florets

1/2 lb runner beans (or green beans), large chop

1 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 small red onion, finely sliced (~1/2 cup - 3/4 cup, or to taste)

1 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

Method:
Put the broccoli, cauliflower and runner beans in a large bowl. Bring a large pot of water to the boil pour over the veggies, and let it stand for 5-7 minutes. Drain the veggies and cool them off immediately by covering them in cold water and tossing in  tray or two of ice cubes.

Or, you could drop the veggies into the boiling water and let them cook for 1-2 minutes, then refresh.

I like the 7-minute method...it happens more slowly, so you can afford to get distracted for a minute or two w/o the veggies getting over cooked.

When the veggies are cool, drain and toss in a large bowl with the red onion, cherry tomatoes, and almond slices.

Lemon Tahini Dressing:

The dressing didn't come through in the photo.  I recommend you make a double batch and drizzle more over on at the table, if you feel like you want more dressing. Depending on how thick your tahini is, you may need to add a little more or less water to achieve a good consistency. Mine came out a little thin, which is why it's not too visible in the photo. If if it were just a little thicker, it would have stuck to the veggies better.

2 tbsp tahini

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 large garlic clove, very finely minced

splash of soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg's Liquid Aminos ( I added about 1 teaspoon worth)

water to bring up to desired consistency ( I used about 1/8 cup, but depending how thick your tahini is, you may need to add more/less)

Serve with lemon wedges and black pepper to taste. Saves well in the fridge for a couple of days.

Speaking of versatility, Carissa from Coffee and Sunshine awarded me a Versatile Blogger award. Thanks Carissa! I didn't post to the blog in Sept, so I was delayed in posting this. 

The award consists in sharing 7 obscure facts about oneself, then passing it on. I found it difficult to come up with stuff, so here goes nothin':

Pierce Brosnan once touched my elbow and asked me were the toilettes were.

I taught EFL in Madrid, Spain for 6 years (in the 90's).

I'm not sure, but I think I have a little crush on Alec Baldwin.

After a beer or two, I'm a sucker for karaoke.

You know the Ad Sense things you can put on a blog? Well...

I was thinking of a plan to dye one's whiskers green, and always use so large of fan that they could not be seen....

(just kidding, that's from Through the lOOking Glass, of course)... 

I was thinking of a scheme where a large group of people get together, run ads on their sites and then click on each other's ads in order to bulk up the money they earn... Probably already been done.

I never had the chicken pox as a kid, but I got them at the age of 23, while spending a month in Paris. 

My very first real boyfriend was from Serbia; I fell for him because on our first date, he prepared a dinner that consisted entirely of Brussel's sprouts and corn chips...it was odd, but yummy.

Note to Recipients: If you're not into these blog award thingys...no worries, just do with it/or don't do with it what you will :)

I'm passing this award on to the following versatile bloggers (in no particular order):

DirtyDuck (check out her most recent pics of Lilly!)

Good Luck Duck (a recent find for me...funny, clever, intriguing, and sometimes cryptic)

Mehitable Days (fun spirited, interesting, and definitely mehitable)

Blessed Vegan Life (I think you have to be versatile with 5 hungry vegans to feed)

And, because I know how much she loves these awards:

Shenandoah Vegan (just kidding SV--just messin' with ya)

Ciao for now