Sesame Zucchini Salad

Here is a tasty raw recipe I developed. This summer when you have zucchini overflowing from your garden consider this DELICIOUS salad. We eat a big bowl of it for lunch. But it would make a nice dish on the side. It is also great for "taking to oneg"(potlucks) and picnics and make ahead for Shabbat.* Its good fridge cold or room temp. This sauce is also scrumptious with stir fry, rice or noodles, fish, chicken or as a salad dressing. (In other words, you might want to record it in your family cookbook under "sauces" because it is very versatile!)

Figure about 1 zucchini per person for a lunch bowl size portion. This recipe served 7 of us for lunch (5 small kids), but I would say it would serve 4-5 hungry adults/teens as a lunch main course. (10 as a side)

One last note...Raw Foodies love this little gadget called a Saladacco. There are similar machines out there too. I have a Paderno which I prefer; it makes food prep really fun, pretty and easy. It makes a wonderful presentation and makes raw food nicer to eat because it is in smaller bites. (easier to chew) It is also fun for making other whole food goodies like your own baked veggie chips or fries. And good for slicing things for the dehydrator. I wish I would have taken pictures of yesterday's lunch...but I didn't think of it until everyone had dug in. :-) You don't have to have this gadget for the recipe, a good knife, a madoline, or even a food processor would work, in different shapes. My Padero spiralled these zucchini into long strands of spaghetti. But slicing them into thin julian strips with a knife would be quite nice too!

8 Zucchini (or yellow summer squash), Sliced thin Julian Style or use Padero for "noodle" cut.
handful of baby carrots chopped/grated fine

The Sauce:
1/4 Soy Sauce ( I use Braggs Liquid Aminos)
1/4C Maple Syrup
3T (dark) Sesame Oil
2T Dried Chives
1 1/2 T Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Onion Powder
1-2 tsp fresh grated ginger (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste (I am hooked on Herbamare and Veggie Pepper)

1. Wash, dry and cut Squash; put in a large bowl.
2. Chop/grate carrots.
3. Put sauce ingredients in a pint jar with a lid and give it a good shake. Pour over raw squash, toss to coat thoroughly and top with grated carrots.

Enjoy!

* If you make this salad ahead, store sauce in a jar and toss on Zucchini when you are ready to serve. Make sure your zucchini is stored in a good airtight container, and keep it cold if you slice it ahead.

p.s. (I love tools by the way!!) I used to have one of those Pampered Chef machines that spiral or slice your apples/potatoes and peel them. It is metal and you clamp it to the counter's edge. This machine is SO much nicer than that one. I cut myself and made such a mess with the Pampered Chef one. It was heavy and awkward to store, unstable to use, and hard to find a spot to hook it too. It also didn't often line it up right and twirled crocked. I much prefer my Padero and it has 2 other blades too, even though it does not peel them.

Enjoy Eating More Fresh Food!