In Chinese medicine, spring is the season of the wood element which governs the organs of the liver and gall bladder. During winter, with its sedentary lifestyle and rich, heavy foods, the liver can become congested and this can affect the flow of energy, or Qi, throughout the whole body, causing feelings of irritability, lethargy and depression.

To help the flow of energy in the liver, eat more raw or lightly cooked foods, plenty of vegetables (especially green ones) and pungent foods such as onions, cumin, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, rosemary, basil and mint.

Beetroot , broccoli, cabbage are all good for the liver, as are moderate amounts of sour foods such as lemon and vinegar.

Some sweet foods aid the flow of Qi, so you can include carrots, sweet potato, a little stevia, agave or rice syrup in your spring diet too.

This raw, vegan beetroot salad is quick and easy to make and just perfect for spring. It’s perfectly balanced as a meal on its own, but also makes a good accompaniment for warm food such as burgers or curries.

Salad
2 medium beets, grated
2 large carrots, grated
1 large stick of celery, finely chopped
fresh parsley, coriander or mint (or a mixture), chopped
handful of pecans (or walnuts)
handful of dried cranberries (or raisins)

Dressing
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar, coconut palm sugar or a tiny pinch of stevia
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil to taste

Prepare the dry ingredients and mix them in a bowl. In a small bowl or glass jar, whisk the mustard with whatever sweetener you are using, the salt and pepper and lemon juice. Then add the olive oil slowly, whisking as you go, until the dressing thickens slightly. Taste as you go to decide how much oil to add. I usually have about half and half lemon juice and oil for a nice, tangy dressing.

Pour the dressing over the other ingredients (you may not need all the dressing). Unlike other salads, this one actually improves with standing as the dressing as has a chance to soak into the vegetables, so let it rest for an hour or so before serving if you can. It keeps well for a day or two in the fridge as well.

 

I just started getting a local, organic fruit and vegetable box and, in my first one, there were three persimmons and a pomegranate. How wonderful that I live in a place where these are my locally grown autumn fruit! In England they would be highly exotic fruit, flown in from miles away and hugely expensive.

But what to do with them? Well, eat them of course. The persimmons were the astringent type, that you can eat while still firm, and still have a bit of acidity to balance the sweetness. I ate one, and half a pomegranate, managing to squirt dark purple juice all over me and my computer. The keys are still a bit sticky.

Inspired to use the rest of the fruit in a salad to go with the green split pea dahl which we are having for dinner, I decided to make a dressing with some raspberry vinegar that’s been in the fridge for ages. You could use any sweetish vinegar, such as sherry or balsamic vinegar, but it has to be said that the tart sweetness of the raspberry vinegar, and the beautiful red colour, does marry so well with the vibrant sweet persimmon. Rocket and walnuts just seemed the obvious partners.

1 bunch rocket, washed
1 persimmon, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

Dressing
1 spring onion (shallot)
1 teaspoon grain mustard
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar, or other sweetish vinegar
2 tablespoons good olive oil

I like to make my salad dressing in an old jar that has a lid. Then I can put all the ingredients in and just shake it up. Chop the spring onions finely and put them in the jar. Add the rest of the ingredients, put the lid on and shake well.

Toss the rocket and persimmon slices in a pretty bowl. Crumble the walnuts in and drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds over the top and serve immediately.