Crunchy

Day 183/365

Salads aren't exactly winter food. Raised in warm weather climate and fortunate to have a mother who prepared meals every day with flavor, texture, color, along with nutrition, I can't go long into the winter without cool, crunchy, and colorful foods - a contrast to winter's warm stews and baked casseroles.

As soon as my eyelids fluttered open this morning, a craving for salad stirred, so salad it was for breakfast. While the eggs were being boiled, I assembled the salad and toppings -- sliced cucumbers, baby carrots slivers, a handful of spring mixed greens, and fried strings of summer sausage, followed by toasting pecans, and a dusting of shichimi togarashi and crushed black pepper.

The dressing was a mixture of tahini, miso, rice wine, grated cucumber and baby carrots, black pepper, onion powder, and a dash of shoyu. I admit that I was pleased with the slightly sweet, salty, sour, and nutty flavor. The texture of the grated vegetables mixed with the onion powder gave the illusion of grated onions. In hindsight, I should have used some orange zest to add a citrus spark.

My crunchy cool craving was satisfactorily sated.

- Cassaendra