Hold the mayo

When thinking of shredded vegetables, the dish that may instantly come to mind is coleslaw. Sitting on a picnic table in the sun at someone’s birthday party, the mayonnaise-laden mountain of once-crunchy vegetables isn’t always the most appetizing salad choice.

The following recipe is quite the opposite of the old BBQ staple—for starters, this salad kicks out mayonnaise altogether. The dish, which makes the perfect healthy lunch or dinner appetizer, combines briny black olives and sweet carrots, drizzled with a spicy Harissa dressing. The salad comes together quickly and easily—the time it takes you to make the dressing will be the only labor standing between you and your lunch. Harissa, a North African spice paste, adds a unique tomato and coriander flavor without overpowering the vegetables.

All that remains similar to our disappointing picnic friend is the shredding of the carrots. The vibrant orange of this salad might bring you back to the summer mindset, and perhaps you’ll bring it to your next indoor picnic until the sun starts to shine and you can enjoy it outside.

Anti-Coleslaw Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons of Harissa paste (can be found at Pastaworks and other specialty food stores)
• 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large carrots
• 1/2 cup of black olives, any variety
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

For the dressing, whisk the Harissa paste, garlic powder and olive oil in a small bowl vigorously for 30 seconds or until the Harissa is blended fully into the dressing.

Next, peel and shred the carrots. Place them in a small bowl with the olives and mix them so the olives are evenly distributed. Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad, and toss with some salad tongs or your fingers to ensure even distribution. Season with salt and pepper, and serve. Serves one to two people. ?