Marinated raw broccoli salad

Last night I had a really stange dream that involved hanging out with the Rancics.

???

For the entire dream, that believe it or not was interrupted by my son's crying and resumed after a visit to his room, I acted like a starstruck idiot and humiliated myself in front of husband and wife (no sign of baby Duke) acting like an overeager lab pup. They kept rolling their eyes with smug looks on their faces while I desperately tried, and greatly failed, to convince them I was totally cool and not at all impressed by fame. 

???

Something is telling me that the amount of food and alcoholic beverages consumed over a week-end filled with engagements is taking its toll. Although I will admit that the dream was probably triggered by one of Giuliana's retweets.

So whether you are spending your nights partying with the Kardashians or having coffee with the housewives of NY or OC, it is time to start making this salad.

Although I strongly suggest you make this in any case.

 

This salad has a lot of things going for it: it is packed with flavor and crunch; eating broccoli raw boosts its anti cancer properties; it is low in calories; you can pretty much use any combination of ingredients you like; it is vegetarian and vegan.

Use raisins or dried cherries instead of cranberries or skip the dried fruit altogether if you are not partial to it. Throw in some toasted pine nuts for added crunch and melt a few anchovy filets into the olive oil for that extra umami. Sprinkle over some bonito flakes, some grated parmigiano cheese or chili flakes. Perhaps add a tablespoon of light miso paste and substitute the balsamic vinegar with rice vinegar? Whatever way you decide to make this, just do it. Kardashians or not.
 

 

 

Oh, before you read the recipe, just wanted to inform you that Nuts about Food has moved to a new Facebook page, so if you are a follower or have liked my page, please move over with me. I am in the process of moving over my content as I write.

Goatgonzola and pureed broccoli tart, which rhymes with broken heart (as my daughter would say)

This post is more about motherhood than food, so if you have already started yawning, skip right ahead to the recipe, if you can even call it that, or see you next time.

For you moms and dads and the one or two who don't have kids (don't say I didn't warn you) still sticking around, here goes.

I always considered myself a pretty cool mom. Not as in 'I am a smokin' hot mama', more as in 'I try to be pretty relaxed when it comes to my kids'.

I am not one of those overly anxious, overprotective, overconcerned or overly nosey moms.

If my kid falls, I usually wait a second before I run over to scoop him/her up in my arms, I try to gauge how badly he/she may have gotten hurt before going all dramatic (except for that one time). When my kids play with other children, I am usually all for letting them settle their little disputes, unless I am aware that my child is greatly at fault or that my kid is being bullied. In the latter case I actually want to go over there and smack the bully in his/her snotty little face try to not interfere unless my child really cannot handle it and if I do I try to be neutral and objective. Ultimately, I think they need to learn to fend for themselves early on because it is a tough world out there and as long as they are in a safe environment under parental control, nothing that bad can happen to them. I am also not the kind of mom who needs to know every single detail about what is going on in their school, who said what, who did what and why.