Papaya Salad in Raw Ginger Vinaigrette

I love the Vietnamese style papaya salad so when I saw this raw ginger vinaigrette, I couldn’t resist not trying it out. This delicious marriage of raw ginger and almond dressing is packed with tons of protein and other nutrients. Did you know that ginger has lots antioxidants and cancer-fighting properties? Click here to read more on ginger. This salad is so nutritiously dense that it can be eaten either as a stand-alone meal or served as a side dish. I’ve done both.  I’ve served it as a light lunch one day and my three kiddos were totally satisfied. I’ve also added some shredded chicken to it to make my meat-loving husband happy. Everyone agrees that this is definitely a repeater in our household!  Here’s what I did. Recipe adapted from Shape.com.

Ingredients for Ginger Vinaigrette:
1 cup raw almond butter
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
3-4 tablespoons fresh peeled and chopped ginger
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
3 tablespoons tamari (a gluten-free soy sauce)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 small garlic cloves
1/4 Jalapeño pepper with seed (remove if you can’t take the spiciness)
Directions for Ginger Vinaigrette:
Mix all ingredients in a blender. Add more water if you prefer a thinner dip/sauce.

Directions for salad:
Using a Kiwi Pro Slice Peeler (or any julienne peeler), I julienned a zucchini, carrot, and ½ green papaya, covered, and set aside in fridge. When we were ready to eat, I drizzled some ginger vinaigrette on it. Lastly and optional, sprinkle some raw almond slices, cashews or your favorite nuts.

The julienne peeler that I use is called the Kiwi Pro Slice Peeler.

Here’s a close-up picture of the salad. Enjoy!

Note: This recipe could easily be replaced with peanut butter. I love peanuts with bananas, peanuts on bread, and peanuts as my midnight snack. Peanuts have health benefits in themselves, however, peanuts is one of the most pesticide-contaminated crops. They are often contaminated with a carcinogenic mold called aflatoxin.

Do you have a favorite version of ginger vinaigrette, or green papaya salad recipe? Please share in the comments.

References:

Ginger Inhibits Ovarian Cancer Cell Growth

Nutritional value of ginger

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger

http://www.openeyehealth.com/2011/05/dangerous-mold-in-peanut-butter

http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/aflatoxin.php