I don’t often rely on recipes to make my salads.

I find it much simpler to take whatever ingredients I have on hand and combine them using the 5 flavours guide.

I do eat large green salads most evenings though; I combine them with most dinner meals, such as a raw burger, tortilla, wraps and rolls, etc.

The foods that fit into these 5 flavours categories are:

– Sweet (e.g. fruits, carrot, cabbages, sweet potatoes, dried fruit, beets, onions, squashes, and parsnips, as well as chestnuts)

– Salty (e.g. celery, tomato, tamari, salt, seaweed, natural brine pickles, miso)

– Pungent/Spicy (e.g. mushroom, nutritional yeast, scallions, daikon radish (or dried daikon), ginger, peppers, wasabi (dry mustard), horseradish, and various other spices.

– Sour (e.g. citrus, vinegar)

– Bitter (e.g. many leafy greens like arugula/rocket, collard greens, mustard greens, and beet greens) as well as sesame seeds, burdock root.

You may find that some tastes are more prevalent in certain preparations than others, or that only one or two dominate in a certain food or dish. But making delicious meals is all about balancing these 5 flavours.

Once you have an idea of what fits each salad recipe, you can then choose produce and condiments that make up the five flavours.

Add a fat – like nuts/seeds, nut/seed butters, coconut, or avocado – and you have made a quick and delicious salad that you created all by yourself!

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