Shaved Zucchini Salad with Cilantro Mint Vinaigrette

We hardly realised it, but Izzy & I walked a whopping 18km yesterday. When I got home, I was starved but too tired to stand on my feet. So I opted for a no-cook salad. All you have to do is a tiny bit of chopping, shaving, and you’re done. Oh yeah, and you toast the almonds - but that hardly qualifies as cooking. It’s the perfect under fifteen minute meal, and my body was ever grateful for the veggies.

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 zucchini

2 long sweet marconi peppers

100g goat cheese

150g almonds, skinned and unsalted

1 handful of fresh cilantro leaves

1 handful of fresh mint leaves

Cilantro Mint Vinaigrette: 

10g cilantro, finely chopped

10g mint, finely chopped

1 red chili pepper, deseeded and finely chopped

juice of 1/2 orange

juice of 1 lemon 

100mL olive oil

pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Using a vegetable peeler or, if you have one, a mandoline, shave the zucchini in thin strips. Avoid the central seedy cores. 

2. Cut the marconi peppers into diagonal strips.

3. Toast the almonds in a skillet for a few minutes - watch carefully to prevent them from burning. 

4. Mix all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small bowl. 

5. Divide the zucchini and marconi pepper over two plates and toss in the mint and cilantro leaves. Divide the vinaigrette over both portions and toss. 

6. Add half the toasted almonds to each portion, crumble half the goat cheese over each plate, and serve.