If you couldn't tell (Exhibit A, B, C, D, E), Jon and I are big fans of various versions of cold salads, slaws, salsas, and any mixture with great texture and flavor (oftentimes with an Asian flair). They taste fresh, healthy and interesting as an accompaniment or flying solo, and they're great taken for lunch the next day. Usually, these recipes are born of the "taste and re-taste game" where we throw things into a bowl, decide what cuisine direction we want to take it, and make a dressing and last minute additions to qualify it. It's a really fun way to "cook" in the kitchen—with an open mind and in a "buildable" manner.

This rendition is a raw salad of our favorite bitter veggies, sliced thinly on a mandolin for a uniform consistency that more resembles a slaw, with some interesting elements added in for sweetness and crunch.

Asian raw green slaw

Yields about 4-6 servings
8 Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced on the mandolin
5 asparagus, thinly sliced on the mandolin
⅓ daikon radish, peeled, sliced in half the long way, and thinly sliced on the mandolin
¼ sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 T sesame oil
1 T champagne vinegar
1 T soy sauce
2 tsp honey
1 T mayo, plus another 1 T mayo (divided)
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
1 tsp lime juice
½ tsp grated fresh ginger
¼ tsp salt
Pepper
⅓ cup toasted coconut
¼ cup sunfllower seeds, a portion reserved for sprinkling on top at the end

Combine all veggies in a large bowl, tossing to mix. In a separate small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, 1 T mayonnaise, Sriracha, lime juice, ginger, salt and pepper. Whisk until emulsified. Pour over veggies and toss to coat. Add in additional 1 T of mayo, and toss to distribute evenly. Sprinkle in toasted coconut and sunflower seeds, mixing lightly, and then top with a few reserved sunflower seeds. Store in the fridge for up to a couple of days.