Cannellini Bean, Apple and Celery Salad

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Joan Jett ~ Cherry Bomb
The Gossip ~ Standing In the Way of Control
Eddie Vedder ~ Tonight You Believe 
Melissa Etheridge ~ To Be Loved 
Sting ~ Desert Rose
Little Mix ~ Move
The Gossip ~ Yr Mangled Heart
Beth Rowley ~ Oh My Life 
The Gossip ~ Keeping You Alive 
Pearl Jam ~ Infallible
Sting ~ Mad About You
Marilyn Manson ~ Personal Jesus 
The Pretty Reckless ~ Just Tonight
The Cult ~ Fire Woman 

Detoxing is a BITCH..pain. However I am very aware it's my own fault that I am experiencing this headache and shivering right now. I relaxed my usually strict foodie habits over the last couple of months and blamed it on the whole Hey its almost the holidays...Hey it is the holidays..Hey! Well no real excuse now...damn! So I am back to my good eating habits and getting the sugar and caffeine out of my system has been hard. My body is so sensitive these days with my health issues and med regime it really kicks my ass. But I did the crime and now, believe me, I am doing the time..lol. But I own it...no excuses...I chose to do it and now I have to endure the consequences. That's life...

Now my detoxing is not some latest food fad as I don't hold with any of that. I eat healthy foods and make sure I get plenty of fluids. But my body does go into shock detox whilst it gets used to the good ways once again. I nourish my body with lots of fresh veggies, good grains, some fruits, lots of water, a couple of cups of decaf green tea, a couple of cups of peppermint & nettle tea and a freshly made drink made of dandelion root, cranberry, lemon juice and water which I sip throughout the day. But my body is so sensitive to sugar and caffeine even the smallest amount takes its toll. I also indulged in a great vegan wine over the holidays..I say indulged, I think over the festive period I consumed 2.5 bottles and 2 of those were drunk as spritzers with sparkling water. lol. But my Christmas eve cocktail was a Cranberry one which consisted of no sugar cranberry juice, no sugar ginger ale and vodka..served over a large amount of ice. Beautiful. But my body also rebels against the fizziness. Urgh! lol. So until my body has forgiven me and despite the headache and other detox pains...I will be quietly suffering. You will hear no more of it after this.

I am enjoying a lot of salads for lunch and this one was interesting indeed. I was feeling the need for freshness, great crunch and lightness for my sore tum. And this was all of those things..thankfully. You get the all important wholesome feel (well important to me..lol) from the beans, great crisp sweetness from the apples and fresh crunch from the celery. There is a little dressing from a lemon juice and oil mix but next time I won't bother with that as I rarely dress my salads. This recipe is from Rose Elliot's Low Fat, Low Sugar cookbook which is a constant inspiration. 

Cannellini Bean, Apple and Celery Salad

Cannellini Bean, Apple and Celery Salad    Serves 2
(Recipe from Low Fat, Low Sugar/Elliot)

125g/4oz heaping 1/2 cup cannellini beans
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp lemon juice 
sea salt 
freshly ground black pepper
1 celery heart
2 sweet apples
2 tbsp raisins, washed and drained (I omitted these due to sugar levels)

Soak, drain and cook the beans as usual, drain. Mix together the oil and juice and some sea salt and black pepper and add this to the beans, mix gently. Wash and slice the celery. Wash the apples and peel them if the skins are tough, then cut them into dice, discarding the core. Add the the celery and apples to the beans, along with the raisins. Turn the salad gently with a spoon before serving so that everything gets mixed together and coated with the dressing. 

Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Friday has been a very good one...

~Red~

NB: This recipe is not mine and therefore take no credit for it whatsoever. It is the hard work and creation of Rose Elliot. And I thank her for it....