Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Tag: salad

  • Broccoli Almond Apple Slaw

    Broccoli Almond Apple Slaw

    I don’t know why everyone throws all of their broccoli stems away and just keeps the flowrettes, honestly the stems are the most delicious sweet part of the broccoli in my opinion!  So, when I was making a big broccoli salad the other day at work and had a lot of stalks bound for the trash, I decided to save a few and make a broccoli slaw.  I mean, you could pay a lot more for a bag of broccoli slaw mix at the store (essentially just shredded stems with carrots), so why not make your own from stalks?!  I had made a broccoli apple almond slaw years ago on this blog and decided it was time for an update as well.  Not because it was bad as it was, but because I wanted to take new photos.

    This salad is sooo good, and so easy to make!  The most time consuming part is just cutting the broccoli julienne.  I sit and chop veggies all day though, so it isn’t a big deal to me.  But if you are not good with a knife and don’t feel like cutting the broccoli julienne, you are welcome to shred it instead, it will still be delicious in this salad. I combined it with a sweet honeycrisp apple, my go to apple for salads because it is so flavorful, as well as some sweet raisins and almonds.

    The dressing had to be delicious as well. Since the salad already had almonds in it, I figured I would make a creamy almond butter dressing for it. Honestly nut butter based dressings are my favorite and the ones I use most often. They are oil free, good for you and they only take a minute to whip up.  I keep some in the refrigerator at all times, usually it is a walnut pumpkin seed butter base, but almond butter is used often for dressing in my house too.  This one I wanted to be sweet and tangy.

    The salad turned out sooo good!  This would be the perfect thing to make for a side dish, or for lunches to bring to work (when everyone goes back to work, or maybe you are still working during this whole coronavirus thing like me).  It is crunchy, the broccoli and apples are sweet, the almonds add a nice crunch, and that silky tangy dressing is perfect on it!  Give this a try next time you have some leftover broccoli stalks on hand (or if you don’t just have stalks, chopped broccoli would work as well, just use about 4 cups).

    Broccoli Almond Apple Slaw

    Serves 6-8

    Ingredients:

    Salad:

    • 6 broccoli stalks, peeled and cut julienne (or shredded with a larger setting on a grater)
    • 1 large tart sweet apple, such as honeycrisp, cut julienne (or shredded with a larger setting on a grater)
    • 1/2 cup raisins
    • 1/2 cup chopped almonds

     

    Dressing:

    • 1/2 cup almond butter
    • 1/4 cup filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a bowl, combine the broccoli stalks, apple, raisins, and almonds.
    2. Whisk together the dressing in another bowl (if it seems too thick, since almond butter varies in thickness, add a little more water).
    3. Toss the dressing with the salad, and serve!
  • Orange Kale Salad 

    Orange Kale Salad 

    Spring is on the horizon, it has been warm and sunny here lately with the snow rapidly melting and lovely outside.  I have been trying to get out for a walk everyday and it is nice that now when I get home from work it is still light outside.  Even though citrus season is almost over with winter being almost over I am still enjoying it at the moment before more local produce becomes available in a few months.  We are a bit behind some of the other states here in Minnesota and it is sometimes end of April before we see local produce.  So oranges and grapefruits it is!

    Last weekend I decided to make a refreshing kale salad with orange.  I used to make kale salads all the time, and I do at work, but I don’t make them quite as often at home now and enjoy them more when I do.  My favorite dressing with kale is a simple vinaigrette, and for this one, I combined some balsamic vinegar with a bit of orange for the acid.  I think balsamic is my favorite vinegar because of its rich flavor and less acidity.  I also sweetened the dressing with a bit of maple syrup since it goes so well with the orange and balsamic and it was nice and balanced.

    The key to kale salads, is to massage the dressing into the kale with your hands to soften it, it makes such a huge difference compared to just pouring it on.  It makes it more tender and easy to eat as well as less bitter.  I massage giant batches of kale at work for our salads.  Since this kind of smushes up the kale, I like to add the more tender ingredients like the oranges at the end and toss them in gently.

    This salad turned out so good!  In addition to the oranges, I also added some pistachios for crunch, dried raspberries for sweetness and color and onions to give it more flavor.  It was a party in my mouth!  If you are craving something fresh and flavorful, definitely give this a try!  It has even more flavor the next day if you have leftovers.

    Orange Kale Salad 

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 large bunch kale, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
    • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
    • 3 Tbsp orange juice
    • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • 2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp pepper
    • 2 medium oranges, peeled and sliced
    • 1/4 cup sliced red or white onion
    • 3/4 cup toasted pistachios
    • 1/2 cup dried raspberries

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a large bowl, combine the kale, red cabbage, orange juice, vinegar, oil, maple syrup, garlic, sea salt and pepper.
    2. Massage the kale and cabbage with your hands until it softens slightly and is all coated.
    3. Add the oranges, onions, pistachios and berries, and mix gently with your hands until everything is well distributed.
    4. Serve!
  • Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad 

    Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad 

    A lot of the time the recipes I make depend on what I already have on hand.  Because I hate wasting things, and I also like saving money and saving a trip to the store.  I had a leftover sweet potato on hand from making a sweet potato lasagna for Christmas, and I wanted to make something for lunch with it.  I thought about yam fries as a side for something else, or maybe roasted and mashed but then I remembered how much I like sweet potatoes roasted and in a salad.  We make a few salads at my work with roasted sweet potato salads and they are always so good!  I mean, I just love how they get all tender on the inside and crispy on the outside plus so flavorful when roasted!

    So, I made a kale salad and included them.  I had kale and cabbage on hand, so I used those as the base. My philosophy when it comes to greens is I can never have too much.  So pretty much most days for lunch I have a pile of greens (either kale, arugula, or spinach) with other veggies and some beans or tempeh mixed in.  This salad would be that way too. I also added in chickpeas for a little more protein and texture because why not.  For some reason really like chickpeas paired with sweet potatoes.

    The crunchy kale and cabbage and tender sweet potatoes needed a delicious dressing to coat them.  I thought about a vinaigrette, the tangy sweetness would be good with the veggies, but then I decided on a nut butter based dressing.  This is actually what I use most often, I usually make a good sized batch then keep it in the refrigerator for my salad for the week.  But for this salad I whipped up a smaller batch.  I like it because it tastes like a traditional creamy dressing but without the dairy.

    For this one I used a combination of ingredients that made it taste almost cheesy, almost like a ranch but without the herbs.  It was delicious!  Even better of course when mixed into the salad!  It was lovely with all of the different colors, but most importantly It was sooo good!  I loved the combination of textures and flavors it had!  Next time you feel like making a salad, give this a try!

    Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad 

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
    • 2 tsp olive oil
    • sea salt
    • 1 large bunch kale, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
    • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
    • 3/4 cup cooked chickpeas (canned is fine, just rinse them well and drain well)
    • 1/2 cup cashew butter or almond butter (tahini will also work for nut free)
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1/4 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
    • 2 tsp white miso
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp pepper

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees, and oil a sheet pan.
    2. Toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil, spread out on the sheet pan and sprinkle with sea salt.
    3. Place in the oven and roast for about 30-45 minutes until tender (depending on your oven).  Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
    4. In a large bowl, combine the kale, red cabbage, chickpeas and sweet potatoes.
    5. In a smaller bowl whisk together cashew butter, lemon juice, water, yeast, miso, garlic, sea salt and pepper until smooth (adding a little more water if it seems too thick to pour).
    6. Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss to coat.
    7. Serve!
  • Autumn Apple Fig Salad with Lemon Maple Tahini Dressing

    Autumn Apple Fig Salad with Lemon Maple Tahini Dressing

    I still haven’t been to an apple orchard yet this year.  Maybe next weekend.  But I have bought some amazing local apples at the grocery store.  The Honeycrisp apples are still my favorite.  The local ones are the best though, and taste slightly different than the ones that are flown in from elsewhere.  Not only do I enjoy using them in desserts like a really good apple pie, I love them in savory things like salads as well.  Since I had an abundance of apples I had bought last weekend, I decided to use one in a salad.  Now when I make salads, I like them to be substantial.  None of this just greens with a dressing stuff that doesn’t fill you up.  You know, like the ones you get in a restaurant that has no vegan entrees that you have to order because it is all that you can possibly get from the menu that won’t have animal products in it?  Or the ones that people who don’t know much about the vegan diet think that we all eat.  I like lots of delicious add ins.  I was at a restaurant up in Duluth (MN), Canal Park Brewery  with my family last weekend, and I ordered a salad and I was pleasantly surprised.  Not only was it large, it was filled with delicious stuff.  Berries, and beets, and pecans, and cranberries, fresh greens, and some grilled portabello mushroom (that I ordered extra to top it because it sounded good). It was not a wimpy salad.  It was a meal.  Now that is how I like my salads!

    So this salad is substantial too.  I gave it an arugula base, because it is my favorite type of greens, and I have it on hand at all times. It has the apples of course, but I added figs and cranberries as well.  Yes, I know it is kind of a sweet salad, but trust me on this it is so good.  I love dried figs, they have such a satisfying chewy texture and delicious flavor.  I also added in some Sunbiotics probiotic truffle almonds that Raw Guru sent me.  That might sound odd in combination with the other ingredients, but these almonds are amazing.  Not chocolate truffle by the way, truffle as in the expensive mushrooms that give things a delicious flavor.

    The salad needed a good dressing as well, and I get a little tired of vinaigrettes sometimes so I went for my favorite type of dressing a creamy nut/seed butter dressing. Tahini dressing has always been one of my favorites, so I used some Dastony tahini whisked together with some lemon juice and maple syrup to make a delicious dressing.  I usually make it very savory with just the lemon juice and a little cumin.  But since this salad has fruit I decided to add the sweet maple syrup instead.  I wasn’t sure how it would taste, but it was so good! It was perfect with the sweet fruit and peppery arugula on the salad! If you like big salads too, and are in the mood for something with apples, give this a try!

    Autumn Apple Fig Salad with Lemon Maple Tahini Dressing
    Serves 2

    Ingredients:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine the arugula, apple, figs, almonds, and cranberries in a bowl, and toss until combined.
    2. In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, and sea salt, along with water if needed if it seems to thick to pour (you want it thick enough to coat your salad, but not so thick that it stays in clumps).
    3. Pour some of the dressing on the salad and toss to coat. Then divide between plates and drizzle a little more dressing on the salad.  Serve!
  • Strawberry Peach Avocado Quinoa Salad 

    Strawberry Peach Avocado Quinoa Salad 

    We have a quinoa salad in the deli I work in that has Summer fruits in it and it is pretty popular.  You wouldn’t think that quinoa and fruit would be a pair unless it was a breakfast quinoa or something but it actually really works as a savory salad!  I actually have made quite a few quinoa salads with fruit at home too, and they are always delicious.  The fruit has to be ripe and flavorful though. Buying fruit that is in season and ripe is the key to success when making dishes that include it.  Especially if it is going to be raw.  I decided to make one last weekend because I had extra peaches and strawberries from making a crisp, and didn’t feel like using them for dessert.  They were perfectly ripe, the peaches had that delicious aroma and the strawberries were packed with flavor.  So I thought that a simple salad would be best to let the flavors shine through.

    I love that quinoa is quick to make, contains protein and is a neutral flavor so it can be combined with pretty much anything.  I make it several times a week for those reasons.  I had made some ahead of time for a different meal, so this salad came together fast!  In addition to the fruit I felt like the salad needed something rich.  I usually pair a home made vegan chevre (goat cheese) with fruit in quinoa and it is delicious but I don’t always have it on hand, so sometimes I use avocado instead.  Trust me, it is just as satisfying as the cheese, and I always have some on hand because I buy a bag of avocados every week since I love them so much. You may be thinking avocado and fruit sounds weird together but they totally pair with each other!

    I also added some greens in the form of arugula to the salad, because I always try to get a serving of greens in every day.  I stir them into soups, toss them into salads like this or use them as a base for a salad, but they are something that I always have in my refrigerator and work into my diet every day.  Lastly, I made a simple lemon dressing with a hint of thyme and it was so good once it was all mixed together!  It is satisfying, balanced, and you will feel great after eating it!  If you are looking for a more substantial Summer salad, give this a try!  Only a few weeks of Summer left, so might as well enjoy it while you can!

    Strawberry Peach Avocado Quinoa Salad 
    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
    • 2 cups filtered water
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1 Tbsp organic lemon zest
    • 2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
    • sea salt to taste
    • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
    • 1 cup organic peaches, cut into 1 inch pieces
    • 1 cup organic strawberries, quartered
    • 1 good handful arugula
    • 1 large avocado, cut into large dice

     

    Instructions:

    1. To prepare the quinoa, place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 15 minutes, or when all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. Drain, and set aside.
    2. Whisk together the lemon juice, avocado oil, sea salt and thyme in a small bowl.
    3. To assemble the salad, combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl  and the dressing, and toss together until well combined.
    4. Enjoy!
  • Blueberry Sweet Corn Salad

    Blueberry Sweet Corn Salad

    Some people think it is weird to eat sweet corn raw, right off of the cob, but when you get really good fresh organic sweet corn, it is so delicious that way!  We have loads of fresh sweet corn here in Minnesota right now, it is the peak season, and nothing compares to it.  Sure you can get frozen corn all year round but it is not sweet and the texture is not the same.  I learned about the eating it off of the cob thing from Eric, because he always does that.  Growing up, I was taught to cook my corn and drown it in butter (which is the most popular way to eat it here probably), but it is so sweet and delicious raw, I can’t believe I hadn’t tried it until about 5 years ago.  I now like to include it in my salads raw.  I was gifted some organic sweet corn and blueberries earlier this week, and I decided that they would make a delicious salad together!

    I wasn’t in the mood to make anything complicated or time consuming, and this was perfect!  It only took me about 5 minutes to make minus cutting the corn kernels off of the cobs.  I wanted to keep the ingredients simple, because the corn and berries were so fresh and flavorful even before adding anything to them.  I added some arugula, because I love greens in pretty much 95% of my salads, and I love the peppery bite it gives.  Just a little scallions and thyme for a savory flavor, and some pistachios for crunch and I had all of the components but the dressing.

    My favorite go to dressing is a blend of just lemon juice, avocado oil and sea salt, and that was perfect with this!  The corn and blueberries were sweet, and the lemon juice balanced it out so it all blended together well.  This is so good!  I think it would be the perfect thing to bring to a picnic, or to make ahead of time to include in your lunches. I get kind of excited when I have a good salad I brought to work for lunch.  Yes, I know I am a nerd and I am motivated by food, but what can I say?!  Good food is important!

    Blueberry Sweet Corn Salad

    Serves 4

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups fresh organic sweet corn kernels
    • 2 cups organic blueberries
    • 2 cups organic arugula
    • 1 scallion, sliced
    • 1/2 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 3 Tbsp avocado oil
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme, or 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a large bowl, combine the corn, blueberries, arugula, scallions, and pistachios.
    2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, avocado oil, thyme and sea salt.
    3. Pour the dressing over the salad in the bowl, and mix together gently until it is all combined.
    4. Serve!
  • Summer Watermelon and “Chevre” Salad

    Summer Watermelon and “Chevre” Salad

    There used to be this fabulous watermelon and mozzarella salad at a restaurant my Mom and I would go to often when I was younger and it was super delicious. I hadn’t thought about it since then, but then recently my Mom made a salad for a party for one of her friends that was very similar except with watermelon and chevre. She said it was a hit, and asked me if I could make a vegan version for her, since she doesn’t always eat cheese (she has cut down a lot on dairy). I was very happy to do so! It sounded really good to me, and I tweaked it slightly to make it more substantial. The funny thing about watermelon is, I don’t buy it often. Maybe because it is a lot to cut up, or heavy to lug home. But when I do get it and have it all prepped and ready, I wonder why I don’t get it more often. It is so good! Especially on a hot day after a long run. Probably the most refreshing thing to eat I can think of in the Summer. So, I was really happy my Mom suggested this.

    Her salad had just contained watermelon, chevre and basil. But I decided to add in some arugula tossed with a little avocado oil and lemon juice as well to make it more colorful and add some healthy greens. I made my usual cashew coconut chevre to top it off and scattered some fresh basil that was growing on my patio over it and it was so pretty! But it wasn’t just pretty, it was super delicious! You will not even miss the fact that this isn’t real cheese, it is salty, tangy and creamy just like real chevre. It is perfect with the sweet melon, peppery arugula and fragrant basil. Once you have the cheese made this is super fast to make, and I think it would be the perfect side salad for something like grilled tempeh.

    So, the next time you see a watermelon at the store, you need to try this! Since that watermelon was so good, it has me thinking about watermelon wine. I have been making my own fruit wines since last fall, and I have made many berry wines, and a mango peach wine, but not watermelon. I think it would be amazing since it is so sweet. What do you think?

    Summer Watermelon and “Chevre” Salad
    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 8 oz arugula
    • 1 Tbsp avocado oil
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • sea salt to taste
    • 4 cups cubed organic watermelon
    • 1 cup crumbled vegan chevre*
    • 6 larger basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

     

    Instructions:

    1. Toss the arugula with the avocado oil, lemon juice and sea salt in a bowl.  Add the watermelon and toss until evenly distributed.
    2. Transfer the mixture to a serving plate, then crumble the chevre over it and sprinkle the basil over it.
    3. Serve!

    *Use this chevre recipe, minus the herbs and lavender.

  • Roasted Yam, Coconut Bacon and Black Bean Salad with Miso Almond Dressing

    Roasted Yam, Coconut Bacon and Black Bean Salad with Miso Almond Dressing

    I made a potato salad with coconut bacon over the 4th of July holiday weekend and it was really good but I thought of something that would be even better.  Yams or sweet potatoes and coconut bacon.  A match made in heaven, sweet and salty together.  I had actually been thinking about this combination and how good it would be in the past, but never made it because I didn’t have a good vegan bacon substitute.  But then I discovered coconut bacon a few months back and it was perfect for such an application.  Coconut bacon is just the thing to top off salads, loaded baked potatoes and things like popcorn.  Not only that, you don’t have to kill anything to make it, and it keeps better than real bacon.  It is honestly the closest thing to real bacon that I have eaten.  And I used to be a bacon lover before I went vegetarian then vegan. So anyways, back to that roasted yam and bacon combo.

    I made a super delicious salad with that combination a few nights back.  It was crave worthy.  I tossed some chunks of yam with olive oil and sea salt and roasted them to crispy perfection in the oven.  This is one of my all time favorite things to snack on anyway, and it is amazing on a salad. I made some crispy coconut bacon, which was good for snacking (I probably ate half the pan before I made the salad) and awesome with the yams. I decided to add some black beans too for protein, since I always like full meal salads. I added in some greens, and bell peppers for color, and then I needed a delicious dressing to drizzle over it.

    I used one of my all time favorite dressings, a creamy almond miso. This is actually something that I keep in my refrigerator at all times, and I make it weekly.  I have instructions for a smaller batch below though in case you don’t want a giant jar of something, and I have also included instructions at the bottom for a large batch like I make if you become a fan. I like it served over pretty much any type of veggies, it is creamy and garlicy and just a tad sweet from the miso and it is honestly like nothing I have ever had.  It was amazing over this salad with the salty crunchy bacon and roasted yams.  A crave worthy salad may sound like an oxymoron, but it totally isn’t when it comes to this.  Trust me, you need to try it.  It was so good I am going to have to make it for Eric soon too because I did not share this batch.

    Roasted Yam and Chickpea Salad

    Serves 2

    Coconut Bacon:

    • 1 1/2 cups large flake coconut
    • 2 Tbsp tamari
    • 2 Tbsp liquid smoke
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup

     

    Yams:

    • 1 large yam, diced
    • olive oil
    • sea salt

     

    Dressing:

    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 1/4 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1 small garlic clove, minced
    • 2 tsp white miso
    • sea salt to taste

     

    Salad:

    • 1 cup cooked black beans
    • 1 red bell pepper, diced
    • 4 cups arugula leaves

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the coconut bacon, preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment.
    2. Toss the large flake coconut with the tamari, liquid smoke and maple syrup and spread out on the pan.  Place in the oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes (depending on your oven), keeping a close eye at the end and checking it in the final minutes because it burns fast.  Remove from oven and let cool.
    3. Raise the temperature of the oven to 400F degrees.  Toss the yams with just enough olive oil to coat and sprinkle with sea salt, then spread out onto the pan.  Roast for about 20-30 minutes until softened and browning at the edges.  Once the yams have finished cooking let them cool to room temperature.
    4. Meanwhile, to make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl, and whisk together until smooth (or, I like to use an immersion blender in a tall glass measuring cup if you have that).
    5. To assemble the salad, scatter the arugula on the bottom of the plates, then top with the beans, yams, bell pepper and some of the coconut bacon. Drizzle with the dressing and serve!

     

    *If you want a large batch of dressing like I keep in my refrigerator:

    Miso Almond Dressing:

    • 1 cup almond butter
    • 1 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 3 small garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 Tbsp white miso
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste

     

    Blend in a blender or food processor until smooth (or whisk together if you don’t have one).  Keeps for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

  • Cherry Berry Quinoa Salad with “Chevre”

    Cherry Berry Quinoa Salad with “Chevre”

    I have been eating more quinoa lately than I used to.  It stems from trying to eat a variety of vegan protein sources instead of my usual few in my meals (tofu, tempeh, garbanzo beans, lentils).  Plus, quinoa makes a great salad and that is usually how I enjoy it.  I can make a big batch ahead of time, and it makes a satisfying meal later. So, I have been making many different new recipes with it.  The most recent of which involved sweet berries and cherries.  It may sound like more of a breakfast porridge combination than a salad, but it was savory, sweet and super delicious!  In the past I have always jumped to making desserts first when I have fruit, but lately I have been trying to incorporate it into savory applications as well.  After all, I eat more meals than I do desserts.

    I decided to keep the flavors in this quinoa simple and just use lemon, mint and a little avocado along with some lime juice to flavor it.  No overpowering alliums in this dish.  I wanted the flavors of the strawberries and cherries to shine!  The mint just gave it a lovely fragrance along with the berries and lemon plus added the little pop of green color that it needed.  I tossed in some toasted walnuts for crunch and some nut “chevre” that I had on hand, and it was delicious!

    This is the perfect make ahead of time salad for Summer if you want something delicious for lunch or even of you are having a picnic or party and want to impress guests.  Just make sure your fruit is super flavorful, that is crucial to this tasting amazing!

    Cherry Berry Quinoa Salad with “Chevre”
    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
    • 2 cups filtered water
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1 Tbsp organic lemon zest
    • 2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
    • sea salt to taste
    • 1 cup cherries, pitted and halved
    • 1 cup strawberries
    • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (if larger, tear them into pieces)
    • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
    • cashew chevre*

    To prepare the quinoa, place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 15 minutes, or when all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. Drain, and set aside.

    To assemble the salad, combine all ingredients in a bowl except the chevre, and toss together until well combined.  When ready to serve, sprinkle with the chevre (you will have more left over for another use).

    *Use this chevre recipe and omit the herbs: https://www.fragrantvanilla.com/vegan-herbes-de-provence-chevre/

  • Vegan Broccoli “Bacon” Salad

    Vegan Broccoli “Bacon” Salad

    There is a broccoli bacon salad that is very popular among Minnesotans at church potlucks or summer picnics.  It has a creamy dressing, raisins, sunflower seeds, onions and sometimes cheese depending on who makes it.  I used to like it when I was little because it was sweet and had bacon, but when I got older it was too sweet for me, as it is usually loaded up with sugar and mayonnaise two things I am not a fan of not to mention the bacon which I haven’t eaten since I went vegetarian in 2003 (I have been vegan 5 years).  One of my friends jokingly used to call it “broccoli barf”  because she was a vegetarian too and thought it was too sugary and mayo filled as well.  We actually make a version of this in the deli I work at and it is pretty popular.  Which got me to thinking, why couldn’t I make a vegan version of it that I could actually eat, and tailor it to my tastes so I would enjoy it as well?

    I admit I don’t usually reach for the broccoli first, but I really wanted to make a good vegan version of this!  I mean, yes, I could have made it really simple and bought vegan bacon and vegan mayonnaise, but were is the fun in that?  And, I don’t usually like store bought mayonnaise even if it is vegan.  So, I made my own creamy sweet dressing that ended up tasting even better than the mayo one.  It had a coconut milk cashew base made a little tangy with cider vinegar and sweet with maple syrup.  It was delicious once poured over the salad.

    For the bacon, I made coconut bacon.  It is now my favorite vegan bacon for when I want to sprinkle it on top of something or just snack on it.  It is honestly the closest thing texture and flavor wise I have found to real bacon.  It was super delicious in the salad and added a nice crunch.  I kept it classic with onions and sunflower seeds, but I swapped out the raisins for dried cherries because I am not a huge raisin fan and that was what I happened to have on hand.  I shared some of this salad with my Mom, who has tried the original version probably way more times than me and is usually not a fan, but she loved the vegan version I made.  If you are looking for a dish to bring to a Summer picnic or potluck, give this a try!

    Vegan Broccoli “Bacon” Salad
    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    Coconut Bacon:

    • 1 1/2 cups large flake coconut
    • 2 Tbsp tamari
    • 2 Tbsp liquid smoke
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup

     

    Dressing:

    • 1/3 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk (mostly the thick part from the top of the can)
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/3 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

     

    Salad:

    • 2 medium heads organic broccoli
    • 1/4 cup diced onion
    • 1/2 cup dried cherries
    • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the coconut bacon, preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment.
    2. Toss the large flake coconut with the tamari, liquid smoke and maple syrup and spread out on the pan.  Place in the oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes (depending on your oven), keeping a close eye at the end and checking it in the final minutes because it burns fast.  Remove from oven and let cool.
    3. To make the dressing, whisk all ingredients together until smooth.
    4. Combine broccoli, onions, cherries, sunflower seeds, and coconut bacon in a bowl, and toss together with the dressing.
    5. Enjoy!

     

    *Note: If you are not serving this right away, do not add the coconut bacon until you are just about to serve it so that it stays crisp.

     

  • Roasted Sweets and Beets Lentil Salad

    Roasted Sweets and Beets Lentil Salad

    It was so warm here yesterday we set a record.  Sixty degrees in February in Minnesota is almost unheard of.  I am sure the skiers and other Winter sport enthusiasts are sad, but I am loving this weather.  I would love it if we went straight into Spring.  Anything above 45 degrees I will take.  To me, 45 degrees is running shorts weather.  It seriously feels like March right now, and I am going to get out and make the most of this weather this weekend.  I half expect the tulips to start popping up and trees to start budding, but I know we have at least a month before that. All of the warm weather had me craving lighter food, so I decided to make a warm lentil salad for dinner last night.  I have had the idea of this salad on my mind for quite a while, but finally got around to making it.  I tend to fall into dinner ruts, making the same few dishes every week because they are easy fast, and good.  But when I have time to be creative, then I like to switch it up.  This week I felt was pretty stress free compared to the last few.

    Roasted Beet, Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad

    Lentils are a staple in my diet, and I make things like lentil stew all the time, but I make very few lentil salads unless it is Summer.  For this salad, I wanted to combine the lentils with beets and sweet potatoes.  Because those are my two favorite veggies, and I don’t make beets often enough.  Sweet potatoes however are a daily occurrence  in my kitchen and I could not resist putting them in this dish as well.  While the lentils were cooking on the stove, I decided to roast the sweet potatoes and beets to maximize the flavor.  Although I usually roast my beets whole, I decided to try a different method and cut them up and then roast them.  It worked out perfect!  The veggies turned out super delicious and I could have snacked on them just as they were, but to make a full meal I added the lentils, along with some greens, and a lemony vinaigrette.

    Roasted Beet, Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad 2

    Lastly, this dish needed to have some nut chevre.  I had imagined it topped off with crumbled chevre in my head, and I had just made some macadamia chevre, so it was perfect!  A quick sprinkle of fresh thyme and I was ready to dive in. The combination was super delicious!  I am going to have to make this again, the recipe is a complete keeper, which is why I had to share it with you all.  I would even go as far to say I would pay money for this in a restaurant, and that says a lot.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

    Roasted Beet, Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad 1

    Roasted Sweets and Beets Lentil Salad
    Serves 2

    Macadamia chevre:

    • 2 cups macadamias, soaked for at least 4 hours and drained
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1 tsp cider vinegar
    • 1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 2-3 Tbsp filtered water as needed

     

    Roasted Vegetables

    • 4 medium beets, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
    • 2 medium sweet potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
    • sea salt

    Lentils:

    • 2/3 cup french lentils
    • 1 shallot, diced
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • sea salt to taste
    • filtered water

    Dressing:

    • 1 Tbso olive oil
    • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
    • sea salt to taste

     

    To finish salad:

    • thyme
    • a few large handfuls of fresh greens (such as spinach, baby kale, or arugula)

     

    Directions:

    1.  To make the chevre, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth, adding a Tbsp or two of water as needed to create a goat cheese like consistency (do not add too much or it will be too thin.).  Place the cheese in 2 layers of cheesecloth, fold it around the cheese and let sit in the fridge overnight.
    2. To make the roasted vegetables, preheat the oven to 375F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment.  Toss the sweet potatoes and beets with just enough oil to coat them, and spread them out on the pan.  Sprinkle with a little sea salt.  Place in the oven and roast for about 45 minutes to one hour, or until they are tender.  Remove from the oven.
    3. Meanwhile, when the veggies are cooking,  place the lentils, onions, garlic, sea salt, and enough filtered water to cover by a few inches in a pot, and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer, and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes until the lentils are tender.  Drain through a fine meshed strainer.  Set aside until the veggies are done roasting.
    4. Whisk together dressing ingredients until combined.
    5. Place the lentils, and roasted veggies in a bowl, and toss with the dressing.
    6. place a bed of greens on a plate, and top off with the lentil mixture.  Then crumble some of the chevre over it, and sprinkle with the fresh thyme.  Serve!
  • Roasted Sweet Potato Wild Rice Salad

    Roasted Sweet Potato Wild Rice Salad

    Wild rice is a Minnesota staple.  Especially creamy wild rice soup, which we can’t ever have enough pots of at work, since it flies out of the deli!  But soup is not the only way to enjoy it, hearty salads are awesome too for when you want to have something a little lighter.  I am a big fan of wild rice, but I don’t like to pair it with mayonnaise like many old time church recipes do, I like mine either with a vinaigrette or even no really dressing at all, which is the direction I went with the one I am sharing with you today.  A dash of orange juice, some thyme and sea salt was enough to give it all of the flavor it needed once the other ingredients were added.

    Wild Rice Sweet Potato Salad 1

    I had some sweet potatoes on hand, as well as a pomegranate and some fresh arugula, so I thought they would be tasty additions to the rice for a complete meal.  I roasted the sweet potatoes until they were all flavorful and caramelized, and they were so good with the earthy quinoa!  I have sweet potatoes in some form or another pretty much every day so it is no surprise that I decided to add them.  They are just so good!  The pomegranate seeds added little burst of sweet tart flavor and crunch, and the arugula a little bit of a peppery bite.  I love just throwing  a bit of greens into my meals, even soups at the last minute to add some extra nutrients.  Lastly, I added some toasted pecans to the salad.

    Wild Rice Sweet Potato Salad

    Not only was it beautiful, but delicious as well.  This keeps well, so it is perfect for making ahead and bringing for lunch the next day to work.  Now that is a lunch I would get excited about!  I bet all of your coworkers would be jealous if they saw you eating it!  It has been a bit warm for January here lately (like in the 40s (F)), so I am more in the mood for lighter things.  I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

    Wild Rice Sweet Potato Salad 3

    Roasted Sweet Potato Wild Rice Salad
    Serves 2

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
    • 2 cups diced sweet potatoes
    • olive oil
    • sea salt
    • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
    • 1 large handful arugula
    • 1/2 cup toasted pecans
    • 2 Tbsp orange juice
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • sea salt to taste

     

    Instructions:

    1. Place the wild rice in a pot, and cover with water by 3 inches.  Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until wild rice has flowered (the grains have split), which can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the wild rice you have (mine takes about an hour, it is the long grain Minnesota rice). So pay attention to the package or bulk directions when you buy it. Once rice has finished cooking pour it into a bowl.
    2. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment.  Toss the sweet potatoes with just enough oil to coat, then spread out on the sheet pan and sprinkle with sea salt.  Place in the oven and roast until tender and starting to brown at the edges, about 40 minutes or so.  Remove from oven.  Add to the bowl with the rice.
    3. Toss rice together with all other ingredients, and serve!
  • Berries and Beets Quinoa Salad with “Chevre”

    Berries and Beets Quinoa Salad with “Chevre”

    People consider berries to be sexy.  But you know what else is sexy?  Beets.  I mean, they are beautiful.  Look at the color, they are sweet, and they keep you healthy.  They are a pretty amazing vegetable if you ask me.  Beets are actually one of my favorite things to juice, because the juice on it’s own tastes amazing.  But I also love them roasted.  In fact, this was how I first enjoyed them and I fell in love.  Back in college actually.  Sad that I didn’t really get to enjoy beets until then.  I admit as a child, I was a bit intimidated by them, and the only beets that I was ever offered were of the canned variety at my Grandma’s house.  I thought that they looked scary so I passed them up.  When I started to explore cooking though in my early 20s, I decided that I wanted to try making a roasted beet salad from a vegetarian cookbook that I had checked out from the library at the time. They tasted so good when prepared that way!  The sweetness intensified through roasting.  That is now my favorite way to cook them over boiling them any day.

    Berries and Beets Quinoa Salad with Chevre 1

    If I am eating them plain, I love them with a little vinegar and sea salt so they taste almost like pickled beets.  I had gotten some beets and berries at my work thinking they would be lovely together in a colorful salad.  I was thinking light salad at first, but them I decided to make it a main course by adding some quinoa for protein.  If I am looking to boost a meal quinoa is one of my go to ingredients.  It packs protein and fiber perfect for a satisfying dinner. I kept the flavor of the salad simple to allow the ingredients to shine adding only a little olive oil and lemon juice for the dressing.  Also, some fresh basil joined the show because that is an herb that I have growing on my patio and I use it as much as I can in the Summer.

    Berries and Beets Quinoa Salad with Chevre 2

    It was good as it was, but I also added some toasted almonds for crunch, and some cashew chevre to add a little richness.  I am a big texture and flavor person, so it was important to different flavors and textures in this salad.  Not only did it end up being beautiful thanks to all of the beautifully colored ingredients, but it tasted amazing.  This is something I would pay big bucks to be served in a restaurant.  It was so good.  Summer is almost over, and I am kind of hanging onto the last of it with salads like this that are fresh, but also hearty since it has cooled down a bit.

     

    Berries and Beets Quinoa Salad with “Chevre”
    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 4 medium sized red beets
    • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
    • 2 cups filtered water
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
    • 2 Tbsp olive oil
    • sea salt to taste
    • 1 cup blueberries
    • 1 cup blackberries
    • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (if larger, tear them into pieces)
    • 1/2 cup toasted almonds
    • cashew chevre*

     

    To roast the beets, wrap them in foil, and roast them in a 400F degree oven for about an hour to an hour and a half depending on how big they are until they are tender when pierced with a knife.  Once roasted, allow to cool, peel and cut into large dice. Meanwhile, to prepare the quinoa, place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 15 minutes, or when all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. Drain, and set aside.

    To assemble the salad, combine all ingredients in a bowl except the chevre, and toss together until well combined.  When ready to serve, sprinkle with the chevre (you will have more left over for another use).

    *Use this chevre recipe and omit the herbs: https://www.fragrantvanilla.com/vegan-herbes-de-provence-chevre/



  • Cooling Cucumber Miso Almond Noodles

    Cooling Cucumber Miso Almond Noodles

    My Grandpa grows a garden of just cucumbers and tomatoes every Summer, and he always shares a bunch with me.  I am extremely grateful for that.  They are honestly the best tomatoes and cucumbers I have ever tasted and every time I get one at the store I am disappointed because they don’t measure up to these.  I love eating the cucumbers with hummus, but I also love adding them to salads because they are so cooling in the Summer.  I got some black bean noodles recently to try and ended up loving them, so I decided to make a salad with those and the cucumbers.  Black bean noodles may sound weird or different to some, but they are actually really good!  I like them better than regular noodles, and they pack 25 grams of protein per serving!  So, you can get your protein without having to add any extra protein to the noodles.  Who says vegans don’t get enough protein?!  I certainly do!

    Cooling Cucumber Miso Almond Noodle Salad 2

    The salad I made was actually really simple, I added carrots and scallions as well for some crunch and color, and a miso almond dressing. To be quite honest, this dressing is a staple in my refrigerator, and I have it on hand at all times.  My favorite use for it is to drizzle it over roasted yams which I also top off with black beans and cabbage for a satisfying meal.  So I knew this dressing would be good on the noodles.  The salad came together fast, which is important for busy nights, and it tasted amazing.

    Cooling Cucumber Miso Almond Noodle Salad

    I shared some with my Mom and Eric because I made a bigger batch, and they thought it was really good too!  It may look simple and plain, but once you taste it I guarantee you won’t be able to stop eating it until the whole plate is gone. It makes a good lunch for the next day too if you have leftovers since it is served cold.   Another thing about this that is awesome, is it is pretty cheap to make!  So wins all around!

     

    Cooling Cucumber Miso Almond Noodles
    Serves 2

    Ingredients:

    Dressing:

    • 1/2 cup raw almond butter
    • 2/3 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1 Tbsp white miso
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • ½ tsp sea salt

     

    Salad:

     

    Directions:

    1. Place all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Set aside.
    2. Cook noodles according to package directions and cool.
    3. Combine noodles with veggies and dressing in a bowl and toss together until combined.  Serve!

     



  • Summer Cantaloupe, Sun Dried Tomato and Macadamia Chevre Salad

    Summer Cantaloupe, Sun Dried Tomato and Macadamia Chevre Salad

    Summer Cantalope, Sun Dried Tomato and Chevre Salad

    I once overheard a woman yelling at the produce guy at the grocery store because they did not have any arugula at the time.  She was mad because she wanted to make a recipe using it and nothing else would do.  I felt like telling her that she could improvise and use spinach, or maybe some dandelion if she still wanted that peppery flavor…but I decided not to get involved because she probably would not have listened.  She seemed like she was mostly complaining to complain.  But a valuable lesson could be taught here.  The ability to improvise when it comes to cooking is very important. There is usually something you can substitute  for another ingredient if it isn’t available.  Also, never be rude to the produce guy, it isn’t his fault that there is none of whatever you want available.  It is usually a problem with the supplier, or maybe it is out of season (I have seen that conversation as well).  Sometimes people don’t realize that veggies and fruits have seasons.

    Summer Cantalope, Sun Dried Tomato and Chevre Salad 2

    So about this improvising thing.  I feel I have it down pretty well.  Even improvising with what is in my fridge, and just cooking with that.  It helps save money too.  I always try to use what I have on hand first before going to the store and buying new stuff.  I did that last night, when I made a salad whose ingredients might seem random, but they were so good together!  I had some arugula from the farmer’s market, some sun dried tomatoes, I had just made with tomatoes from my Grandpa’s garden, and a ripe cantaloupe waiting to be cut up.  I decided to use them together in the salad along with some nut chevre, toasted almonds and fresh rosemary.  I tossed it all in a very simple balsamic vinaigrette and it was delicious!  It pays to raid the fridge sometimes!  I definitely recommend trying this if you have a ripe cantaloupe!

    Summer Cantaloupe, Sun Dried Tomato and Macadamia Chevre Salad
    Serves 2

    Macadamia Chevre:

    • 2 cups raw macadamia nuts, soaked for 4 hours, and drained
    • 1/4 cup filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/3 cup raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid

     

    Dressing:

    • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar*
    • 2 Tbsp olive oil
    • sea salt to taste

     

    Salad:

    • 1 bunch organic arugula
    • 2 cups diced organic cantalope
    • 1/2 cup organic sun-dried tomatoes*, rehydrated if too tough (soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain before using.
    • 1/2 cup toasted almonds
    • about 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary broken into pieces

     

    Directions:

    1. For the chevre, in a high speed blender combine the soaked macadamias, filtered water, lemon juice, salt and coconut butter and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, place in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes until it is easier to work with, then scrape onto a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a wheel while wrapping tightly. Place in the refrigerator until firm, a few hours. Store cheese in the refrigerator.  You will only need about 1/4 of this cheese for the recipe, so crumble that into pieces and set aside, and save the remaining other cheese for another use (it does freeze well when wrapped tightly or in a container).
    2. For the dressing, whisk together all ingredients until smooth and set aside.
    3. To assemble the salad, toss the arugula, cantaloupe, and tomatoes with the dressing, then place on a serving plate.  Scatter the almonds, crumbled chevre, and rosemary over it and serve!

    *I made my own sun dried tomatoes by cutting them into wedges, and dehydrating them at 115F degrees for 24 hours.

    *If you want this to be truly raw, swap out the balsamic vinegar for cider vinegar or lemon juice.



  • Tahini Broccoli Salad

    Tahini Broccoli Salad

    My Mom brought me some broccoli, crasins and tahini, and asked me if I would make her a broccoli salad with it.  She was thinking, sort of like a twist on the classic broccoli salad that people make and take to picnics.  You know the one, with the bacon, mayo dressing, sunflower seeds, and raisins.  The one I jokingly call broccoli barf, because I am not a fan of  the animal products and loads of sugar used in it, I am a vegan after all.  We used to have it at our family get togethers when I was little and It was about on the level of jello salad with veggies in it for me (aka not a fan), I have always wondered where some of these combinations came from.  Or, what by definition is a salad?  It is not necessarily something healthy…as we all know.  I have never felt that meat belonged in a salad.  So, I was thrilled when my Mom asked me to make a healthy vegan version of this classic salad.  One that we would both enjoy and feel good about eating!

    Tahini Broccoli Salad 1

    I love tahini dressing, and so does my Mom.  We used to order a salad at a local restaurant that had it on there when I was little, and now as an adult, I have enjoyed making my own version at home.  It is a simple classic tahini dressing, laced with lemon, a touch of cumin and garlic and it is so good, and so versatile.  It was really delicious on this salad.  It tastes rich, but it is just the delicious tahini!  The crasins swapped in for raisins was a great idea, they added a nice contrasting color to the broccoli and of course sweetness.  I also added in some dried mango for another sweet flavor, since the dressing was completely savory (unlike the classic broccoli salad which is super sweet).  And lastly, of course I had to add some sunflower seeds for crunch.  I have nothing against those.

    Tahini Broccoli Salad 2

    The salad was delicious! It was savory, with just enough sweetness coming from the dried fruit.  I am not a person who likes super sweet salads, and a little sweetness can go a long way for me.   I of course shared it with my Mom, who loved it as well, which meant a lot since she is my biggest food critic.  If you are looking for an easy and delicious salad to make ahead for lunches, or to share at a picnic, this would be awesome.  It doesn’t spoil as fast as mayo salads would.  And of course, no need to tell your guests it is healthy and good for them.

    Tahini Broccoli Salad

    Tahini Broccoli Salad
    Serves 3-4

    4 medium sized heads broccoli, torn into bite sized pieces
    1/2 cup sunflower seeds
    1/2 cup unsweetened dried mango, sliced thinly
    1/2 cup dried cranberries
    1/2 cup tahini
    1/3 cup filtered water
    1/4 cup cider vinegar
    1/2 tsp cumin
    1 small garlic clove, minced
    1/3 tsp sea salt or to taste

    Place the broccoli flowrettes, sunflower seeds, mango, and cranberries in a bowl. Whisk together tahini, water, cider vinegar, cumin, garlic, and sea salt in a bowl (if it is too thick add a little more water, if too thin a little more tahini). Toss the dressing with the salad, and serve!



  • Spicy Quinoa Veggie Black Bean Salad

    Spicy Quinoa Veggie Black Bean Salad

    I had one really busy day last week where I got home late from work, was feeling stressed and didn’t want to fuss over dinner.  A pre-dinner walk with Eric helped, but I was still not in the mood to cook something complicated.  It was a warm day so salad sounded awesome.  You wouldn’t think I would want to make salads that require chopping things at home since that is what I make all day at work, but making salads all day makes me hungry for them sometimes.  A quinoa salad was what I was craving.

    Spicy Veggie Quinoa Black Bean Salad 1

    I am not a big rice fan, so quinoa is my go to thing when it comes to grain like dinners.  I had a bunch of veggies on hand that someone had given me, some tomatoes, peppers, scallions, and fresh basil, so I knew they would make this a colorful and delicious meal.  I always say, the more veggies, the better.  I can never get enough.  Yes, I even crave veggies more often than fruit.  Weird I know.  Anyways, I also had black beans, so I figured make this an extra protein rich salad.  I added in some spicy jalapenos and chipotle peppers for a kick because it just sounded good.

    Spicy Veggie Quinoa Black Bean Salad 2

    This was so refreshing and delicious, and so quick to make!  I didn’t have to heat up the oven so my house stayed cool which was a bonus as well.  I have to say, eating this sort of food does lift my mood.  All of the pretty colors and delicious flavors!  Yum! If you are looking for an easy and delicious meal, try this out. It is good to make ahead of time as well if you want some for lunch the next day.  I made extra for just that reason.

    Spicy Veggie Quinoa Black Bean Salad

    Spicy Quinoa Veggie Black Bean Salad

    Serves 4

    1 cup white quinoa, rinsed
    2 cups filtered water
    1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
    2 scallions, sliced
    1 large red bell pepper, diced
    1 large green bell pepper, diced
    2 roma tomatoes, diced
    2 jalapenos, diced
    1 Tbsp ground cumin
    1 Tbsp chili powder
    1/4 tsp chipotle powder
    sea salt to taste
    1 garlic clove, minced
    1/4 cup lime juice
    1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

    To prepare the quinoa, place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 15 minutes, or when all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. Drain, and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa with all other ingredients and toss until well mixed. Serve at room temperature.



  • Jeweled Quinoa Salad with Macadamia Chevre

    Jeweled Quinoa Salad with Macadamia Chevre

    IMG_2042

    I make a quinoa salad at work sometimes that my coworkers love, and to be honest it is my quick go to dish when I don’t have a lot of time.  But it is so good, that it doesn’t matter how little time it took to prepare it. I came up with it one day when I thought a quinoa laced with fruit and nuts might be nice, and it turned out to be just what I needed to make.  I have used it a few times at home as a stuffing for squash for me and Eric when I want something easy for dinner, and we both love it as well.  I finally decided I am going to share a variation of the recipe with you all because it is too good not to share.

    IMG_2041

    This is a very similar recipe to the one I always make, but I have added a few more things to make it even more delicious, and things that I happened to have on hand.  It has quinoa of course, but also pumpkin seeds for protein.  I added in dried cranberries and currants for sweetness, and spinach and herbs for color.  I topped it off with a macadamia chevre that I happened to have on hand and it was a nice bit of richness to an otherwise low fat dish.  It was crave worthy.  I like this one even better than the original version.  This is a great make ahead salad to pack in lunches for a healthy protein rich meal.

    IMG_2047

    Jeweled Quinoa Salad with Macadamia Chevre

    Serves 4

    Chevre:

    2 cups raw macadamia nuts (or cashews), soaked in water for 4 hours and drained

    1/4 cup lemon juice

    1 tsp cider vinegar

    1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

    2-3 Tbsp filtered water

    Quinoa:

    1 cup white quinoa, rinsed

    2 cups filtered water

    1/2 cup dried cranberries

    1/2 cup dried currants

    2 scallions, sliced

    2 Tbsp chopped parsley, or 1 Tbsp dried

    sea salt to taste

    1 tsp dried thyme

    1/4 cup lemon juice

    1/4 cup orange juice

    2 cups baby spinach

    To make the chevre, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor, and blend until smooth adding a Tbsp or two of water as needed to create a chevre like consistency (do not add too much or it will be too thin).  Place in 2 layers of cheesecloth, wrap up, and place in the refrigerator overnight to firm up.

    To prepare the quinoa, place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 15 minutes, or when all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. Drain, and set aside. In a large bowl, combine all the rest of the ingredients with the quinoa and toss until well mixed. Break pieces off of the chevre and scatter them around the top of the quinoa. Serve at room temperature.



  • Festive Pomegranate Slaw

    Festive Pomegranate Slaw

    It has been really unseasonably warm here lately.  It is supposed to be almost winter, and normally we have lots of snow on the ground by now and I am running in a Winter wonderland with solid lakes and sparkling icicles hanging from the trees, but instead it is brown.  Don’t get me wrong, I wish it never got below 40F degrees in Minnesota and I could live without the snow but it is just weird not to have it. And I am craving more non-wintery foods too.  I whipped up a salad to pack in my lunches this week, and it was festive, yet fresh.  Kind of goes with the weather we are experiencing at the moment.  But I think this might actually be something that would be lovely to serve at the Holidays too since we often times serve lots of rich foods and this would be good to offset that.

     IMG_1725

    It is a simple salad, yet so good.  Shredded red cabbage, pomegranate seeds, scallions, cranberries and parsley in a citrus vinaigrette.  So tasty, and it is actually detoxifying thanks to all of the healthful ingredients.  I enjoyed it with some baked tempeh, but you can serve it with whatever you like.  Now I have something to be excited about in my lunches this week.  The best part about this besides it tasting good, is how quick it is to make!

    IMG_1726

    Festive Pomegranate Slaw

    Serves 2-4

    1/2 head red cabbage, shredded

    4 scallions, thinly sliced

    1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

    1 cup pomegranate seeds

    1/2 cup dried cranberries

    Dressing:

    2 Tbsp lemon juice

    2 Tbsp orange juice

    2 tsp each orange and lemon zest

    1 Tbsp maple syrup

    2 Tbsp olive oil

    sea salt to taste

    In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, and toss well to coat the veggies with the dressing.  Serve!

     



  • Sweet and Spicy Double Squash Salad

    Sweet and Spicy Double Squash Salad

    IMG_1437

    I can never get enough of squash when it comes into season. It is so good roasted especially, and butternut and buttercup are so sweet that they almost taste like dessert to me.  So I eat it about as much as I can while I can get the local varieties.  It is kind of addictive.  One year, when I was younger, my Mom said I had a squash tan, because I ate so much it tinted my skin a little orange.  I did not mind though.  I try to be a little more balanced with my veggies now, getting a variety of different ones, but if I had to pick one veggie this time of the year, it would be squash.  The other night, I decided I wanted to enjoy a simple squash salad for dinner, and it turned out so tasty that I decided I needed to share the recipe with you all.

    IMG_1439

    I actually had butternut squash and zucchini, so it ended up being a double squash salad!  I roasted them both to deliciousness, then tossed them with cranberries, a sweet and spicy dressing with jalapeno, maple syrup, citrus and toasted cumin.  lastly, I made some spiced pumpkin seeds to sprinkle over it all.  Was it ever delicious!  I served it with grilled tempeh on the side, and it made the perfect autumn dinner!

    IMG_1441

    Serves 2-3

    1 large (or 2 smaller) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

    4 medium zucchini, cut into thick half moons

    olive oil

    sea salt

    Spiced Pumpkin Seeds:

    1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

    1 Tbsp maple syrup

    sea salt to taste

    1/4 tsp cinnamon

    1/8 tsp ground chipotle peppers

    1 Tbsp coconut sugar

    Dressing:

    2 Tbsp lemon juice

    1 Tbsp maple syrup

    1 Tbsp olive oil

    1 tsp toasted whole cumin seeds

    1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

    1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced

    sea salt to taste

    1/2 cup cranberries

    To prepare the squash, heat the oven to 400F degrees, and oil 2 sheet pans.  Toss the butternut squash with just enough olive oil to coat, and spread out on one of the sheet pans.  Do the same with the zucchini.  Place both in the oven and roast until the squash is tender.  About 20-30 minutes for the zucchini, and about 40-50 minutes for the squash (rotate the pans half way through).  Once they are done, let cool until just warm.

    Meanwhile, to make the pumpkin seeds, add all ingredients but the sugar to a pan, and cook over medium heat until the seeds are toasted and the syrup starts to evaporate.  Add the coconut sugar and stir to coat. Remove from heat.

    Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

    In a large bowl, combine the squash, the cranberries, and the pumpkin seeds, and toss together until well coated.  Serve!



  • Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Salad with Groundnut Dressing

    Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Salad with Groundnut Dressing

    Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Salad with Groundnut Dressing 1

    When I was out for my run this morning, I noticed a few people have set out pumpkins on their steps as decoration.  Not surprising, official pumpkin season is officially here!  I even got one in my CSA box this time.  Although it was pretty, and I thought I might want to just display it, I decided to eat it instead.  That is so me.  Nothing is ever too pretty to eat if it is tasty and edible.  I decided to roast the pumpkin into little cubes of deliciousness, and combine them with black beans and kale in a salad.

    Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Salad with Groundnut Dressing 2

    This became dinner for me and Eric.  I tossed it all in a groundnut dressing.  If I am confusing you by saying groundnut, it is the same as peanut.  I used to make this really good groundnut spiced stew with garam masala (an indian spice blend) that was so good, I drew inspiration from it for this salad.  I knew the pumpkin, black beans and kale would be perfect with the dressing.  The roasting of the pumpkin is really the only thing about this recipe that takes a little time, the rest comes together in a breeze if you have cooked beans on hand already.

    Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Salad with Groundnut Dressing 3

    Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Salad with Groundnut Dressing

    Serves 2-4

    1 medium pumpkin, seeds removed, skin removed, and cut into cubes

    olive oil

    sea salt

    2 cups cooked black beans

    1 bunch kale, washed and torn into bite sized pieces

    1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

    Dressing:

    1/2 cup smooth organic natural peanut butter

    1/2 cup filtered water

    2 Tbsp cider vinegar

    1 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)

    2 tsp garam masala

    1 garlic clove, minced

    1 tsp red pepper flakes

    sea salt to taste

    To prepare the pumpkin, pre heat the oven to 400F degrees, and oil a sheet pan.  Toss the pumpkin with just enough oil to coat and spread out on the pan.  Sprinkle with sea salt. Roast until the pumpkin is tender and starting to brown at the edges, about 30-45 minutes.  Let cool until just warm.

    Place the kale, beans,  seeds, and pumpkin in a large bowl.

    Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl, then toss with the ingredients in the other bowl until coated.  Serve!



  • Cool Cucumber Salad

    Cool Cucumber Salad

    Cucumber Salad 1

    When I was younger, my Mom made a cucumber salad with a creamy dressing made with sour cream, vinegar and dill plus a little honey to sweeten.  I think this must be a classic that most people’s Mothers or Grandmothers made, because most people you ask can relate to it.  We sell a version in the deli where I work and it is very popular.  But these classic versions of course contain dairy and often times lots of sugar.  I haven’t enjoyed any in ages.  Which was exactly what I was thinking last week as I made some at work.  I decided that I needed to make a veganized version to suit my tastes.  I had just been given a bunch of cucumbers from my Grandpa’s garden so it was perfect timing.

    Cucumber Salad

    I made a creamy dressing with coconut milk and cashew butter with a bit of cider vinegar, garlic and dill and it tasted just as good as the salad I remember.  But less sweet of course since I did not add any sweetener.  I was in the mood for something more savory.  I added some scallions in as well instead of the usual onions for a milder salad and it was just right.  If you have an abundance of cucumbers in your garden, you must try this simple recipe. Sooo good!

    Cool Cucumber Salad

    Serves 4

    Dressing:

    1/2 cup  plus 2 Tbsp raw cashew butter

    3/4 cup very thick raw coconut milk (or you may use canned if you don’t mind it not being raw)

    1/4 cup cider vinegar

    1/2 tsp sea salt

    1 garlic clove, minced

    1 Tbsp fresh dill

    3 medium cucumbers, seeded and sliced

    3 scallions, sliced

    For the dressing, whisk all ingredients together until smooth (if you find it too thin add a little more cashew butter, too thick a little water since coconut milk varies in thickness).

    Place the cucumbers and scallions in a bowl, and pour the dressing over.  Toss to combine.  Serve!



  • Vegan Avocado Potato Salad

    Vegan Avocado Potato Salad

    Avocado Potato Salad 1  

    I got my hands on some of the most beautiful potatoes I had ever seen last week. They were a mix of purple, pink and yellow. I have seen a lot of these potatoes at the farmer’s market lately and I have been wanting to buy some, but didn’t get around to it until now.  I wanted to do roasted potatoes for dinner, but my oven was on the fritz so I decided on potato salad instead, so I could cook the potatoes stove top.  It was a good thing to not heat up the house anyhow because it has been so hot here lately.

    Avocado Potato Salad

    I wanted the salad to have a creamy dressing, and I had some avocadoes so I decided that they would be the perfect addition! Once I added in the herbs, lemon juice and other ingredients it reminded me of mayo but way better.  I am a sucker for avocado, so I suppose that is part of it. I added in some other veggies from my CSA box, radishes, beans, scallions and zucchini and it was a beautiful salad! But most importantly delicious.  I am so thankful I live somewhere where I can get fresh local produce in the summer!

    Avocado Potato Salad 2

    Vegan Avocado Potato Salad

    Serves 2-4

    4 cups potatoes cut into large dice I used a mix of purple, pink, and gold
    4 scallions, sliced
    4 radishes, sliced
    1 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
    1 medium zucchini, sliced

    Dressing:
    1 large avocado, diced
    3 Tbsp lemon juice
    1/4 cup water
    1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste
    1 Tbsp fresh dill
    1 Tbsp fresh basil

    Add the potatoes to a pot of salted water, and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.  Allow to cool completely.

    To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.

    Add the potatoes, and all other veggies to a bowl, and toss with the dressing.  Serve!



  • Roasted Vegetable and Lentil Salad with Lemon Hemp Seed Dressing and Mint

    Roasted Vegetable and Lentil Salad with Lemon Hemp Seed Dressing and Mint

    026

    Windy City Organics sent me some Dastony hemp seed butter to try out and create a recipe with. I was super excited because I love hemp seeds, and I use them in my salads often, or mix them into the nut butters I make at home. However, I have never made hemp seed butter myself because it would be a bit spendy.  So, this was my opportunity to try it!  I knew I wanted to try it out in a savory dish, and I ended up making a delicious dressing with it.

    Roasted Veggie Lentil Salad 1

    I made a roasted vegetable salad with the freshest and most colorful veggies I could find…tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, bell pepper and yellow squash.  I included lentils for protein as well, because I was craving something hearty.  The dressing was the silky hemp seed butter, lemon juice, a touch of cumin and sea salt and a dash of red pepper flakes.  So simple, yet so good.  I drizzled this over the salad, and sprinkled it all with local fresh mint. It was such a delicious combination!  I think this may become one of my go to dressings for salads this summer!  If you are a fan of hemp seeds too, check out the Dastony Hemp Seed Butter over at the Raw Guru Store.

    Roasted Veggie Lentil Salad 2

     

    Roasted Vegetable and Lentil Salad with Lemon Hemp Seed Dressing and Mint

    Serves 2

    1/2 cup French lentils

    sea salt

    4 medium potatoes, cut into cubes

    2 tomatoes, cut into large thick wedges

    2 zucchini, sliced thickly

    1 yellow summer squash, sliced thickly

    1 orange bell pepper, cut into large dice

    Dressing:

    1/4 cup Dastony Raw Hemp Seed Butter

    2 Tbsp lemon juice

    3 Tbsp filtered water

    1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

    1/4 tsp cumin powder

    sea salt to taste

    2 Tbsp fresh mint, coarsely chopped for serving

    In a pot, combine the lentils and enough water to cover by 3 inches.  Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Simmer until lentils are tender, about 20-25 minutes.  Drain well, and season with sea salt.

    Pre heat the oven to 400F.  Toss the potatoes with just enough olive oil to coat and spread out on a sheet pan.  Season with a little sea salt.  Do the same with the rest of the veggies on another sheet pan.  Roast the potatoes for about 30 minutes or until starting to brown and tender.  Roast the other veggies for about 20 minutes until tender and starting to brown.  Let veggies and potatoes cool to room temperature, and toss together in a bowl.

    To make the dressing, whisk together all ingredients until well combined (if you think it is too thick add a little more water.  Too thin a little more butter).

    When ready to serve, spread out the veggies on plates or a platter, and drizzle with the dressing.  Scatter the fresh mint over that.



  • Garlicy Kale Salad with Roasted Potatoes and Chickpeas

    Garlicy Kale Salad with Roasted Potatoes and Chickpeas

    Kale and Potatoes 3

    I always try to think of what I can make out of ingredients I already have at home to save on money and not waste things.  So, last week I had lots of kale and potatoes.  I thought about making a soup or vegan frittata or something, but what I ended up really wanting was a salad.  It had been a really hot day, I never really cooled down from my morning run, working in a kitchen and sweating all day, so salad sounded wonderful.  You know, something that didn’t make me more hot.

    Kale and Potatoes 1

    I roasted the potatoes until they were perfect and crispy, then combined them with the kale, some cherry tomatoes, and some chickpeas for protein.  I dressed it all with this luscious garlicy lemony creamy dressing I made quickly in the blender.  It was so good I could have eaten it with a spoon, but then I would have had no dressing for my salad.  Once it was combined, it was delicious!  Just what I had been hoping for! It was so good, I had to share the recipe with you all, so you can enjoy it too!

       Kale and Potatoes

    Garlicy Kale Salad with Roasted Potatoes and Chickpeas

    Serves 2-4

    Potatoes:
    4 medium red or yellow potatoes, cut into cubes
    olive oil

    Dressing:
    1 cup raw macadamia nuts, pine nuts, or cashews, soaked for 4 hours and drained
    2/3 cup filtered water
    1/4 cup lemon juice
    1 Tbsp organic lemon zest
    1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste
    2 garlic cloves

    2 bunches kale, torn or cut into bite sized pieces
    1 cup cherry tomatoes
    1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (one 15 oz can drained will work)

    To prepare the potatoes, pre heat the oven to 400F degrees.  Toss the potatoes with just enough olive oil to coat, and sprinkle with sea salt.  Spread out on the pan and roast in the oven until they are starting to brown and are tender about 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

    Meanwhile, to make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.

    In a large bowl combine the potatoes, kale, tomatoes, chickpeas, and dressing and toss to combine.  Serve at room temperature.



  • Roasted Beet and Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas

    Roasted Beet and Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas

    Beet Salad 1

    Sometimes I just make things on the fly when I get home for dinner, and sometimes I spend my day at work thinking about them.  The salad I am sharing with you today was the latter.  Truth is I made 2 beet salads, at work, spent a chunk of my day working with beets, tasted a few and decided that was what I wanted for dinner.  Although I could eat a big pile of just plain beets, I thought a substantial salad with plenty of protein would do the trick.

    Beet Salad 3

    I was quite hungry after a busy day so I needed that.  The first thing that came to mind to pair the beets with was quinoa.  I had enjoyed a quinoa salad with beets once and it was amazing. I was going to make something even better.  I also added in chickpeas because I love them and because they are awesome with quinoa.  It needed some other flavors too, so I tossed it with lemon and fresh mint.  Simple, but so good.  All that it needed.  But I added a bit of coconut chevre I had on hand just because and it was over the top wonderful!  I shared some with Eric and it was the perfect size meal for two hungry adults.  The best part about this salad besides it tasting wonderful?  The beautiful pink color.  I love it.

    Roasted Beet and Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas

    Serves 2

    Coconut Chevre:

    1 1/4 cups young coconut meat*

    1/3 cup coconut water*

    1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter (not oil), warmed to liquid

    1/8 tsp sea salt

    1 tsp powdered probiotics

    4 medium sized red beets

    1 cup quinoa, rinsed

    2 cups filtered water

    1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas

    1/4 cup lemon juice

    1 Tbsp lemon zest

    sea salt to taste

    1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

    For the chevre, combine the coconut meat, milk, sea salt, coconut butter, and probiotics in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
    Pour into a container with a lid, and set in a warm place overnight.
    Once it has become tangy in flavor, place in the refrigerator to chill completely.

    To roast the beets, wrap them in foil, and roast them in a 400F degree oven for about an hour to an hour and a half depending on how big they are until they are tender when pierced with a knife.  Once roasted, allow to cool, peel and cut into large dice. Meanwhile, to prepare the quinoa, place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 15 minutes, or when all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. Drain, and set aside.

    To assemble the salad, combine all ingredients in a bowl except the chevre, and toss together until well combined.  When ready to serve, sprinkle with the chevre (you will have more left over for another use).

    *If you do not have access to young coconut meat, you may used a can of full fat coconut milk in this recipe in place of the coconut meat and water.

     

  • Wild Rice Salad with Chickpeas and Asparagus

    Wild Rice Salad with Chickpeas and Asparagus

    Wild Rice Salad

    Wild rice is big here in Minnesota.  It is a bit spendy, but worth it. It tastes like nothing else, sort of earthy and savory perfect for hearty dishes and it is classic to use in casseroles.  But it is not limited to warm dishes.  It makes wonderful substantial salads as well.  I made a salad last week with it since it happened to be what I saw when I opened my cupboard when looking for things to compose dinner with.  I thought it would go perfectly with the fresh tender asparagus I had bought at the store with the intention of using it in something new and delicious.  I also added in chickpeas for a bit of protein as well as walnuts and some red bell peppers and celery since you can never have too many veggies in your meals as far as I am concerned.  I tossed it with a simple dressing and it was all that it needed to be delicious.  This keeps well and makes a wonderful thing to take with you to work for lunch the next day.

    Wild Rice Salad 1

    Wild Rice Salad with Chickpeas and Asparagus

    Serves 4

    3 cups cooked wild rice

    1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (you may use canned)

    2 stalks celery, diced

    1 red bell pepper, diced

    2 cups asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces

    1/2 cup raw walnuts

    2 Tbsp cider vinegar

    2 Tbsp olive oil

    1 tsp dried thyme

    1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, and toss together until well combined.  Serve at room temperature.

    *To cook wild rice, rinse it well, then place in a pot of water covering by a few inches and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook until the rice begins to flower or split apart and is tender about 1 hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half (depending on which type you have).  Cook the chickpeas in a similar fashion, they take about an hour and a half.

     

     

  • Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad

    Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad

    Yam and Chickpea Salad 3

    Since it is Earth Day, I thought sharing a beautiful salad was in order.  Why a salad?  Well, eating lots of veggies and going vegan instead of consuming lots of meat is good for the planet.  Did you know plant based food production uses a lot less land and water?  Or that is produces less pollution and feeds more people with less resources?  Well it does, and not only that you are leaving the animals of the world in peace to live their lives because they deserve to be happy too.  If people reduced their meat consumption it would make a huge difference for the planet.  So, even if you are not ready to go full fledged plant based, why not try it a few days a week.  And why not celebrate Earth Day with a delicious salad?!

    Yam and Chickpea Salad 1

    This salad I am sharing with you was actually my dinner last night.  I had no intention of sharing it when I started making it, but it ended up being so good I just had to.  I was going to make some yam fries, but I wanted a salad, so I decided to cube up the yams and put them on my salad.  Along with some chickpeas for protein, red bell peppers, romaine lettuce, pumpkin seeds, toasted aromatic seeds, and marjoram.  All drizzled with a creamy pumpkin seed dressing that is a staple in my fridge at all times.  OMG…was it ever delicious!  The sweet yams, briny chickpeas, savory spices and garlicky dressing were a party in my mouth. Not to mention all of the wonderful textures.  I am a textural person and this was wonderful!  I hope you try it so you can enjoy it too!  Happy Earth Day!

    Yam and Chickpea Salad 2 

    Roasted Yam and Chickpea Salad

    Serves 2

    1 large yam, diced

    olive oil

    sea salt

    Dressing:

    3 Tbsp pumpkin seed butter

    3 Tbsp filtered water (or as needed)

    1 small garlic clove, minced

    1/2 tsp cumin

    1/8 tsp ground chipotle pepper or cayenne pepper

    sea salt to taste

    Salad:

    1 cup cooked chickpeas

    1 red bell pepper, diced

    1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

    toasted cumin seeds and coriander seeds

    fresh marjoram leaves

    Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.  Toss the yams with just enough olive oil to coat and sprinkle with sea salt, then spread out onto the pan.  Roast for about 20-30 minutes until softened and browning at the edges.  Once the yams have finished cooking let them cool to room temperature.

    Meanwhile, to make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl, and whisk together until smooth (or, I like to use an immersion blender in a tall glass measuring cup if you have that).

    To assemble the salad, scatter the greens on the bottom of the plates, then top with the chickpeas, yams, bell pepper. Drizzle with the dressing, then sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds, cumin, coriander and marjoram.

    Yam and Chickpea Salad

     

     

  • Spring Green Kale Salad

    Spring Green Kale Salad

    You know those meals that you throw together with what you happen to have on hand?  Well that is how I make mine most of the time and I find that the most delicious creations tend to happen when I do not have a plan.  That was the case with a salad made from random green fruits and veggies I had laying around last weekend.  How appropriate that it was green too since spring is soon to be here and St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner! I am all for this beautiful color right now especially if it is green grass and plants poking up from the ground.  I am so ready for warmer temperatures and sunshine.

    So back to this salad I made, I used a lovely Russian red kale for the base greens, tossed with a simple lemony hemp vinaigrette.  That would have been good on its own, but even better once I added in some asparagus, kiwi and pear.  I even cut the fruit into little shamrocks just because I could.  I am quite excited about my shamrock cookie cutter since I can use it this month. Lastly, I added in some crunchy pistachios and scallions and the salad was complete!  It was delicious. A little sweet, a little tart, and a little savory.  The perfect balance for a salad as far as I am concerned.  I love randomly thrown together salads!

    Spring Green Kale Salad 
    Serves 1-2

    1 large bunch of kale, washed and torn into bite sized pieces

    Dressing:
    3 Tbsp raw hemp oil
    3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
    zest of one lemon
    1 Tbsp maple syrup
    sea salt to taste

    2 large pear, thinly sliced*
    3 kiwi, thinly sliced*
    2 cup asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
    3 scallions, sliced
    1/2 cup raw pistachios

    Add the kale to a large bowl, then add the dressing and massage into the kale until a little softened and coated.  Add the remaining ingredients and toss together.  Serve!

    *I sliced them thinly, then used a shamrock cookie cutter to cut out shapes.

  • Spicy Peanut Slaw with Edamame

    Spicy Peanut Slaw with Edamame

    Although I tend to spend a lot of time on my desserts, I tend to keep my dinners fairly simple.  This might be because I spend my days at work in a deli making lots of savories such as soups and salads, and I get enough savory creating action.  Or, it may be because I want dinner fast and I am a bit lazy at that point.  Plus, I am on a budget, and I like to make meals that are relatively cheap.  So, last weekend when I was grabbing ingredients for dinner for Eric and I, I decided on a slaw.  Slaw is so versatile, it can be made from many things but most popular is the cabbage which is also inexpensive.  So I grabbed some heads of cabbage, and I was really craving something spicy, so also some hot peppers and ginger, and some edamame for protein,  I was thinking spicy peanut slaw, but not like I have made it in the past.  You see, this was knock your socks off spicy.

    Me and my Man are both spice lovers, and this slaw had the kick of habanero, jalapeno, ginger, and chipotle powder.  But not so spicy that you could not taste the other flavors.  I scarfed down a large plate of this and it was so crave worthy good!  Not just your run of the mill peanut slaw, but party in your mouth awesome.  It was satisfying as well thanks to the extra protein in the edamame. I think I may just have to make this again next weekend, because I want some more now.

    Spicy Peanut Slaw with Edamame
    Serves 2-4

    1/2 medium head red cabbage, thinly sliced
    1/2 medium head green cabbage, thinly sliced
    4 scallions, sliced
    1 red bell pepper, cut julienne
    1 jalapeno, sliced
    1 habanero, sliced
    1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (and thawed) edamame, shelled

    Dressing:
    1/3 cup raw jungle peanut butter (or regular peanut butter)
    1/2 inch piece ginger, minced
    1 garlic clove, minced
    2 Tbsp cider vinegar
    1 Tbsp nama shoyu, or tamari
    1 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or maple syrup
    1/4 tsp ground chipotle pepper
    3 Tbsp filtered water

    In a large bowl, combine all of the veggies.
    In a small bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients, and whisk until smooth, adding a little more water of you would like it thinner.
    Toss the dressing with the veggies until they are well coated, and serve!