Spicy Asian Slaw

I can't deny my love for spicy, tangy food. Added to that fact, cabbage has been my favorite vegetable this winter. I'm not saying it's my favorite vegetable of all time, just that I am using it a lot this winter and am really enjoying it. It's inexpensive, super healthy and very versatile. This slaw takes about 1 minute to make if you use the pre-cut slaw mixture, and it makes a nice lunch on its own or could be used as a side with any Asian inspired meal. The spice in this slaw comes from Sriracha sauce, an Asian (I think it's originally Vietnamese) hot sauce that can be found in almost any grocery store.

1 lb. thinly sliced cabbage, either one of those pre-shredded slaw bags from the store or slice your own
A pinch of sea salt, about 1/4 tsp. or so
2 heaping Tbsp. Veganaise
As much Sriracha hot sauce as you want, I use a lot because I like it spicy
Several dashes of rice wine or brown rice vinegar (about 2 tsp.)
A small drizzle of toasted sesame oil, maybe 1/4-1/2 tsp.

1. In a large bowl toss the cabbage with the pinch of sea salt and set it aside.

2. In a smaller bowl whisk together the other ingredients.

3. Pour the sauce over the cabbage and toss to combine.

This makes about 2-4 servings.

Cold Soba Salad

This could be as easy as just making the dressing and tossing with the noodles, but you can also add various combinations of vegetables. My favorite vegetables in this salad are thinly sliced shallots and green peas.

Soba noodles are found in the Asian section of most large grocery stores nowadays. They are traditionally made with buckwheat flour, but I've noticed a lot of the brands have part buckwheat flour and part wheat flour. If you can find 100% buckwheat flour soba noodles you should give them a try if you like sea vegetables because they do taste a little like wakame and have an interesting almost slimy texture. The ones that include wheat flour are more mild and grainy.

8 oz. dry soba noodles, cooked according to package directions
1/4 c. seasoned or brown rice vinegar
1/4 c. natural peanut butter
1 Tbsp. (overflowing) shoyu, tamari or low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. (or more) sriracha (found in the Asian section of most grocery stores, it's a lovely Asian hot sauce)
Small drizzle each of toasted sesame oil and pure maple syrup
About 1 tsp. fresh grated ginger (optional but really good)
1 thinly sliced shallot or red onion
1/2 c. green peas, thawed by running under hot water in a strainer (if using frozen)

1) Cook the soba noodles according to package directions, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water until the pasta is completely cooled.

2) As the noodles cook, whisk together everything but the vegetables in a large bowl.

3) When the noodles are finished cooking and have been rinsed under cold water add them, along with the peas and shallots, to the dressing and toss to coat.

Eat immediately or chill first. This makes 4-6 servings, depending on how hungry everyone is and what else you're eating.

Panzanella 2

I already posted one recipe for Panzanella, an Italian style salad featuring day old bread. This one is more traditional using mainly onion, basil and tomato but with a little arugula thrown in for some green.

1 tomato, with it's juice, diced
1/2 a small red onion, thinly sliced
5 leaves of fresh basil, minced
2 large hand fulls of baby arugula
2-3 c. cubed day old bread, multigrain is nice
Juice of 1/2 a fresh lemon
A few drizzles of balsamic or red wine vinegar
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & black pepper to taste

1) Chop the vegetables and then toss them in a large bowl with the cubed bread.

2) Drizzle the dressing ingredients over the salad, there is no need to mix them together in a separate bowl, and then add the salt and pepper to taste. Toss the salad again and serve.

This makes 2 large servings or 4 side servings.

Indian Chickpea Salad

I was making another recipe and had some odds and ends leftover so I thought, "Why not try tossing this stuff in a salad and see how it turns out?" Not to brag, but WOW - I think this is the most delicious salad I've ever invented. Next time I'm going to double the recipe.

This is kind of like hummus but without blending it. The flavors will blend and get better if you make it a day ahead of time. This is great on its own for lunch or served with any Indian or Middle Eastern meal. It would also be good stuffed into a pita with some lettuce and tomato. If you use canned beans, keep in mind that Eden Organic brand does not have BPAs in the lining of their cans.

For the Dressing:
1/4 c. tahini
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice or rice wine vinegar
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Water to thin out if necessary

For the Salad:
2 c. cooked chick peas (aka: garbanzo beans), or a 15 oz. can rinsed and drained
1/4 c. peas, thawed by running under hot water in colander
1/2 a small red onion, diced
1 c. cauliflower florets or leftover Cauliflower Subji (it's so good with the subji)
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, minced


1) To prepare the dressing place all of the ingredients in a blender and bend until smooth (or use a hand held blender)


2) Place all of the salad ingredients into a mixing bowl and toss with the dressing.

This serves about 4 depending on what else is served along with it...no, I take that back, it's so good it only serves 2.

Pasta Salad

I like to have things like this around to pack in lunches or have for little snacks. Add whatever vegetables you and your family like - tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, olives, artichoke hearts, thinly sliced carrots, mushrooms, roasted bell peppers, beans, cooked lentils, sunflower seeds, fresh parsley sun dried tomatoes...you get the picture.

!Warning: This is delicious.

1 lb. spiral pasta shapes (I like the tri-colored ones)
1 recipe Simple Vinaigrette (with a little vegan pesto stirred in, if desired)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (or 1 shallot)
1 c. broccoli, cut into very small pieces (or cauliflower)
 1/4 c. toasted pine nuts
1/2 c. sliced kalamata olives
2 Tbsp. minced fresh basil

1) Cook the pasta according to package directions.

2) As the pasta cooks make the vinagrette in a small bowl, and chop the vegetables and place them in a large bowl.

3) When the pasta is done drain it and rinse with cold water.

4) Toss the pasta and vinagrette with the vegetables in a large bowl and chill for about 1 hour before serving.

This makes about 6-8 servings (depending on how much you eat in one serving).

Tofu "Egg" Salad

I never really was a fan of egg salad (or any kind of eggs for that matter), it always seemed kind of stinky to me. But I love it when the eggs are replaced with tofu. This is so easy to make and it's based on something familiar to most people, which can help if you're new to vegan food - seriously, it tastes just like egg salad but better and fresher. You could put this in a pita, make a sandwich or wrap, or serve it open faced on a piece of toasted pumpernickel rye bread topped with avocado slices and black sesame seeds.

1/3 c. vegan mayonnaise such as veganaise
2 tsp. yellow or dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. turmeric
Large pinch of sea salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 large celery rib, minced
1/2 a small red onion, minced
1-2 Tbsp. minced fresh green herb such as Italian parsley, tarragon or chives
1 lb. extra firm tofu, rinsed and patted dry

1) In a large bowl whisk together the veganaise, mustard, turmeric, sea salt and black pepper.

2) Add the minced celery, onion and herbs and then using your fingers crumble the entire block of tofu into the bowl (it should look kind of like scrambled eggs).

3) Use a large spoon to mix well and then serve or refrigerate until ready to use.

This makes about 4-6 servings.

Panzanella

Panzanella is an Italian salad created to use up stale bread. I think that traditionally it is mostly just bread, onions and tomatoes. The idea is that the bread absorbs the juices from the vegetables and dressing & rehydrates. Mine is crammed with a bunch of other stuff, so maybe it's not technically a traditional panzanella, but it tastes great and it still uses up stale bread. This is excellent on its own for lunch or served with any Italian meal.

1 heart of romaine lettuce (about 4 c.), sliced
1/2 a small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 a cucumber, peeled, seeded & cubed
1/2 a red bell pepper, diced
1/2 a yellow bell pepper, diced
About 10 kalamata olives, sliced
1 large tomato, diced
5 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
About 3-4 c. cubed bread, a nice crusty whole grain bread is great
Juice of 1 fresh lemon
Balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & black pepper

1) Chop the lettuce & vegetables and place them in a large bowl and then add the cubed bread.

2) Drizzle the juice of the lemon, balsamic vinegar & olive oil over the salad (as much of each as you'd like) and the sprinkle with a little sea salt and black pepper and toss to mix well.

This about 4.

Kamut Salad

This is my attempt at making my favorite grain salad from the deli at the local food co-op. I think I got it right because it tastes just the same.

 
for the salad:

1 c. kamut, sorted, rinsed and soaked for at least 1 hour
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 a small red onion, diced
2 small carrots, julienned
2 Tbsp. minced flat leaf parsley
2 Tbsp. minced fresh chives
1/4 c. toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 c green peas
1/2 c. dried cranberries

for the dressing:

Juice of 1-2 fresh lemons, about 3-4 Tbsp.
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. flax seed oil (or more olive oil)
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1) After the kamut has been soaked for at least an hour, rinse it off and place it in a sauce pan covered with about 3 inches of water. Bring it to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer, covered, for an hour. Make sure to stir it occasionally and add more water if it starts to evaporate too much.

2) As the kamut cooks chop all of the vegetables and herbs and place them in a large bowl with the sunflower seeds and dried cranberries.

3) Whisk together the dressing in a small bowl and set aside.

4) Once the kamut is done cooking, drain it and rinse with cold water.

5) Add the kamut and dressing into the large bowl with the vegetables and toss to combine.

This makes about 6-8 servings.

Spicy Slaw

So many things are enhanced by slaw. Put some purple slaw atop a garden burger with a little dijon mustard, put it in tacos, feed it to your kids (kids love the tangy zip of slaw). But really, this is the slaw I like to place atop a big bowl of Black Beans and Rice with a little Scotch Bonnet Salsa drizzled on top to boot.

For the Dressing:

Juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. brown rice or seasoned rice vinegar
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
Dash of aleppo pepper (optional)

For the Slaw:

3/4 a small green cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 a small purple cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 a small red onion, slivered
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1/4 c. cilantro, minced

1) Mix the dressing in a small bowl.

2) Slice the vegetables and place in a large bowl and then toss with the dressing to combine.

 

Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Creamy Cucumber Salad with Dill

In my family every get together in the summer involves corn on the cob and creamy cucumber salad with dill. Unfortunately this lovely summer salad always has mayonnaise in it making it off limits to vegans, which is a shame because it's so summery and delicious. Vegenaise to the rescue, a vegan mayonnaise made from grape seed oil.

2 large cucumbers, peeled or washed and thinly sliced into rounds
1/2 a medium white onion, finely diced
1 tsp. fresh dill or 1/4 tsp. dried dill
3 Tbsp. vegenaise
2 Tbsp. cider or rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. grape seed or canola oil
1 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. back pepper

1) Put the sliced cucumbers and onions into a medium sized mixing bowl.

2) In a separate smaller bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients.

3) Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and toss to coat. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Avocado Salsa

I use this solely as a topping for Black Bean Enchiladas but I'm sure it would also be good with tortilla chips, tacos, or even as a salad.

Dressing:
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. dijon or whole grain mustard
2 Tbsp. rice or white wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 Tbsp.)
1 scant tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Dash of hot sauce (optional)

Salsa:
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1-2 jalapenos, diced
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 a red onion, diced
3-4 avocados, diced
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1) In a large bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.

2) Chop the vegetables and add them to the bowl. If you are making this ahead of time, don't chop up the avocados and tomatoes until you're ready to serve it. Toss and enjoy.

Buffalo Tempeh Taco Salad

If you made the vegan buttermilk ranch dressing earlier this week, here is a delicious salad to use some of it up on.

8 oz. tempeh, sliced crosswise
Extra virgin olive oil
Louisiana hot sauce or tobasco to taste
2 hearts of romaine lettuce, roughly chopped (about 4-5 cups)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 c. black beans, home made or canned
1/4 c. minced fresh cilantro
Thinly sliced red or green onions
1 avocado diced
Diced tomatoes (optional)
1/2 to 3/4 c. vegan buttermilk ranch dressing
(or your favorite store bought brand)

1) Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan. Thinly slice the tempeh in 1/4 inch strips cross-wise and saute over medium-high heat until lightly browned on each side, about 4-5 minutes per side. Set aside to cool a bit and then drizzle with a little Louisiana hot sauce or Tobasco to coat.

2) In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 -3/4 c. vegan buttermilk ranch dressing with some Louisiana hot sauce or Tobasco to taste.

3) Prepare the remaining salad ingredients and place in a large bowl. Toss the salad with the dressing and divide onto serving dishes. Place the tempeh atop the salads and serve.

This will serve 2 as a main dish and 4 as a side salad.

Vegan Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

This ranch dressing is very herby. I give suggestions for what fresh herbs to use, but the idea is to use a lot of different fresh herbs that you like. The soy milk, lemon juice combo is used to mimic the traditional buttermilk ranch flavor.

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/3 c. plain soy milk
2 c. vegenaise
1 clove fresh garlic
1/2 head roasted garlic (how to roast garlic)
1/2 a small yellow or white onion, diced
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. chives, minced
1 Tbsp. Italian parsley, minced
2 tsp. fresh oregano, marjoram or tarragon, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced

1) Combine the soy milk and lemon juice in a small bowl and stir to combine (this is your buttermilk), set aside.

 2) Combine vegenaise, roasted garlic, onion, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender and process until pureed. With the food processor still running, slowly pour in the soy milk/lemon mixture and turn off the machine.

Remove the cloves of roasted garlic by sliding them out with a knife.

3) Add the herbs and pulse to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper or lemon if needed. Transfer to a mason jar or air tight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

This makes about 2 1/4 c. of dressing and besides salads can be used on fried green tomatoes or other vegetables.

Want your kids to eat more vegetables? Give them some of this vegan ranch dressing, here is 5 year old Simone finishing up her plate of vegetables:

Cherry Tomato Salad

I don't know if I would even call this a recipe, it's more of a way to use up cherry tomatoes. I'm the only person in my family who enjoys raw tomatoes and yet every summer I insist on growing copious amounts of cherry tomatoes in our garden. Faced with such bounty I must eat this salad almost every day for lunch or else be buried in a pile of cherry tomatoes and a knowing, "I told you so."

The amounts below would serve about 2 people. It's easy to cut it in half to serve one, but really put in any amount of each vegetable that you want. Incidentally, if you were to use 1/2 c. of each vegetable you will be getting the 5 daily servings of vegetables recommended by the USDA.

About 10-15 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 a red onion, diced
1 avocado, diced
1/2 a large cucumber, peeled, seeded & diced
2-4 fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons (optional)
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar and/or fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1) Chop the vegetables and place them in a large bowl.

2) Drizzle the remaining ingredients over the salad, season with salt and pepper and toss.

Simple Vinaigrette

Don't buy salad dressing. You don't need to be super exact with this, just eyeball it.

A pinch of sea salt, maybe 1/4 tsp.
A dash of black pepper, maybe 1/8 tsp.
1/2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
3/4 tsp. pure maple syrup
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 shallot, minced (optional)
1/4 to 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

1) In a small bowl add the first 5 ingredients

2) Whisk in the olive oil

3) Taste for balance adding more salt, vinegar, oil or maple syrup in very small amounts, if needed, and drizzle over a large salad or store in the refrigerator for at least a week.

Cold Asian Noodle Salad

For lunch today we had a cold Asian noodle salad made with udon noodles. You could use soba noodles or any long, thin noodle. It was the perfect summer lunch, fresh and savory, and even my 3 picky daughters loved it. You can use any vegetables from your garden or the farmer's market - red bell peppers, sliced shallots and hot peppers are all good. I used carrots, snap peas and cilantro this time.

8-10 oz. udon or soba noodles, cooked according to package directions
1/4 c. natural peanut butter, creamy or chunky
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
Juice of 1 juicy lime, about 3 Tbsp.
1 1/2 Tbsp. shoyu (naturally brewed soy sauce) or tamari
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1-3 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce or garlic chili paste (both are Asian hot sauces found in the ethnic section of most grocery stores). You can use as much or as little as you like.
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 c. vegetables of choice such as: grated carrots, slivered snap peas, minced cilantro, slivered bell pepper, etc.

1) Cook the pasta according to the package directions. When it is finished cooking strain and rinse with cold water.

2) As the water comes up to a boil and then the pasta cooks, place all of the dressing ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together until the peanut butter is dissolved and prepare your vegetables.

3) When the noodles have been cooked, rinsed until they are cold, and drained thoroughly toss them in the bowl with the sauce. Add the vegetables and toss a bit more to distribute.

Fattoush Salad with Lemon Balsamic Dressing

Earlier I mentioned that the only decent restaurant in Mankato is a Vietnamese restaurant which is run by a very nice fellow (Pho Saigon). When I said that, I forgot that there is also a great Lebanese restaurant here...actually two because the man who runs the good Lebanese restaurant also has a spot at the food court in the mall (so sad when the third best restaurant in your town is in the food court at the mall). I probably forgot about the good Lebanese restaurant because it's where my husband and I eat when we go out on a date (Olives). Next month will mark the two year anniversary of our last date, not because we don't still totally dig each other, but because we had our third daughter and she does not yet approve of baby sitters.

In any case, a lot of the main dishes at the good Lebanese restaurant in town are very meaty which is a problem for a vegan. But they have a "Fattoush Salad" on the menu that I fell in love with the first time I tried it. I know, a recipe for a salad, lame. But this salad is special. I could not duplicate it no matter how hard I tried until I figured out that the rusty red specks in the dressing were sumac. I'd never heard of it before except as a poisonous tree in the weeds behind the house I grew up in that I was supposed to stay away from. But it turns out sumac is a lovely lemony...spice? that has an almost rubbery texture.I found it at a specialty spice store but I've also seen it in various ethnic grocery stores and online.

I believe Fattoush means something along the lines of crushed up bread because you're supposed to use stale pita bread along with various other ingredients. I'm sure there are as many Fattoush recipes as there are home cooks in Lebanon, here's one from a white girl in Mankato:

For the Dressing:
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 juicy lemon
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegr
1 Tbsp. sumac
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 clove of garlic, pressed (optional)

Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Don't use the garlic if you're sensitive to raw garlic or aren't in the mood for it

For the Salad:
2 whole wheat pitas
extra virgin olive oil
1-2 hearts of romaine, washed & chopped (choose the amount depending on how lettucy you want it and what you have in your fridge)
2-3 Persian cucumbers or 1 small English cucumber, diced
1 red and 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, 1" dice
1 small red onion, diced
1/3 c. pitted kalamata olives, sliced
sumac

1) Preheat the oven to 350. Split the pitas open so there are 4 thin rounds. Brush each round with olive oil and sprinkle with a little sumac. Place flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes, or until crispy but not burnt. Let them cool and then break them into bite sized pieces with your hands and set them aside.

2) Wash and chop all of the vegetables and toss them together in a large bowl...you know, make a salad.

3) Do not add the pita pieces until just before serving or they'll get soggy. To serve, add the pita bits and the dressing and toss.

This makes a large salad, you could bring it to a party. When I make it for just my husband and I, I mix it together with the dressing and pitas in smaller batches and we can get several salads each out of the recipe.