I was watching a clip from a TV show on my computer last evening (while furiously pedalling on my new Fitdesk!!) and was fascinated by these enormous salads all the women seemed to be eating in every damn scene. As it turns out, the salads were various versions of a classic Chef’s Salad, so I decided to create a vegan version of it for lunch today.
The base is mixed greens and chopped romaine, grated carrots, grated cucumber, chopped tomatoes, and snow peas (cut into one-inch chunks).
I then arranged in small piles around the top:
1/4 cup chickpeas
1/4 cup black beans
1/4 cup sprouted lentils
3 slices Smoky Maple Tofu
1/4 cup Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice
1 ounce sliced avocado
I then topped it with a light sprinkling of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and crumbled Wasabi-flavoured seaweed.
Aaaaaand topped it all off with…
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of chopped shallots
- 2 tablespoons of raw cashew pieces
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 tablespoon miso
- 1/3 cup of water
- 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon of capers with brine
- 1/8 tsp salt (according to Isa’s recipe–I don’t think it needs it with the miso & capers)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Blend together (for at least a full minute).
With four different kinds of legumes/beans (lentils, chickpeas, black beans, and tofu), three kinds of seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame–in the tahini), nuts (cashews in the dressing), seaweed, and a huge variety of greens, this salad was not only delicious and hugely satisfying (after no breakfast and a five-mile walk), it was also packed with those micronutrients that are apparently so important!
I made a salad with a different dressing for dinner. It’s an adaptation of an online copycat version of the dressing for Earl’s Santa Fe Salad, and it’s quite scrumptious!
- PEANUT LIME VINAIGRETTE:
- 1/4 cup fresh peanuts
- 1/4 cup soft tofu
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2 limes)
- 1 Tbs peanut butter
- 1 Tbs soy sauce
- 1 tsp agave syrup
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbs lime zest (1 lime)
Blend well in the bullet!!
Sideways Cottage... 