salads – The Vegan Love Project

Delicious Quicky Potato Salad

Delicious Quicky Potato Salad

I literally had one large potato starting to grow eyes staring at me from the hanging basket – I needed to use it soon! So today was the day! A few weeks back when I was on my scallion cream cheese kick, I planted a bunch of scallions in a pot so I could keep harvesting scallions as I needed them- not wanting to cut into a whole onion for my 1 potato salad salad, a cut the tops off from my potted scallions and was good to go. I had cut into a fresh lemon this morning and thought I could use that in place of vinegar for a bright fresh taste. The added nutrition of a Real Pickle fermented dill pickle to give the salad a bit more dimension, balanced with a hint of sweet makes this salad SUPER easy, super quick and super delicious….

1 large potato, peeled, steamed whole

(1c water, pinch salt, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and steam

partially covered for 10-15 minutes or just until tender)

2 scallions, minced

2T Real Pickles Dill Pickle (1 spear, minced)

1t maple syrup or agave

1/4c Veganaise or another prepared vegan mayonnaise

½ lemon, juiced

1/2t salt

1/4t ground black pepper

Pinch smoked paprika

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In a bowl, combine the dressing ingredients together; the scallions, minced pickle, sweetener, Veganaise, lemon juice, paprika, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust for seasonings, more sweet, saltier etc.

Slice the potatoes in 1” inch pieces into the bowl- I like my potato salad chunkier but slice how you like.

Mindfully mix the potatoes into the dressing, trying not to smash the potatoes. Adjust the seasoning before serving. Sprinkle with a bit more of the paprika.

Serve warm or chilled garnished with fresh scallion.

FRICKEN YUM

Creamy Yukon Potato Salad

Incredibly delicious. Yukon potatoes have a rich nutty taste on their own- and they abundant locally now in Western Mass. In this side dish they are showcased with the perfect amount of dressing that is sure to please all kinds of palettes. There is a perfect balance between sweet, salty and sharp- the lemon is not necessary but adds a brightness to the flavor.

This salad is a winner.

Creamy Yukon Potato Salad

8-10 Yukon potatoes, gently scrubbed and washed , about 2 pounds

1 small red onion, minced

1 leafy stalk of celery, minced (with the leaves)

1t maple syrup or agave

1/2c Veganaise or another type prepared vegan mayonnaise

3T olive oil

1/4c red vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1T fresh lemon juice *optional

2t stone ground mustard

1-1/2t salt

1/2t ground black pepper

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2c water

1t salt

The Potatoes:

Place the cleaned potatoes into a medium sized pot. Cover ¾ the way with water and add 1T salt. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat and cover and cook them partially covered for 10-15 minutes, until they are tender but they still maintain their shape. Make sure they are cooked all the way through.

Drain them from the water and allow them to cool slightly making them easier to handle, about 2-3 minutes.

The Dressing:

In a large mixing bowl, add the other ingredients together, the minced onion, celery, sweetener (I used raw agave), Veganaise, vinegar, mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper. Coarsely slice the potatoes into the bowl- I like large chunks so I will quarter the potatoes depending on their size. Mindfully mix the potatoes into the dressing, trying not to smash the potatoes up to much. Adjust the seasoning before serving. Serve warm or chilled garnished with fresh parsley.

Grilled Tofu Caprese Summer Salad

So delicious and simple!!! Especially when you don’t feel like cooking in warm weather. I made the tofu this weekend and the basil pesto was from a couple of weeks ago stored in my fridge. I picked up gorgeous heirloom tomatoes at the Greenfield Farmer’s Market along with a beautiful, tender head of green leaf lettuce and more fresh basil- making the assembly of my lunch today a breeze.

Simple Grilled Tofu

1 pound extra firm tofu

2T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 large clove garlic, smashed and minced

1/2t pink salt

black pepper

Heat up the grill or grill pan.

Prepare the tofu:

Remove the tofu from the package and drain the water. Rinse and then place the tofu between to plates. Weight the tofu down in the sink with something over the top plate. Let press for at least 15 minutes to remove excess water. This makes for a “chewier” end result.

Slice the tofu in ¼-1/2” slices, an average block of tofu should yield 7-10 slices.

In a large plate, add the garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the tofu slices in the oil and set aside.

Over medium high heat, place the slices on the grill or pan and close the grill or cover the pan. Let grill for about 6-7 minutes. The slices should easily flip and have gorgeous markings- if not, they are not ready for turning. Once flipped, continue to grill for another 5-6 minutes.

Salt and pepper the slices again to taste.

Serve hot or cold.

On a bed of clean greens (arugala would be amazing also), layer the fresh tomato slices, brushing each one generously with pesto. Add the cold or hot grilled tofu on top. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, salt, fresh black pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

Eat immediately!!!

Amazing Chickpea Salad

Chickpea Salad

This is BOMB served in a wrap with fresh veggies and lettuce or in between your favorite sprouted whole grain or gluten free bread slices-

LOVE THIS! The celery really makes it taste like a mock tuna fish salad so don’t skimp! Feel free to choose other add-ins, like olives, herbs, fresh sweet peppers etc….

1 1/2c cooked chickpeas

2 stalks celery, minced

¼ red onion, super minced *opt

1/3c vegan mayonnaise

1t ume vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

2t dulse *opt (more like a tuna fish taste)

pinch cayenne pepper *opt

Place the drained chickpeas in a bowl and mash slightly with a fork or the backside of a large spoon. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined and well incorporated.

If you have a food processor, you can do all of the grunt work in it- start by processing the celery, then the onions- remove to the work bowl, then process the chickpeas by pulsing- not over processing, but letting the chickpeas stay somewhat intact- then add all other ingredients intot he work bowl and mix.

Summer Quinoa Salad

Summer Quinoa Salad

1 ripe avocado, pitted, and cubed

1 1/2c steamed quinoa

1T fresh basil

1/2c cooked, drained, chickpeas

½ tomato, small dice

2t fresh lemon juice or limejuice

1T Extra Virgin Olive oil

1/4t pink salt

Black pepper to taste

1T nutritional yeast

In a medium sized bowl, add the cooled quinoa (room temp is best), and all of the other ingredients. Toss well and season to taste. Serve with additional avocado and tomato slices. Summer Love.

Creamy Vegan Coleslaw

Creamy Vegan Coleslaw

1/2 head of green cabbage, shredded

1 medium carrot, shredded

1T maple syrup or raw agave or raw honey

1/2c veganaise or another type prepared vegan mayonnaise

2T olive oil

1/4c apple cider vinegar

1T salt

1/2t ground black pepper

Place the cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Sprinkle 1T of salt over the cabbage/ carrot mixture. Place a plate over it and let stand for 20 minutes. or longer. You can actually let the cabbage stand overnight to initiate fermentation- which makes the cabbage easier to digest.

Remove the plate and rinse the cabbage and drain well. In a large bowl, add the cabbage and the remaining ingredients; the mayonnaise, sweetener, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and pepper, and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. You may or may not need to salt the mixture.

Adjust the seasoning before serving.

Sesame Tahini Ginger Dressing

This dressing is to DIE FOR! Sooooooooo fricken yummy and easy to make. Tahini offers more protein than milk and plenty of calcium to boot. The ginger has been used in eastern medicine as a natural anti inflammatory and pain killer so after a killer HERO WOD this morning this was the perfect outfit to dress my salad up in. You can feel free to omit or add other flavors to this, I love it on the lemony side. Served over fresh salad greens with avocado is my favorite but it would be delicious as a sauce for steamed veggies or for GF buckwheat soba noodles as well.

Sesame Tahini Ginger Dressing

1/2c raw tahini

1/2c water

1 clove garlic, smashed

1t raw agave or honey

1T rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1T shoyu (raw) or tamari (GF)

2T extra virgin olive oil

1/4t pink salt or to taste

1 lemon, juiced

2T sesame seeds

1” piece of fresh ginger

1t hot sesame oil

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2T black or white sesame seeds- to be added to dressing after-*optional

In a blender, process all ingredients until smooth. Adjust seasonings for taste. This will set up in the fridge, you can thin it out by adding a bit more water and or lemon juice.

Buckwheat Soba Salad Bowl

Sesame Ginger Noodle Sauce

1/4c tamari

1/4c mirin

2t hot sesame oil

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

1″ fresh ginger, grated

1T water

1T extra virgin olive oil

1t raw agave or honey

1/4t cayenne pepper

1/2 lemon, juiced

Place all ingredients in a jar and set aside. You will not need all of the dressing however it is amazing to have on hand and in the fridge.

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Noodles

1 pound of 100% buckwheat soba

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the soba and cook until al dente. Rinse well with fresh water, then drain and set aside. Toss with oil (olive or hot sesame) to prevent them from sticking.

Salad fixings

1/2 cucumber, julienned

1 small carrot, julienned

2c fresh bean sprouts

1/4c snap peas, julienned

1/2 red pepper, julienned

1 ripe avocado, sliced

2T black sesame seeds

1 stalk celery, julienned

1/4c fresh cilantro, minced

fresh lime or lemon

salt & pepper to taste

Salad prep:

Toss all of the fresh vegetables except the avocado slices with the noodles, Dress with 1/4c of the noodle sauce- more or less to taste. Top with the fresh avocado. Adjust for flavor with salt, and squeeze fresh lime or lemon juice. Serve room temp or cold. Delicious the next day if there is any left over!

Zucchini & Buckwheat Noodle Salad

A mix of fresh, raw and wholesome, nutrient dense cooked yum in a bowl. Feel free to add more crisp vegetables like sprouts, grated carrots, snow peas, fresh mushrooms etc. Fast, quick, easy and uncomplicated, this dish packs a filling, nutritious bite in no time at all.

Noodles

1 Pound of 100% buckwheat soba

1 zucchini squash- spirulized ( you will need a spirulizer for this!

1/4 red pepper, minced or small dice

Salad Greens

I used red leaf lettuce in chiffonade or thinly sliced

toss with lemon juice

1 t hot sesame oil

salt & pepper

Set aside in serving bowl

Soba Sauce

I make a lot of this and have it in the fridge ready to go at ALL TIMES. Perfect quick toss for noodles or for dipping.

1/2c tamari

1/4c mirin

1″ piece of fresh ginger, grated or thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

2t hot sesame oil

1T water- if needed

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the soba and cook until al dente. Rinse well with fresh water, then drain and set aside.

Spirulize the squash, salt with about 1/2t pink salt and set in a colander in the sink for several minutes to soften.

In a large bowl, toss the cooled buckwheat noodles with the zucchini noodles and add your preference of Soba Sauce (to taste).

In a serving bowl, add the shredded greens (and any other fresh veggies you would like to your noodle bowl!) and the layer on a serving of dressed noodles. Top with the minced red pepper and serve warm or cold. FRICKEN DELICIOUS.