Tahini Slaw

Vegan Mofo Recipe #4

Tahini Slaw

Dressing:
3 tbsp tahini
3 lemons juiced
2-3 tbsp water
2 small garlic cloves
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp shoyu, soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp ginger
salt and pepper to taste

Salad:
1 kohlrabi, or you can use radishes
1 carrot
1 zucchini
1/4 red cabbage
1 head of butter lettuce

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in blender and blend till smooth.  Add more water, constancy should be a bit runny.

2. With a mandolin or sprilazer, cut all the salad ingredients except lettuce and cabbage.  Chop cabbage in thin small pieces.  Mix these ingredients and dressing together.

3. Place on top of butter lettuce.  You may season the lettuce with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Shaved Cauliflower Salad

Vegan MoFo Recipe #1

I really love this salad.  It's so unexpected.  Who would think that shaved cauliflower with make an amazing tasty base for a salad.  The hubs is also a bit obsessed with this salad, we have made it three times in the last two weeks and we can get enough.  The dates are what make the dressing nice and sweet and really very different, so please don't omit them.  

Cauliflower:

Normally I like to eat the rainbow.  But cauliflower is the one white vegetable that is great for you.  Cauliflower is high in thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), and folic acid (B9).  It is also a good source of vitamin C, potassium, and phosphorus.  It has been shown to have anti-cancer properties and is beneficial in decreasing inflammation in the body.  So basically it's awesome!

Shaved Cauliflower Salad

1/2 large cauliflower, I used both a regular white and a purple cauliflower
2-3 cups arugula, I have also made with radicchio or red cabbage, all are super tasty
1/2 cup walnuts
3 Tbsp dried currants
1 Tbsp honey

Sweet Date Dressing

1 tsp Dijion mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 water
2 lemons, juiced
5 medjool dates
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.   Mix walnuts and honey and place on baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes.  Take out of oven and cool.

2. Place all ingredients for dressing into a high speed blender and blend until nice and smooth.

3. Shave cauliflower with a mandolin or sharp knife.  Add remainder of ingredients and dressing and mix.  Serve and enjoy!

*** Adapted from happyyolks.com

Farro and Lentil Salad

I always am look for hearty dishes that are healthy and will keep you full.  This dish is an excellent example.  It is great to make ahead of time because it keeps really well in the fridge.  And trust me it is delicious!

What is Farro?

Farro has been showing up everywhere recently.  I feel that people are pushing away from white starchy grains to more complex carbohydrates like farro.  Farro, or elmer wheat, has been around for centuries.  It first began being cultivated in the Middle East during biblical times.  It is still very popular in Italy and now in the US.  It is a great replacement for rice dishes like risotto and it is a great way to eat a hearty meal while still eating healthy.

Farro and Lentil Salad

serves 4

2 cups Farro

1 cup split yellow peas

1/3 olive oil

1/4 white balsamic

2 tsp mustard

1 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/8 chili powder

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tsp sea salt or more

pepper to taste

1/4 cup raisins

1 small zucchini

3 handfuls of arugula

Directions:

1.  Cook farro in 5 cups of water for 45 minutes.  Or cook in pressure cooker for 15 minutes.

2.  Cook split yellow peas, in 2.5 cups of water for 25 minutes until soft.  Add additional water if needed.

3. Mix all ingredients for dressing in a bowling using a small whisk.

4.  Slice the zucchini into very thin round slices.  Mix all ingredients, except arugula into mixing bowl and mix together till very well combine.  Season with salt to taste.

4.  You can place this mixture into the fridge or eat right away.  Mix with arugula and chow down.

Kale and Fennel Salad

It is really important for me to eat healthy when I am at work.  I love bring fresh salads.  This salad in particular is awesome.  It tastes better the longer it sits in the dressing so it perfect.  I sometimes even make it the night before.  Kale is supper nutritious and hearty so it keep you full. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to massage the kale.  Now seriously you have to get into it!  Normally kale can be very bitter but once massage the kale softens and takes in the flavor from the dressing.  Yum!

Kale:

Kale is incredibly rich in vitamin K.  This powerful antioxidant has be shown to help reduce risk in developing cancer.  Kale is also rich in vitamin A and C. It is very low calorie, 1 cup has about 33 calories.  Talk about superfood!

Kale and  Fennel Salad

1 bunch kale

1 fennel bulb

1/4 cup dried currants

1/4 cup walnuts

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar, the sweeter the better

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Shaved fennel using mandolin or slice very thinly using a sharp knife.  Rinse kale and remove stems. Cut in bit sized pieces.

2. Combine all ingredients, except walnuts, in a mixing bowl.  Now to the most important part. Massage Massage Massage!  

3.  Mix in walnuts. You can also add some parmesan cheese to make it a little more rich.  Leave for at least 30 minutes to allow the kale to absorb the flavors. Enjoy.

*** If you want it a little more creamy I would add 1/2 an avocado.

Vegan Caprese Salad

I made this for breakfast the other day when I was craving something a little more substantial then a smoothie.  It's heirloom tomato season in California and I couldn't be more excited.  I normally leave the market with 5 or more pounds of delicious ripe tomatoes and generally can eat them sliced with just a little salt.  I used the the vegan pesto sauce recipe from the zucchini pasta recipe I posted a couple of days ago.  It's a great thing to have on hand.  

Vegan Caprese Salad

Serves one as main meal, or two for appetizer

1 large heirloom tomato

1/2 avocado

2 Tbsp Vegan Pesto Sauce (recipe Zucchini Pasta)

1 Tbsp almond milk

1 Tbsp olive oil

1-2 tsp truffle oil

1 cup arugula

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice tomatoes and arrange on plant. Place sliced avocado on each tomato.  

2.  Mix the pesto sauce, almond milk, and oils into a mixing bowl.  Place a dolup on each tomato slice. 

3. Place arugula into mixing bowl and mix with remaining sauce.  If needed add extra olive oil.  Place mixing arugula onto middle of the plate.  Enjoy.   

Thai Green Bean Salad

I love me some thai food.  This version  of green bean salad is refreshing with a kick. Great as a side dish for some pad thai or curry.

Thai Green Bean Salad

4 cups Green beans, I used three colors, cut off end and cut into bite size pieces
3 herluim tomatoes, diced
4 tbsp cilantro, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
2 tbsp tamari
2 tsp honey
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
1/4-1/2 cup raw peanuts
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  With a mortar and pestle pound garlic and jalapeno.

2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Place in fridge for one hour is best. I had a hungry husband on my hands so we ate it right away.