That Was Vegan?

Recipes so delicious you'll never think twice!

Category Archives: Salad

Asian Spinach Salad

First, thank you so much for all the best wishes and wonderfully heartfelt comments on my last two posts about my dad passing away. Your kind words truly did help.

Vegan Asian Spinach Salad

But, since this is a food blog and not a bereavement blog, (and since I know my dad wouldn’t want me to wallow), I’m going to focus on moving ahead and getting back into the swing of things! And I’m starting with some deeeelish Asian Spinach Salad that I think is just perfect for the warm spring and summer weather that is (hopefull?) finally upon us. Of course, we had a snowstorm on Wednesday and a blizzard just last week, but it’s May now so I’m going to assume the snow is behind us.

I first made this salad about a month ago, on a warm day. I had gone for a short hike after work and didn’t even make it into the kitchen until after 7, and really wanted something quick and delicious, but still healthy. Of course, there’s oil in this salad so it’s not the healthiest, but there’s also spinach so let’s just go ahead and pretend that counteracts the oil, k? Besides the spinach there are so many flavors and textures: the crunchy water chestnuts (a favorite of mine!), the sweet n’ tangy oranges, and all the healthy seeds and sprouts.

This was a veganization from my secret Pinterest board (no one can follow that one, but you should totally be following my other boards!), and other than subbing in my chicken-style seitan I didn’t make too many other changes, I just reduced the oil a bit and added mandarin oranges and green onions. This salad would be perfect for a picnic or just a simple summer dinner enjoyed on your patio!

ALSO… Make sure you check back Monday for another giveaway! I had the opportunity to watch the most touching documentary, and I have TWO copies to share with you guys!

Asian Spinach Salad (makes two servings as the main dish)

If you want a lighter meal, you can totally skip the seitan. Adapted from non-vegan/vegetarian recipe.

Ingredients:

For the salad

  • 1/2 bag of baby spinach
  • 4 ounces of bowtie pasta, cooked, rinsed and cooled
  • 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/2+ can water chestnuts, sliced
  • 1 loaf chicken-style seitan, chopped
  • 1/2 cup bean sprouts
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 small can mandarin oranges, drained

For the dressing

  • 1/4 cup oil (a mix of 4 parts canola, 1 part sesame… doesn’t have to be precise)
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1.5 Table spoons rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • a couple cracks of fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. Mix the dressing ingredients together and place in fridge.
  2. Toss the salad ingredients together, then add dressing right before you’re ready to serve. If you need more dressing, just drizzle some more soy sauce and/or sesame oil over the top. Mix well and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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Chik’n Salad with Cranberries and Pistachios

Chik'n Salad with Cranberries and Pistachios #vegan

Oh man, do I love sandwiches. Love ‘em! And quite possibly, the one I love most of all is this Vegan Chicken Salad Sandwich, complete with chewy cranberries and crunchy pistachios!

Back when I was an omnivore, chicken salad was always a favorite of mine, but thankfully those days are long behind me.

Long side story: I still remember the last time I ate chicken, it was chicken schnitzel in Heidelberg, Germany right before climbing the hill to tour Schloss Heidelberg (in flip-flops no less… I don’t recommend it). Such a beautiful city, and an amazing castle. Everything I saw of Germany was wonderful, actually. I would absolutely go back again (any German readers that want me to come visit? I’ll cook for you! ;) )

It’s funny I remember that, isn’t it? I was still transitioning to vegetarianism (this was mid 2008), and had managed to eat veg my whole trip up till that point. Thankfully I was traveling with a co-worker who spoke a lot of German and had a wife who was vegetarian, so he was able to help me out with ordering. I don’t know why I had chicken that day, certainly I could’ve chosen a salad. I suppose this is why I’m so supportive of people who are transitioning slowly – my own journey absolutely had its starts, stops, detours and cliffs!

I also remember the last time I ate pork. We had gone out for bbq, and I hadn’t eaten meat in a couple of months. Let’s just say it didn’t agree with me, and from that day forward I was pescatarian, which lasted for about a month. I live in Colorado for crying out loud, so the only fish in my life was from McDonald’s and that seemed a pitiful reason for hanging on to eating any flesh at all. In fact, the last fish I ate was from McDonald’s. We had ordered a pizza which never showed up at the house and I was a starving, grumpy mess. And still used to relying on fast food. I know, I know, excuses… but like I said, detours and cliffs! Anyway, that was the last little fishy (or parts thereof) that I’ve knowingly consumed.

Which (somehow?) brings us back around to the Vegan Chik’n Salad Sandwich pictured here:

Chik'n Salad with Cranberries and Pistachios #vegan

It’s truly delicious and, in my humble opinion, good enough to make an omnivore ask “That was vegan?”. Soy curls are so chicken-esque it’s a little scary, and as I’ve said before, there are some great vegan mayos out there!. And oh my lordy, those chewy sweet cranberries, crisp apples and crunchy pistachios are the star of the show anyway! This truly is a chik’n salad sandwich, all grown up!

Chik’n Salad with Cranberries and Pistachios (makes 4-5 hearty sandwiches)

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups dry soy curls
  • 1 small granny smith apples diced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 scant dashes of apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
  • 5-6 Tablespoons vegan mayo (more or less, depending on how creamy you want the salad to be)
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries (such as Craisens)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • a pinch of thyme

Directions:

  1. Soak the soy curls in very warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze all excess water out of them, then roughly chop the larger pieces and set aside.
  2. While the soy curls are soaking, mix the diced apple and vinegar, draining out any excess.
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine the apples with all other ingredients, stirring well. Check for seasoning, then chill for at least 30 minutes, covered. Serve as desired (sandwich, on crackers, etc)

Enjoy!

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Grilled Beet Salad with Almonds and Dried Cranberries

Just a friendly reminder to pretty please, if you’re not terribly busy- please go vote for me! I entered my Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas in Ethical Ocean’s Summer Recipe contest and since I never win anything, well… you don’t want to see me cry, do you? ;) You do need to sign up in order to vote, but it just takes a sec.

I mentioned this salad last week- it was my first contribution to OneGreenPlanet.org, a really great site if you haven’t checked it out yet! Lots of information on animal welfare, environmental issues, and- of course- vegan food!

This salad was inspired by a trip to the farmers market, and is also reminiscent of a meal I had at a restaurant a while back- a roasted beet salad. I love roasted beets, but who the heck wants to turn their ovens on right now? Not moi, so I decided to grill those red beauties.  I’m glad I did, too, because they turned out great. They still have that slightly sweet, almost earthy taste that beets do, but grilling added another layer of hearty smokiness. It also added the beautiful grill marks which photograph so well!

Vegan Grilled Beet Salad with Almonds and Dried Cranberries

Crunchy almonds and sweetened dried cranberries round out the flavor nicely. This is a very light, healthy lunch, perfect for a hot summer day!

Grilled Beet Salad with Almonds and Dried Cranberries (4 servings)

The olive oil allowed me to place the beets directly on the grill. If you’re prefer, you can also use a small amount of non-stick spray on a sheet of aluminum foil. If you end up with leftover beets, just stick them in the fridge. They reheat wonderfully!

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch fresh beets (4-5 beets, each about the size of a small apple)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 cups spring mix, or lettuce of choice
  • 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • Balsamic dressing

Directions:

  1. Trim the greens and ends off the beets, and peel off the skin. Your fingers will start to look a little red, but never fear- a little dish soap and a scrubby sponge will that right off! Slice the beets about 1/2 inch thick, and brush on a small amount of olive oil.
  2. Place the beets (oiled side down) on the grill over medium-low heat, then brush a small amount of oil on the tops.  Sprinkle with salt and (if desired) pepper, and close the grill lid. Leave for 8-10 minutes, then flip the beets and leave on for another 7-8 minutes. Keep an eye on them for charring, and depending on your grill they may need an extra minute or two. When they’re done, remove from the grill and cut the slices into halves or quarters.
  3. While the beets are grilling, lay your lettuce out on the plates. Top with the warm beets (5-6 pieces per salad) and sprinkle with the cranberries and almonds (2 tablespoons per salad). Drizzle with your favorite balsamic dressing and serve.

Enjoy!

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Make That Salad Better: Agave-Chili Baked Walnuts

Agave Chili Baked Walnuts

Agave-Chili Baked Walnuts

In my last Make That Salad Better post, I shared with you a little about how many salads I eat. TONS. I’m not complaining- since I’ve started incorporating more raw veggies into my diet, I’ve never felt better! But chewing that much lettuce can get all sorts of monotonous, so I like to add fun toppings to keep things interesting. We’ve all had walnuts similar to these in restaurants, and although a recipe probably isn’t needed, I still wanted to share.

These baked walnuts are quick and easy to make, and use minimal ingredients. If you have walnuts on hand, you probably already have everything you need! These also make an excellent snack, sans lettuce :)

Also, I wanted to thank everyone who shared their thoughts with me on bugs! It was an interesting discussion, and I’m glad to know I’m not the only vegan who struggles with this. And lest anyone suspect I’m heartless to all of the creepy-crawly creatures, I wanted to share a picture of my pal William. We met while I was weeding last weekend:

Worm

I actually found a ton of those little fellas while I was digging around with my little garden tools. It reminded me of that scene in Seven Years in Tibet, when HHDL made Brad Pitt stop digging so they wouldn’t accidentally kill any worms. I was very careful, and every worm I came across was moved to a nice shady spot. And the next morning when I saw the robins eating worms in that nice shady spot, well… I just tried not to think about it.

And yes, those are So Delicious gloves! They came with my ice cream shipment, and I’ve been using them around the house every since.

Agave-Chili Baked Walnuts (Makes enough to top 4-5 salads)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (or just halved, whatever you prefer)
  • 2 T plus 1 t Agave
  • 3/4 t chili powder (I used a NM blend)
  • 1/2 t (plus more if you’d like) sea salt
  • Dash of cinnamon
  • Parchment paper

Directions:

  1. In a small pan, heat the agave over low heat just until it gets thin and liquid-y, then stir in the chili powder, salt and cinnamon.
  2. Stir in the walnuts, just until they’re pretty evenly coated.
  3. Pour onto a parchment paper-covered baking sheet, making sure they’re not too clumped together and aren’t piled upon one another.
  4. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring 2-3 times. Keep an eye on them though- you don’t want them to burn.
  5. While they’re in the oven, cover a plate with another piece of parchment paper. When the walnuts are done, pour them immediately onto the plate. Sprinkle with a little extra salt, if you’re a salt fiend like me. Once they’re cool, you can break them apart and store them in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

 

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Massaged Kale Salad with Avocado and Carrots

What’s this? A bonus Thursday post? Hooray :)   Just a quick reminder to enter the So Delicious giveaway, and I wanted to share with you the salad I had for dinner last night: Massaged Kale with Avocado and Carrots… so good!

Vegan Massaged Kale Salad with Avocado and Carrots

Massaged Kale Salad with Avocado and Carrots

Delicious, easy and HEALTHY! It took about 5 minutes to prep, then I just let it sit for 30 minutes while I did other stuff, to give the kale time to soften. The recipe came from Whole Foods, check it out here.

You also need to check THIS out… Cooper doing his impersonation of a squished frog:

Cocker spanial... or frog?

That’s how he likes to spread out on the kitchen floor while I’m cooking- ain’t he the silliest?? Have a great Thursday and I’ll be back tomorrow with a lunch recipe that’s sure to please!

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