Feast on this vegan Caesar salad recipe and forget that you’re filling up on greens. It’s that delicious!

It’s hard enough to get your family (and yourself) to eat enough greens, so why go the extra healthy mile by compromising on the most delicious part, aka the dressing? This recipe for a vegan Caesar salad doesn’t cut corners in the name of health – it magnifies them in the name of flavor. The modifications just happen to be healthier.

In a regular Caesar salad, there are Parmesan cheese and croutons atop romaine lettuce, which is then dressed with an egg, oil, and anchovy mixture — the traditional Caesar salad dressing. Often, chicken is part of the mix (fyi: this recipe doesn’t try to replace the chicken – it just nixes it altogether).

If you’re using a store-bought creamy Caesar salad dressing, the ingredients list is a lot more suspect, with add-ins such as soy, sugar, sodium lactate, phosphoric acid, whey, and preservatives.

The truth is, you don’t need dairy to accomplish a creamy texture and thick, filling dressing consistency. In fact, you only need some tried-and-true plant-based ingredients to get the job done. As for the other Caesar salad features, consider those open for variation.

Vegan Caesar Salad Recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 heads romaine lettuce, rinsed, dried, and chopped
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons ground almonds
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• Optional: Gluten-free croutons
• Optional: Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds

Directions

In a blender, add the mustard, nutritional yeast, ground almonds, garlic cloves, water, lemon juice, soy sauce, and olive oil. Blend until smooth. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, and white pepper and blend for another few seconds.

In a large bowl, add the chopped romaine lettuce and drizzle it with the Caesar salad dressing. Add in the croutons and Daiya mozzarella cheese shreds. Use tongs to toss and fold the salad together so that all of the romaine leaves are evenly coated with the dressing.

Serve and enjoy!

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Add a little sophistication to your next salad with this protein-packed salad Nicoise recipe.

Everything sounds better in French, even if the term is describing something as simple as a salad. Salad Nicoise (better written: Niçoise) is a high-protein salad composed of tomatoes, tuna, hard-boiled eggs, Nicoise olives, and anchovies. Luxuriating in a simple anchovy-lemon dressing, it is perfection on a plate. For a little more France-inspired sophistication and tried-and-true structure to your otherwise freestyle salad creations, try this salad Nicoise recipe and revel in its delicious simplicity.

Other salad Nicoise variations include the addition of raw red peppers, green beans, baked potatoes, shallots, shrimp, and artichoke hearts. Add them to your heart’s desire, but always keep the following salad Nicoise recipe as your comfortable base. It has a restaurant-style feel that is concocted in the four walls of your kitchen.

And, if you are afraid or grossed out by the anchovy, nix it altogether. However, you’d be surprised how dramatic of a difference in makes in the flavor profile of the salad.

Salad Nicoise Recipe with Anchovy-Lemon Dressing

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the dressing

• 12 ounces tuna, flaked
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ red onion, chopped
• 1 anchovy fillet, drained
• ½ garlic clove, minced and mashed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Dash of sea salt

For the salad

• 2 large handfuls of lettuce
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• ½ cup whole black olives, pitted
• 1/4 cup red onion, sliced
• 3 hard boiled eggs, cooled, peeled, and thinly sliced

Directions

For the dressing, mash the anchovy filet, garlic, and sea salt in the bottom of a small bowl. Fold in the mayonnaise, tuna, mustard, and red onion until evenly combined. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon, and honey. Stir together the two liquid mixtures until evenly combined.

In a separate, large bowl, toss all the salad ingredients together, except for the hard boiled eggs, and then fold in the dressing until all the ingredients are lightly coated with the dressing. Once all is mixed and served, top each plate with hard-boiled egg slices. Enjoy!

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Salad Nicoise Image from Shutterstock

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Jason Wyrick, executive chef of The Vegan Taste and author of “Vegan Tacos” contributed this recipe to Gene Baur’s “Living the Farm Sanctuary Life” book. 

Says Jason: “This salad, typically made with whatever fresh oranges are on hand and made with blood oranges here, is a popular winter dish throughout the south of Italy.

Fennel and red onion are popular additions, but my favorite version (this one) concentrates on the interplay of the sweetness of the oranges, the saltiness of the olives, the pop of the basil, and the smoothness of the olive oil. It showcases one of the quintessential elements of Italian cuisine, namely that you don’t need complicated recipes to make outstanding food. You only need outstanding ingredients and the willingness to let them speak for themselves.”

Makes 2 servings

Time to Make: 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 blood oranges or oranges of your choice, peeled and carefully chopped into bite size pieces
3 tablespoons chopped oil cured pitted black olives or
1⁄4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1⁄4 cup finely sliced basil leaves
1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good-quality extra-virgin olive oil (preferably with a peppery finish)
1⁄4 cup thinly sliced fennel, if in season, optional

Directions

In a large bowl, toss together the oranges, olives, basil, pepper, oil, and fennel, if using. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes before serving. Make it low fat by omitting the oil.

Reprinted from “Living the Farm Sanctuary Life” by Gene Baur with Gene Stone. © 2015 by Gene Baur. Photographs © 2015 by Rodale Inc. By Permission of Rodale Books. Available wherever books are sold.

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The post Blood Orange, Olive, and Basil Salad Recipe appeared first on EcoSalon.

In the summer, we naturally crave lighter foods. However, your go-to raw salad recipe can become a bore if you repeat it daily. There are ways to enjoy the elements of a salad without taking part in the salad experience. Here’s how.

To tackle this new-age raw salad recipe, you’ll need a tough-skinned dark green that can serve as a “wrap” for regularly salad add-ins. In my take of this concept, I use collard greens to roll around julienned raw veggies and sprouts. To bring more bulk, taste and a sense of cohesion to the mix, I add raw hummus. The resulting raw hummus collard roll salad recipe is 100 percent raw, light, delicious and filling. Enjoy!

There are many ways you can alter this recipe to fit your tastes. I use carrots, cucumber and scallions as my veggie add-ins, mostly because I enjoy the crunch, but you can opt for softer veggies or even fruits, like sliced mango or melon. I also use cilantro, because I like the clean taste, but this can most certainly be swapped with fresh basil, mint, oregano, marjoram or parsley. As far as spices go, take the flavor wherever you heart desires! Try this recipe out first to get a hang of how the elements come together, especially with the raw hummus, and then personalize it the next time.

Chickpeas are excellent cooked, but they are the most nutritionally beneficially when germinated. Soaking in water allows the dried chickpeas to leach enzyme inhibitors and effectively become alive. You want the enzymes, not the inhibitors! Sprouting also increases chickpeas’ nutritional profile – protein increases by 20 percent, nucleic acid by 30 percent and certain vitamins as much as by 500 percent.

Convinced yet? Here’s how to make raw sprouted hummus and put it in a collard roll for the ultimate summer raw salad recipe.

Raw Hummus Collard Roll Salad Recipe

Serves 2

For the raw hummus:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas to make 2 cups sprouted chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons raw tahini
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Water, by the tablespoon, if needed to thin out the consistency

For assembly:

• 8-10 flat collard leaves, stems carefully removed
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 1 large red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 large green bell pepper, julienned
• 1 large cucumber, julienned
• 2 scallions, julienned
• 2 large handfuls sprouts
• Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

Place the beans in a large bowl or mason jar and fill with water. Let them soak overnight, for 8-12 hours. The next day, rinse and drain. Return to the container and cover with a sprouting lid or cheese cloth. Leave at room temperature and rinse and drain every 12 hours. After two days, they will have sprouted.

Place the chickpeas into a food processor. Pulse. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the olive oil. Mix until grainy, then while the processor continuously mixes, drizzle in the olive oil. Blend until smooth. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin out the hummus until it reaches desired consistency.

For the assembly, lay the collard green leaves in front of you. There will be 16-20 halves created, after the stems are removed. work with 1 half at a time. Place it in front of you so that the small edge is facing you. Place 1 piece of the carrot, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and cucumber so that their lengths are spanning across the bottom edge of the leaf. Dollop a tablespoon or two of the hummus atop the veggies and then add a bit of the sprouts and cilantro. Starting from the bottom edge of the leaf, roll it over the add-ins and unto itself until you reach the other end of the leaf. Repeat with the other collard green halves.

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Photo Credit: Melody Polakow

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This apring, all focus is on lighter foods, even around a holiday table. Green peas are a great way to get your vegan protein without loading up on hard-to-digest meat, or even tofu. This pea salad recipe combines peas with a light but delicious vinaigrette as well as some spices, herbs, and cheese. Enjoy!

Now, when it comes to salads, you can go in any direction by substituting in other ingredients that fit your taste preferences. For example, instead of feta cheese, why not use soft goat cheese or cheddar cubes? Instead of parsley, why not mint or basil? Take this salad in any direction you like, but still keep the essential components: peas, cheese, and a fatty and tangy vinaigrette. Enjoy as a side dish at Easter dinner or as a light lunch on Easter day.

Spring Pea Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the peas:

• 1 pound bag frozen peas, thawed
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped (or try mint or basil)
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or chopped
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup pistachios, lightly chopped

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup high quality extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all the pea ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Pour the vinaigrette over the peas and lightly toss. Serve and enjoy!

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Photo Credit: Jeremy Keith

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 Try this delicious potato, olive and watercress salad recipe as you ring in the spring season!

Watercress is a definite sign of spring, and an incredibly tasty and healthy one. Watercress often grows in water, found in clean streams and near springs. It is an amazing source of phytonutrients and antioxidants, and contains vast amounts of vitamin K alongside vitamins A and C.

Eating watercress daily has been shown to reduce DNA damage to blood cells, and recent studies have demonstrated that watercress may contain anticancer properties, especially in the case of breast cancer. So combine this tasty and useful green with hearty potatoes and zesty olives for a wonderful springtime treat!

Serves 4

Ingredients

10 small, organic potatoes (yellow or red), washed
1 tablespoon organic coconut oil (or other oil)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon organic black pepper
1 teaspoon organic paprika
2 teaspoons organic lemon juice
1 teaspoon organic apple cider vinegar (or other fruit vinegar)
1 tablespoon organic olive oil
1 cup organic Greek olives (kalamata or green), diced
1 bunch organic watercress, coarsely chopped
zest of half an organic lemon

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the potatoes on a baking tray, melt the coconut oil and drizzle it over the potatoes and sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

While the potatoes are roasting, whisk together lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil, and then set aside. Dice the olives, chop the watercress and zest the lemon and toss together in your serving bowl.

Once the potatoes are ready, slice them or break them in half and toss them with the cress and olives. Drizzle the lemon juice dressing on top and serve immediately.

Image: jamieanne

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Zucchini is one of those vegetables I never fathomed eating raw. Until I tried this salad recipe.

Avoiding gluten? Zucchini serves as a great replacement to noodles in pasta recipes and subs as a great base for a salad when you want a little more bulk with each bite.

Zucchini has 36 calories per serving and delivers 10 percent of the recommended daily allowance of dietary fiber in just one cup. It is also high in manganese (19 percent of the recommended daily allowance in one cup), vitamin A and vitamin C. To boost nutrition even higher, add other spiralize-apropos veggies to the mix, such as carrots, jicama, beets, and radishes.

The following salad recipe incorporates shoe-string zucchini with a rich tomato and tahini dressing. It’s completely raw, and completely delicious. Enjoy!

Salad Recipe: Raw Spiralized Zucchini Salad with Tomato & Tahini Dressing

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchinis, spiralized
• 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or nama shoyu for vegans)
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 garlic clove
• 1-inch nob fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions: Spiralize the zucchinis, or grate it into small pieces if you don’t have a spiralizer. Blend the remainder of the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Fold the dressing into the zuchinni and serve.

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Image Credit: GlowKitchen

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Do it once and you will see the wisdom of grilling sliced eggplant in batches, allowing them to cool completely, and then freezing them in single layers in large freezer bags.

When you have them on hand, you can make this salad in just minutes. The combination of flavors in this vibrant salad is delicious and unusual. Bocconcini (“small mouthfuls”) are small mozzarella balls packed in water or olive oil; they can be found in most supermarkets.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds
Olive oil, for brushing the grill pan
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, plus
2 tablespoons of their oil
½ cup bocconcini packed in oil
6 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the eggplant slices in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Set
aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a grill or heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush the
pan with olive oil.

Pat the eggplant slices dry and grill until translucent and charred, about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet and bake until soft, about 10 minutes. (At this point, the
cooked eggplant can be stored in resealable plastic bags and frozen for up to 3 months. To use,
thaw at room temperature until softened.)

Place the eggplant slices on a serving plate. Scatter the sun-dried tomatoes over, then drizzle
the tomato oil on top. Scatter the bocconcini and basil on top. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar
and season with salt and pepper before serving. The dish can be made a day in advance,
covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

This recipe appears courtesy of  The Modern Menu. Simple. Beautiful. Kosher. By Kim Kushner

Photograph by Andrew Zuckerman

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The unmistakeable sweetness of beets, paired with the spice of cumin and red pepper, make this salad recipe one for all seasons.

In addition to the warm heat of cumin, I use crushed red pepper flakes to add a little fire to this colorful salad. The contrast between the sweet beets and hot pepper is addictive. I wear rubber gloves when handling beets to prevent my hands from staining; the ruby red spots can last for days!

Serves 6 to 8

 Ingredients

4 large beets, stem and roots removed, well scrubbed
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pushed through a garlic press
2 teaspoons cumin powder
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the unpeeled beets in a large pot and fill with enough cold water to cover. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer, uncovered, until the beets are easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Drain and cool for 10 minutes.

Wearing gloves if you like, peel the skins from the beets (they should come off easily). Slice thinly. (I use a crinkle cutter knife that creates zigzag slices.) In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, oil, garlic, cumin, and pepper flakes. Place the beets in a large bowl, pour the dressing over, and toss to coat thoroughly. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve cold or at room temperature. The salad can be refrigerated, covered tightly, up to 1 week.

This recipe appears courtesy of  The Modern Menu. Simple. Beautiful. Kosher. By Kim Kushner

Photograph by Andrew Zuckerman

The post A Spicy Spring Delight: Cumin-Spiced Beet Salad Recipe appeared first on EcoSalon.

Why wait for summer to enjoy salad? This marinated vegetable salad recipe is a delight anytime of the year. Simple to make and full of flavor and crunch, you may even want to double the recipe to make sure there’s enough to go around.

The longer this salad marinates, the more flavorful it is. It’s my go-to summer Sunday night salad; I make enough to last for the week!

Marinated Vegetable Salad

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

1 pound haricots verts, trimmed
4 carrots, peeled and cut into thin julienne
2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1 large bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
½ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 Directions

Combine the haricots verts, carrots, snap peas, edamame, asparagus, onion, ginger, rice vinegar, sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a gallon-size resealable bag or a rigid container and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour or up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving.

This recipe appears courtesy of  The Modern Menu. Simple. Beautiful. Kosher. By Kim Kushner

Photograph by Andrew Zuckerman

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