Although summer is coming to an end it doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy a delicious salad. Actually, it is the perfect time of year to eat more salads and eat up all the goodness from your garden, if you have one. My garden has been bursting with kale, yellow squash and so much more! In this picture you see my Tower Garden is bursting with fresh kale!
In this blog I will share with you five of my favourite salads. These salads can be made to be a full meal or as a side dish with a delicious veggie burger, sandwich or other main dish.
RAINBOW COLESLAW SALAD
This slaw takes a spin on the tradition coleslaw and is bursting with colour. You can serve this salad as it is or add to a bed of roaming lettuce to make a more traditional salad dish.
Ingredients for salad:
- 1/2 green cabbage, chopped
- 1/2 red cabbage, chopped
- 1/2 large beet (or 1 medium), grated
- 4 small carrots (or 2 large), grated
Ingredients for dressing:
- 2/3 cup Veganese
- 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp onion, chopped
- 1 large garlic glove, minced
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Directions:
- Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- In another bowl use a hand blender, Vitamix blender or whisk the dressing ingredients.
- Pour dressing on top of salad.
- Toss and serve along side a delicious veggie burger.
KING KALE SALAD
Kale is a green that I consider to be the king of greens. It is delicious and packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants! It is for a sure a green that needs it’s place in every balanced diet!
To share with you my love of kale here is one of my favourite kale salad recipes.
Ingredients:
- 1 head curly green kale, washed, dried, stems removed, and chopped
- 1 tomato
- 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 date, chopped
- ½ cup cranberries
- 1 Tbsp. hemp seeds
- 1 avocado
- 1 green apple, sliced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 Tbsp cold pressed olive oil
- Pinch of sea salt
Directions:
- Place the kale, olive oil, lemon juice and salt in a bowl
- Massage the kale to break down the fibres and soften the leaves.
- Add remaining ingredients except apple
- Toss until all ingredients are mixed
- Top with apple slices and serve.
QUINOA SALAD
Quinoa is considered an ancient grain, as it is part of the amaranth family. It is a light, gluten-free, alternative to rice and is contains a healthy balance of energy giving carbohydrates and tissue-building protein.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dry quinoa
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 20 basil leaves, minced
- 1 large tomato, seeded and finely diced
- ¾ English cucumber, peeled in strips
- ¼ cup parsley, minced
- 4 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
- 3 to 5 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tbsp low Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
- ½ tsp fennel seed
Directions:
- Place quinoa and vegetable broth in a saucepan, cover, turn heat to high and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and let simmer until cooked and and fluffy (about 15 minutes).
- Set aside and allow to cool.
- In the meantime, chop up veggies, add remaining ingredients and place in a large bowl.
- Once cooled, add quinoa and mix thoroughly.
- Serve immediately or allow to sit for about an hour to let the flavours blend.
SWEET ONION & BEET SALAD WITH LEMON DILL ‘CREAM CHEEZE’
If you love salads with goat cheese but no longer want to eat dairy products you will love this salad. The lemon dill cream cheeze is a delicious plant-based cheese you can add to any salad or sandwich in place of dairy cheese.
Ingredients for the salad:
- 6 small beets
- Mesclun greens, arugula, or spinach
Directions for the salad:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Wash beets, wrap in aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- When cool, slip off the skins and cut into thin slices.
Ingredients for the dressing:
- 3 Tbsp dijon mustard
- ¼ cup sweet onion, chopped
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup olive oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp sea salt
Directions for the dressing:
- Mix ingredients together in a blender or with a hand mixer.
Ingredients for the lemon dill ‘cream cheeze:’
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp dill weed
- 1 clove garlic
- pinch of sea salt
Directions for the lemon dill cream cheeze:’
- Place all ingredients in food processor and mix until it is the consistency you desire and resembles cheese.
- Add additional lemon juice as required for taste and consistency.
To serve:
- Place one large handful of greens in the centre of the plate.
- Arrange desired amount of beets around the outside of the plate.
- Place cream cheese on top of greens.
- Optional: Serve as is or with homemade crackers.
CUCUMBER CARROT SALAD WITH CUCUMBER DILL DRESSING
This salad is light, flavourful and packed with wholesome nutrients such as protein and healthy fats. The dressing on this salad makes an excellent vegetable dip as well.
Ingredients:
- 2 cucumbers, 1 chopped into bite sized pieces & 1 for the dressing
- ½ cup carrot, grated
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill
- Pinch black pepper and salt to taste
Directions:
- Place cucumber and carrot in a mixing bowl.
- Blend remaining ingredients in a blender until smooth.
- Drizzle on top of salad.
- Toss and serve immediately.
AVOCADO TOMATO SALAD
This salad reminds me of a caprese salad but with avocado instead of mozzarella cheese. Serve with or without the leafy greens.
Ingredients:
- 2 avocados, diced
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 1 small can of corn, drained
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ cup fresh basil
- 2-4 cups leafy greens (romaine, spinach)
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- dash of sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients together and serve.
FRESH FRUIT SALAD
Fruit salad is a lovely salad to have as a healthy brunch item or a post-meal sweet treat. Feel free to add whatever fruits you love to this salad and make it your own creation.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup fresh raspberries
- ¼ cup fresh blueberries
- ¼ cup fresh blackberries
- ¼ cup fresh strawberries, chopped
- ¼ cup pineapple, chopped
- 1 kiwi, peeled and chopped
- 1 mango, peeled and chopped
- 1 apple, chopped
- 1 orange, juiced
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds
Directions:
- Mix all fruit in a bowl.
- Top with orange juice and hemp seeds.
- Stir and enjoy.
As you can see from these recipes salads don’t have to be boring or complicated. Add pretty much anything to a bowl and call it a salad.
If you want more delicious recipes like this please click here check out my recipe books.
Until next time,
Namaste.
Rachel Joy Olsen, BSc., MBA
Author & founder of LivingMeatLESS.com