Quick White bean Salad

I love this one. It's quick and tasty and great to bring for gatherings with friends.

2 cans white beans
1 can corn
1/2 jar roasted red bell peppers
3 tbsp Red wine vinegar
5 olive oil (I half it with flax seed oil for some omega 3s)
Salt & Pepper to taste but optional

You can sprinkle some fresh or dry cilantro or parsley or whatever ... your choice :-)

Rince all the beans and corn in a colander with cold water to get the slime off.
Put all the liquids in the salad bowl and whisk it together. Fork will work just fine. Add the beans and herbs and toss together. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Tofu Egg-less Salad

I pack Firm Tofu - Drain and water squeezed
2 stalks Celery finely chopped
4 pc Green Onions finely chopped
3 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1/3 c Vegan Mayo (We love Vegenaise)
2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Garlic powder

Mix & mash all together with fork. Chill and serve on a toast or in sandwich.

Spinach & Beets Salad with Cranberry Dressing

Butter Bean Mushroom Salad

1/2 sm bag of dry large white Lima/Butter beans (I'd say you could use 2 cans as well)
1 large pck of Mushrooms - slice
6 pc Green Onions
1 c chopped parsley or cilantro
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 c olive or flax seed oil
1 Lemon - juiced

Soak the beans over night and cook al dente. Those type of beans overcook easily as I learned the hard way. 40 minutes might be enough. Watch it closely.
Slice the mushrooms and slightly saute for about 3-4 minutes.

Chop the green onions and parsley. Put in a large bowl and mix with all remaining ingredients together.
Drizzle with the oil and lemon juice
 
We eat it warm. Great with warm whole grain pitta bread. Enjoy :-)

Quinoa Salad

This one is made from what was at home so I am pretty much guessing the amounts of ingredients. But I think you cannot go wrong with any alterations you make to your likings so go ahead and try it. :-)

3 c cooked guinea
3 stalk of celery chopped very small
3 green onions chopped
1 carrot grated
1 can of black olives (I half them)
1 c raisins (this time I used small bag of dry cranberries and raisins)
1/2 c sunflower seeds (you can use pine nuts too. Or chop and roast walnuts)
1/2 bag of sun dried tomatoes (about 8-10) cut the with scissors on tiny strips
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp Garlic powder

1/4 c Olive oil
3-4 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
Lemon (optional)

Basically toss it all together and pour the dressing over it. If you like it bit sour especially during warm weather in summer add the lemon. Its quite refreshing
Chill and ready to serve.

Endive Salad

4 nice firm Endives
1 Orange
1/2 cup slivered Roasted Almonds
1 grated Carrot

1 small Lemon
2-3 tbsp Flax seed Oil
Salt to taste - 1/2 tsp

Optional - You can also add either
4 oz crumbled Blue Cheese = Lacto
or
1 cup Dried Cranberries = still vegan

Squeeze and mix lemon juice with the flax seed oil and salt and whisk in a salad bowl.
Cut the Endives into circles.
Peal the orange, take apart and cut into small pieces.
Grate the carrot and mix with all the veggies into the dressing.
Mix in the almonds and one or both of the optional items (Cheese or dry cranberries)

ENJOY!

Seaweed & Cucumber Salad

1 cup of dry Wakame Seaweed
1 English Cucumber
2 tbsp Roasted Sesame Seeds

5 tbsp Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1-2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Mirin

Soak Wakame in hot water, cover and let stand until it expands and soften. If you have the one in longer strips, break it into smaller pieces before soaking.
Wash the cucumber and peel the skin with potato peeler so it makes green and white stripes.
Cut one end of the cucumber and use either grater to slice the cucumber into thin slices OR I like to use the potato peeler and slice it with it. It created 1/2 slices and very thin. (I hope this make sense)

Mix the Vinegar, Soy Sauce, and Mirin.
Add the drained soft Wakame and Cucumber and mix well.
Sprinkle with Sesame Seeds and chill for a little before serving.

Red Cabbage Salad

1/2 small head of red cabbage
- grate or cut on potato grater
2-3 carrots
- grate on small grater (like for ginger or such veggies)
1-2 apples
- peal and grate on potato grater

Dressing:
1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste
2 tbsp or to taste of Horseradish pickled or freshly grated

Mix all together and chill. Taste great the next day.

Broccoli-slaw

3 stems of broccoli (no flowers just the left over stems)
1 large carrot
1 apple
1/2 cup raisins
2-3 full spoons of vegenaise (vegan mayo)

Soak the raisins to rehydrate them a bit.
Grate the broccoli, carrot, and apple. Add the soaked raisins to the vegetables and mix and toss with mayo.
Chill in a fridge for little bit and serve.

You can add hand full of chopped walnuts too.

Summer Millet Salad

2 cups cooked Millet

Dressing:
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Maple syrup
1 lemon
Pinch of salt or to taste

1 box of Raisins
1/2 cup pan roasted pine nuts
2 stalks Celery finely chopped
1/2 Bell pepper finely chopped
1/2 Red Onion finely diced
1 large tomato chopped in small pieces
1/2 bunch of Cilantro chopped

Mix it all together and enjoy.

Tips:
You can use different kind of small grains than just millet like quinoa or couscous.

Any kind of favorite nuts like chopped walnuts or pecans or even almonds.

Bo Appetite!

Barley Eggplant Salad

2 cups uncooked barley

1 red onion
oil to saute
1 Eggplant
1/4 cup white wine or water

Dressing
2 tbsp Tahini
1 lemon
pinch of salt
1 bunch of Fresh Parsley finely chopped

Cook the Barley. You can pre-soak it for several hours to overnight before you cook it. The unhulled barley stays a bit tougher.

Wash and slice the eggplant in 1/2 inch circles. Place in colander and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for a while. You can make the dressing and cut the onion. Then cut in cubes.

Mix the hummus and lemon juice in a slat bowl and add salt to taste (optional)

Dice 1/2 of the onion and saute with oil for about 4-5 min. Add the cubed eggplant and saute till soft, but not mushy. Keep adding the wine as it soaks in while cooking.

Chop the parsley and finely dice the second half of the onion. Add to the bowl with the dressing.
Drain the cooked barley and mix into the dressing mixture while warm.
Add the sauteed eggplant and toss thoroughly.

You can eat it warm, but it's great the next day when all the flavors mix.

Bon Appetite

Pasta Salad

1 bag Pasta (Spirals, Bow Ties, Penne --- any of your choice) cook in water with 1 tsp salt

1/2 jar Sun dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil
1 jar Artichokes Hearts
1/2 jar Capers (Optional)
1/2 can Black Medium Olives
2-3 cloves of Garlic
3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 pck Cherri Tomatoes
1 pck Fresh Basil
1 cup Fresh Parsley

salt and pepper - optional

Cook the pasta according to directions on the package. Do not rinse and set aside.

Combine Sun dried tomatoes including the oil, artichokes including 3tbsp of  liquid. Add drained and chopped black olives. Drain the Capers, crush the garlic, add vinegar in a large bowl. Toss gently.
I like to cut the tomatoes and artichokes in a smaller pieces.

Add the hot drained pasta and mix gently. It'll cool down while you mix it.

Add the remaining ingredients: halved or quartered Cherri tomatoes, chopped Basil and Parsley, and mix.

Enjoy