Pesto Sweet Potato Mushroom Chickpea Salad

Pesto Sweet Potato Mushroom Chickpea Salad
Vegan; Serves 6; 30 minutes

Already having my zucchini shredded for the fritters I was planning on making for dinner, I didn't have a side dish. So, my quest begins (knowing I that I found the perfect recipe-taking the best of 3 different recipes).... I found this while surfing pinterest and foodgawker (my addictions)! I made these to fit mine and Bruce's taste! Enjoy and remember, a recipe has no soul until the chef gives it one....

Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato, sliced
2 cups of mushrooms, sliced
2 Tablespoons Safflower oil
salt and pepper to taste (I put about two pinches of both sprinkled over)
1 14.5 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Pesto Recipe will follow in the blog

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the mushrooms and potatoes out on the baking sheet.

2. Lightly drizzle with safflower oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to fully coat each piece. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-18 minutes, until the largest chunk of potato can easily be pierced with a fork. Remove and set aside to cool.

3. While your mushroom and potatoes are cooking, you can prepare your pesto.

4. Once the mushrooms and potatoes have cooled for about 10 minutes or so, place them in a bowl along with the chickpeas. If you want it really “pesto-ey”, dump all of it in. Otherwise scoop it in by the spoonful, tossing the salad to combine between each spoonful, until all the pieces are coated to meet your pesto preference. You can serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes or more before serving. Enjoy!

Not Your Traditional Waldorf Salad

Not Your Traditional Waldorf Salad
Vegan; Serves 6; 30 minutes or fewer

When my sister had asked me to find recipes for jicama, I knew the perfect recipe to try out. Using what Bruce and I like instead of what is called for in the true Waldorf Salad, this is a tasty light meal. Serve with some garlic bread, but better yet, use it in a sandwich and it's good eating.....

Salad:
1/4 cup broken pecan nuts
1/2 jicama, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 bosc pears, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup red grapes
1/2 a pound of spinach

Dressing:
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 Tablespoon parsley

1. To Make Salad: Preheat oven to 350. Spread pecans on baking sheet and toast 8 to 10 minutes, or until fragrant. Set aside to cool.

2. Combine jicama, pears, grapes and toasted pecans in a large bowl.

3 To Make Dressing: Stir mayonnaise, lemon juice, maple syrup and parsley in a small bowl. Season with black pepper, if desired.

4. To Serve: Arrange a handful of spinach on each plate or bread and top with 1 cup of salad and other slice of bread, if making a sandwich.

Adapted from The Classic Waldorf Salad

White Bean and Arugula Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette

White Bean and Arugula Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette
Vegan

If you don't like dill, substitute with thyme or parsley. Serve with crusty bread, and you have a light meal to compliment the summer heat.

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp minced fresh dill
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 bunches arugula, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 can white beans, such as cannellini or Great Northern, rinsed and drained
1 yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
vegan Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, dill, garlic, and salt and pepper. Add the arugula, beans, and yellow pepper and toss to combine.

2. Garnish the salad with shaved Parmesan cheese and serve.

Found: Treehugger.com; Fresh Food Fast by Peter Berley

Lime-Cucumber Dill Salad

Lime-Cucumber Dill Salad
Vegan; 30 minutes

So, this is a twist on a classic summer salad. Bruce and I were shopping at the Farmers Market (I'm not sure which one, still learning the city ~_^ ) and picked up some fresh dill. Well, knowing that he was wanting something light, I asked if he could pick up some cucumbers. For those of you growing your own, here is a great recipe-super fast! **As an update - I added tomatoes to this and it's perfect for the Texas summer heat!*

2 cucumbers (2 pounds)
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh
the juice from 1 lime, plus the zest (add less depending on your taste)
crushed red pepper (add as much or as little depending on your taste)

Directions

1. Slice the cucumber lengthwise, remove the seeds, and slice thinly.

2. In a colander, toss the cucumber with the salt and let it sit and drain for 20 minutes. Press the liquid out of the vegetables and rinse well with cold water.

3. In a medium bowl combine the vinegar and sugar and stir well. Add the cucumber and the lime juice including zest and toss to coat. Stir in the dill and crushed red peppers.

Low-Fat Pasta Salad

Low-Fat Pasta Salad
Makes 6-8 servings; Vegan

This is a great recipe to use what is in season and is a great dish to take to potlucks. I used summer/yellow squash and zucchini instead of the olives. Hope you enjoy! Sorry it's really late.....

1 1/2 cup whole wheat bowtie or corkscrew pasta, uncooked
1 cup broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 red onion, diced
1 12-ounce can of water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cup cooked cannellini beans
2 tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
1/4 cup sliced black olives
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and allow to cool.

Lightly steam the broccoli, until just tender.

In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, broccoli, and remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Allow to marinate in the refrigerator one to two hours before serving. Toss again before serving.


Nutrition Information | Per serving (1/6 of recipe)

calories: 367; fat: 3 g; saturated fat: 0.6 g; calories from fat: 6.8%; cholesterol: 0mg; protein: 16.6 g; carbohydrate: 70.3 g; sugar: 8.1 g; fiber: 13.3 g; sodium: 553 mg; calcium: 112 mg; iron: 5.2 mg; vitamin C: 52 mg; beta-carotene: 837 mcg; vitamin E: 2 mg



Recipe from Food for Life instructor Kay Kitchens

Toasted Panzanella

Toasted Panzanella
Vegan; Serves 4

This hearty bread salad is ideal for picnics and cookouts because the longer it sits, the better it gets. Try making it with colorful heirloom tomatoes.

Ingredient List

1 small loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
1 1/2 lb. tomatoes, diced (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 medium-size cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup basil, cut into thin ribbons
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. capers, drained and coarsely chopped
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread bread cubes on baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

2. Heat oil in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook garlic 2 minutes, or until fragrant.

3. Place all remaining ingredients in large serving bowl. Add olive oil mixture, and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand 20 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Adjust seasonings if necessary, and serve.

Nutritional Information

Per SERVING: Calories: 260, Protein: 4g, Total fat: 14g, Saturated fat: 2g, Carbs: 29g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 266mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 7g

Found: Vegetarian Times July 2006

Apple-Almond Quinoa

Apple-Almond Quinoa

Since apples are in abundance during the fall season, why not take advantage of this versatile fruit?

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
1 3/4 cup water
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and shredded
1 Granny Smith apple or apple of choice, unpeeled and cubed
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons sliced almonds, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon palm sugar or your favorite sweetener
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Dash of pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse quinoa well and add to pot along with water. Heat to boiling and reduce to a very low simmer. Cook until liquid evaporates, about 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t stir while cooking.

2. Sauté onions and carrots in pan with olive oil on medium heat, stirring occasionally. After about 5 minutes, add apples and more oil if needed. Cook until tender. Stir in cinnamon, almonds and palm sugar.

3. Mix quinoa with apple mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4 to 6. Cooking time 30 minutes.


Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving

Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad

Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad
Serves 4; Vegan

1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups vegetable stock
1 large sweet potato, diced
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
Black pepper and sea salt, to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 tsp. organic lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Place the quinoa and vegetable stock in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the stock is absorbed. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

3. Coat the diced sweet potatoes with 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil and the pepper, salt, and cayenne. Transfer to a sheet pan and roast until crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool.

4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice and the remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir in the diced sweet potatoes and the quinoa and serve.

Found on PETA's website

Spinach, Beet, and Orange Salad with Ginger-Agave Dressing

Spinach, Beet, and Orange Salad with Ginger-Agave Dressing
Vegan

All of these are in season right now!

Beets pair beautifully with citrus, and this salad is a delicious example. Beets come in a variety of colors—not only several shades of red and purple, but also pink, yellow, and even white! And have you ever wondered what to do with those beautiful green leafy beet tops? They don’t have to go to waste, the tops are very nutritious and can be lightly steamed or served fresh in a salad mix.

Directions
2 small beets, scrubbed and trimmed, stems removed
6 cups baby spinach
2 medium oranges, peeled and cut into sections
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
juice of 1 lime

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Wrap each beet in foil to seal. Place beets on a baking sheet.

2. Roast beets until fork tender; this may take as little as 40 minutes or as much as 1 hour and 20 minutes depending on the size of the beets. Let beets cool, unwrap, and peel beets under running water. Cut beets into bite-size wedges.

3. Arrange spinach on a platter and top with beets and oranges.

4. To prepare the dressing: Add vinegar, agave nectar, paprika, ginger, and chili powder to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add lime juice. Let dressing cool and drizzle over spinach salad.

Nutrition Information
Per serving (1/4 of recipe): 89 calories; 0.5 g fat; 0.1 g saturated fat 5%; calories from fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 2.5 g protein; 20.6 g carbohydrate; 13.5 g sugar; 3.5 g fiber; 59 mg sodium; 100 mg calcium; 2.3 mg iron; 51.1 mg vitamin C; 2947 mcg beta-carotene; 1.5 mg vitamin E

Recipe from The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook by Neal Barnard, M.D. and Robyn Webb

Vegan Caesar Salad

Vegan Caesar Salad

2 Tbsp. capers
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup croutons, optional

1. In a food processor, pulse the capers and garlic until minced. Add the lemon juice and mayonnaise and pulse a few times to blend. While the food processor is on, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.

2. Place the lettuce in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the lettuce, add the croutons (if desired) and toss thoroughly.

3. Season with salt and pepper.

Found: Animal Times-Spring 2010 (PETA)