35 Hearty Plant Based Salad Recipes

The key to making a good vegan salad is that it’s all about the flavor so dressings, herbs and spices are your friend here! These recipes will keep you full for hours and are packed with rich vegetable protein sources. Great sources of plant protein include lentils, beans, nuts and seeds, green vegetables, tofu and grains. These vegan salads are hearty, creative and absolutely delicious.

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Recipe by: Antoine Robert

Tofu Based

Asian Style Kale & tofu Salad

INGREDIENTS

1 1 bunch of kale, stemmed and chopped
2 1/2 large avocado, mashed
3 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
4 1 cup (85g) sliced red cabbage
5 1 medium red pepper, sliced
6 2 green onions, chopped
7 sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
8 400g extra firm tofu

For the Miso Ginger Dressing

1 100ml olive oil
2 1/4 cup (60ml) rice vinegar
3 1 1/2 tablespoons white or yellow miso paste
4 1 1/2 tablespoons soya sauce
5 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
6 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
7 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
8 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic (or a minced clove of garlic)
9 salt to taste
10 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1 Open the container of tofu and drain out the water. Wrap tofu block with two layers of paper towels and place it on a plate. Press the tofu by positioning a pot on top or another plate with something heavy in it (a bag of sugar or flour works well). Let it stand for 15 minutes.
2 Place chopped kale in a bowl and sprinkle a pinch of salt. Massage the kale by grabbing a handful of it and giving it a quick squeeze. Continue doing this until the kale leaves turn into a slightly darker shade of green (no more than 30 seconds). Set aside. lemon directly into the bowl with the cucumber and shallot, discarding any seeds. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss well to combine and set aside.
3 Whisk together all the miso dressing ingredients (except for the oil), once nicely combined slowly add the olive oil bit by bit while whisking at the same time, only keep pouring the oil once you see the oil isn’t separating – please use a whisk and not a fork.
4 Chop the tofu block into rectangular blocks. I sliced the block into 6 pieces You should end up with 6 smaller rectangular pieces and don’t break the tofu apart. It will be easier to fry the tofu in the larger rectangular pieces instead of smaller individual cubes. Then once fried slice each rectangle in half.
5 Heat a large pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the 6 rectangular tofu pieces into the pan. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the tofu. Fry it for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tofu is a nice golden brown. Flip tofu, sprinkle more salt and pepper, and fry it for another 3 minutes cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing them in half.
6 Place all the salad ingredients in a bowl and toss with the salad dressing .You probably won’t need all of the dressing. I used about half and refrigerated the rest for another salad. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the salad if you like. Serve immediately.

Romaine salad with Thai peanut dressing

Ingredients

1 1 red pepper, chopped
2 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
3 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
4 1 tablespoon olive oil
5 150g romaine leaves, chopped
6 1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped
7 2 red onions, sliced
8 1/4 cup raw cashews, chopped
9 400g tofu

Sesame crusted tofu

1 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 1 tablespoon soya sauce
3 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
4 2 tablespoons maizena

Thai Peanut dressing

1 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 2 tablespoons canola oil
5 1 tablespoon reduced soya sauce
6 3 tablespoons agave
7 3 garlic cloves
8 10ml fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
9 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
11 4 tablespoons light coconut milk

DIRECTIONS

1 Set oven to grill. Place an oven rack in the top third of your oven. Toss together the red pepper, carrot, edamame and olive oil in a bowl. Transfer to a baking sheet, and grill for 5-7 minutes, stirring the pan 3 times and checking frequently to keep the veggies from burning.
2 Then take out the veggies and set the oven to 180 degrees.
3 Slice the tofu block lengthwise, and wrap in a kitchen towel. Place between 2 chopping boards, and place something heavy on top (I use a heavy cookbook) Let sit for 10 minutes.  
4 Slice each piece down the middle, creating 2 columns, and then slice so you have 4 rows. Place the tofu pieces in a bowl.
5 Whisk together the sesame oil and soya sauce. Sprinkle in the sesame seeds. Dust the cornstarch over the tofu and stir until fully incorporated.
6 Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden.
7 To make the dressing, simply combine all ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. Set aside.
8 Toss together the grilled vegetables with the romanain , coriander and sliced red onions and cashews (you can toast them if you wanto). Transfer into individual bowls, and top with the sesame tofu. Drizzle with the dressing.

Seitan or Tempeh Based

Curried cabbage & mango chutney salad

Ingredients

1 1⁄3 cup mango chutney
2 1⁄3 cup smooth peanut butter
3 1 tablespoon. olive oil
4 250g seitan, cut into bite-size strips
5 3 cloves garlic, minced
6 3⁄4 tsp. mild curry powder
7 6 cups shredded red cabbage (1⁄2 small head)
8 1 small cucumber, sliced thin and cut in half
9 3 sprigs of spring onion

Directions

1 To make Dressing: Blend chutney, peanut butter, and 1/3 cup water in blender until smooth. Set aside.
2 To make Salad:Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the seitan and season with salt. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned. Add garlic and remaining 1 tsp. oil, and sauté for another 30 seconds. Sprinkle with curry powder, and sauté for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat, and keep warm.
3 Toss cabbage and cucumber with Dressing in large bowl. Top with warm seitan and spring onions – serve and enjoy!

Mushroom “Ceasar” salad

Ingredients

1 200g Tempeh Bacon
2 5g melted coconut oil
3 200g kale
4 1 tsp lemon juice
5 good oil (such as rapeseed, flaxseed or olive oil)
6 1⁄2 tsp Himalayan pink salt (or other good salt)
7 200g chestnut mushrooms ( these are the little grey mushrooms that are sold as button mushrooms in most grocery stores)
8 Pinch cayenne pepper
9 200g baby tomatoes, sliced in half
10 70g fresh basil
11 1 avocado, roughly chopped
12 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
13 2 tbsp golden linseeds
14 2 tbsp chia seeds
15 2 tsp sesame seeds
16 Nutritional yeast

For the Caesar dressing

1 70g pre-soaked cashews
2 80 ml water
3 1 tbsp good oil
4 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
5 1⁄2 tbsp red wine vinegar
6 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
7 4 cloves garlic, roasted
8 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
9 salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C
2 Prepare the tempeh by slicing as thinly as you can. Lay the slices carefully in a dish place in the oven and cook until golden.
3 Cut away the tough center stalks of the kale, leaving you with the soft and juicy bits and place in a large bowl with the oil, salt and lemon juice. Lightly toss.
4 Slice the mushrooms, and place into a pre heated pan and once cooked add the lemon, juice & cayenne pepper.
5 Roast the garlic – you can add this to your tempeh that will be baking , but add it in the last 5 minutes of roasting.
6 Take the tempeh out of the oven and put the garlic to the side.
7 To make the dressing, put all the ingredients (not forgetting the garlic) in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Test for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
8 To assemble the salad, add the tomatoes, avocado, mushrooms, basil, pumpkin and linseeds to the kale and give it a gentle stir.
9 Once on plates, crumble on the tempeh (or keep as slices), sprinkle with the sesame and chia seeds and drizzle over the dressing and don’t forget the nutritional yeast, alternatively you can also use a vegan parmesan style cheese.

Nuts, Seeds, Beans and Sprouts

Quick and easy radish salad with tahini dressing

Ingredients

1 2 cups of mixed sprouts and pea shoots
2 1 bunch pink radishes, thinly sliced
3 1 ripe avocado, halved and thinly sliced
4 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
5 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
6 1/4 sunflower seeds

Dressing

1 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 1/4 freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 1 1/2 tablespoons white or yellow organic miso paste
4 1 tablespoon raw honey (or brown rice syrup/maple syrup)
5 1-2 tablespoons water
6 1 tablespoon tahini

Directions

1 Make the dressing first: Place all ingredients in a small blender and blend until thick and smooth. and adjust seasoning if necessary. Optional to stir in thinly sliced spring onion at the end for color.
2 Add pumpkin and sunflower seeds to a pan over medium heat and toast until fragrant. Seeds will start to crack and pop as they toast, stir often to avoid burning.
3 Place sprouts, radishes, spring onion, and half the toasted seeds and mix gently with your fingertips to combine. Drizzle in a bit of dressing and gently toss. Divide into two bowls and top with sliced avocado. Serve with extra dressing and seeds.

Italian style Grilled asparagus & Canellini bean salad

Ingredients

1 300g asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 3cm pieces
2 2 tbls olive oil
3 2 cloves of garlic
4 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
5 1 tin cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
6 50g pea shoots, micro greens or baby spinach
7 1 avocado
8 50g almonds, toasted and chopped
9 1 tsp lemon zest
10 1 tbls lemon juice
11 Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1 In a frypan over high heat, sauté the asparagus with 1 tbls of olive oil for 3-4 minutes, before adding the garlic and caraway and frying another 2 minutes till garlic is fragrant and asparagus is bright green and cooked through (whilst still retaining its bite). Salt to taste.
2 In a large bowl add the asparagus and the remaining ingredients, tossing well and adjusting lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Best served immediately.

Rainbow Quinoa salad

Ingredients

1 2 cups cooked black eyed peas
2 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (if cooking peas from scratch)
3 2–3 cup chopped purple cabbage
4 5 cups chopped kale
5 2 tbsp oil
6 1/2 of a shallot chopped or an onion if you cant find shallots
7 1 tsp chopped garlic
8 1/2 tsp sea salt
9 1 to 1 1/2 cup shredded carrot
10 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
11 Black pepper
12 Oil/vinegar
13 Lemon juice

Directions

1 Rinse your chopped greens and the cabbage.
2 In a medium pan, add 1 tbsp oil, shallot, garlic, and cabbage. Saute for 1-2 minutes on medium heat.
3 Next add in the kale ( Please make sure you wash this properly before ,one more tablespoon of oil and season with salt. Cover with a lid for another 2 minutes on medium heat or until the leaves are cooked.
4 Remove from heat and place all the ingredients from the pan into a large bowl.
5 Add in your cooked carrots, black eyed peas and the cooked quinoa and drizzle with lemon juice.
6 Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if required.
7 Toss together and serve with olive oil and vinegar.

Broccoli and peanut lovers salad

Ingredients

1 1 large head broccoli, cut into small florets
2 1 cup shelled cooked edamame
3 1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions
4 1/2 cup peanuts
5 1 batch peanut sauce (recipe below)
6 sesame seeds, for garnish

PEANUT SAUCE INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 1 tablespoon soy sauce (if you are gluten-free, use GF soy sauce or tamari)
4 1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar
5 1/8 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
6 1-2 tablespoons hot water, as needed to thin the sauce

Directions

1 TO MAKE THE BROCCOLI SALAD: Heat a large pot of water until it is boiling. Add in the broccoli florets and boil for 30 seconds. Use a mesh strainer to transfer them into a bowl of ice water,which will immediately halt the cooking process. Drain. Then add the remaining ingredients and toss until combined.Serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds if desired.
2 TO MAKE THE PEANUT SAUCE: Whisk all ingredients together until combined. If the dressing is too thick, whisk in hot water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you desire.

Parisian cabbage salad

Ingredients

1 453g Savoy cabbage
2 1 medium apple
3 1 medium red onion
4 1 cup chopped walnuts

Vinaigrette

1 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 2 teaspoons maple syrup
3 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 1 clove garlic, finely minced
5 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1 Trim the ends off the cabbage. Using a sharp knife and slice thinly. Slice the apple and red onion in the same manner. Combine in a large bowl.
2 Toast the walnuts in a skillet pan until beautifully brown , stirring frequently so they don’t get burned- set aside. In the same pan add the cabbage mixture.
3 Combine the vinaigrette ingredients into a jar with a tight-fighting lid. Close the lid and shake until well-combined. Pour over the cabbage salad, and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving, at the last minute just before serving add the toasted walnuts.

Lentil Based Salads

Old fashioned lentil & courgette salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup dried green/brown lentils
2 2 zucchini (courgettes)
3 10-15 cherry tomatoes

Dressing

1 1 small ripe avocado
2 1/2 cup fresh parsley
3 Juice 1/2 lemon
4 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
5 15 capers (or a pinch of salt)
6 1/2 tsp garlic powder
7 1/4 cup water

Directions

1 Rinse the lentils with water, add to a saucepan of water and boil for 30 minutes. Then drain the lentils, and run through cold water to stop the cooking process.
2 Meanwhile wash the courgettes and chop the ends.To make the ribbons run the vegetable peeler down the entire length of the zucchini, pressing down slightly as you do (for larger courgettes you may want to cut the ribbons in half). Chop the cherry tomatoes into quarters and arrange both the zucchini and tomatoes on a serving platter.
3 To make the dressing, add all the ingredients to the blender and blitz until smooth - you may need to add more water depending on the size of your avocado. Once smooth, taste the dressing to see if it needs anything else - more lemon juice, capers, garlic powder etc and adjust accordingly.
4 Add the lentils to the zucchini ribbons on the platter and drizzle with the dressing - serve up with some more dressing on the side and enjoy!

Autumn mushroom salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Lentils
2 2 cups vegetable stock
3 4 cups mix of button and swiss brown mushrooms sliced
4 2 tsp olive oil
5 1/2 shallot or small onion finely chopped
6 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
7 1/4 tsp chilli flakes or more to taste
8 1 1/2 tbs lemon juice
9 3 tsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
10 sea salt and pepper to taste
11 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
12 1/2 cup rocket

Directions

1 Begin by cooking the lentils. Place the lentils and vegetable stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil before reducing to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
2 Place a large frying pan over a high heat. When the pan has come to heat (don't add oil) add 1/3 of the mushrooms. Leave for 2 minutes before then give the pan a shake to flip them over. The mushrooms should be lightly golden. Cook for a further minute before removing from the pan and repeating with the remaining mushrooms.
3 Reduce the heat to medium low and add 2 tsp of olive oil or vegan butter and add the shallot or onion. Cook until slightly golden on the edges and return the mushrooms to the pan and add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant, but not browned as it will taste bitter. Set aside to cool.
4 Toss the lentils, mushroom and garlic together along with the lemon juice and the extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste and add the parsley and rocket just as you're serving.

Grandma Cally’s root vegetable salad

Ingredients

1 3 parsnips
2 3 carrots
3 3 beetroots
4 1 celeriac
5 4 garlic cloves
6 2 red onions
7 rosemary
8 1⁄2 Tbsp salt
9 1⁄2 tsp ground pepper
10 3 cups lentils
11 1 Tbsp veg stock
12 olive oil
13 balsamic vinegar

Directions

1 Pre-heat the oven to 175 ̊C.
2 Wash the parsnips and carrots and peel the beetroots and celeriac.Then cut all the root vegetables into small finger sized pieces.
3 Slice the red onions, cut the garlic cloves into small pieces and remove the rosemary needles from the stems.
4 Using one (or two, depending on size) baking sheets, mix the veg, onions, garlic and rosemary with a generous drizzle of olive oil, salt and ground pepper and place it in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
5 Meanwhile cook 3 cups of lentils in 6 cups of water or use the instructions on the package.
6 When the water starts boiling add 1Tbsp of vegan vegetable stock.
7 Turn down the heat and let the lentils simmer for about 25 minutes.
8 When the lentils are cooked and tender drain them using a colander. Pour them into a bowl, mix them with 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar and add salt to taste.
9 Garnish with the roasted root vegetables and enjoy!

Farm fresh roasted veggie salad

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup tahini paste
2 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 1/2 teaspoon kosher sea salt
4 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 3 – 4 tablespoons warm water (depending on thickness of tahini paste)

TAHINI DRESSING

1 1 cup dried lentils
2 3 cups water
3 1 small white onion, cut into quarters
4 2 cloves of garlic, smashed, divided
5 1 dried bay leaf
6 3/4 teaspoon kosher sea salt
7 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 2 bunches of rainbow carrots (8-10 medium carrots), scrubbed well and trimmed (leafy stem tops cleaned well and reserved for garnish)
9 7-8 red radishes, stems trimmed and scrubbed well, divided
10 5-6 garlic cloves, skin-on
11 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 1 teaspoon kosher sea salt
13 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 1/4 of a red onion, very thinly sliced

Directions

1 Soak and cook the lentils. Place the dried lentils in a medium saucepan. Cover with cold water and allow the lentils to soak for one hour. Drain the lentils and return to the same saucepan. Add 3 cups of water, the quartered onion, smashed garlic, bay leaf, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring the lentils to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook the lentils for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain in a fine-meshed sieve and discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Place in a large serving bowl to cool. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil.  2. Roast the vegetables: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the carrots into 1/2-inch rounds (the skinny ends of the carrots can be left in larger chunks, try to keep the carrots as consistently sized as possible) and cut the radishes into quarters (reserving one radish for garnishing. Place the carrots and radishes on a large sheet pan, along with the garlic cloves (leave the skin on), and toss with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
2 Roast for 20-30 minutes, tossing the vegetables every 10 minutes or so, or until the carrots and radishes are caramelized and tender. Remove the roasted garlic cloves from their skin (discard the skin, but keep the cloves) and allow the vegetables to cool to room temperature. Add the roasted vegetables and garlic to the cooked lentils, along with the sliced red onion, and toss gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3 Prepare the dressing In a small bowl,whisk together the tahini paste,lemon juice, salt, and pepper. It should be thick. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of hot water (depending on your brand of tahini paste, you might need more or less to achieve the right consistency) and whisk gently until smooth. The dressing should be the consistency of a thick salad dressing, but should still easily drizzle from a spoon.
4 Using a mandolin, cut the remaining radish into very thin slices. Roughly chop some of the reserved leafy stem tops of the carrots (roughly 1/4 cup or so). Garnish the salad with the sliced radish and chopped carrot stem tops. Drizzle the salad with the tahini dressing and serve at room temperature (this salad makes great leftovers and can be served cold from the fridge).

Sunday easy and relaxed salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup French lentils, rinsed
2 226 grams mini potatoes
3 150g green beans, stems removed
4 680g asparagus, ends trimmed
5 olive oil
6 sea salt + ground black pepper
7 1/4 cup pitted black olives, cut in half
8 4-5 radishes, cut into wedges
9 1 tablespoon chopped chives

Dressing

1 1 small shallot, finely minced (roughly 2 tablespoons of minced shallot)
2 1 tablespoon capers, minced
3 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
4 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
5 sea salt + ground black pepper
6 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1 In a small bowl, whisk together the minced shallot, caper, dijon mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Keep whisking the mixture while you slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Once the mixture is thoroughly combined, check it for seasoning and set aside.
2 Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat.Add the lentils to the water and a fat pinch of salt. Simmer the lentils until just tender, but still quite chewy, about 20 minutes. Drain the lentils and transfer them to a medium bowl. Toss the lentils with 2 tablespoons of the caper shallot dressing. Set aside.
3 Place the mini potatoes in the saucepan and cover them with cold water. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer the potatoes, uncovered, until tender when pierced with a knife, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes. As soon as you can handle them, cut the potatoes into quarters. Transfer cut potatoes to a medium bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the caper shallot dressing. Set aside.
4 Fill the saucepan with water one more time and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the green beans to the water with a pinch of salt. Simmer the green beans, uncovered, until they’re crisp-tender, about 4-5 minutes. Drain the green beans and rinse with very cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
5 Heat your grill to high.Toss the asparagus in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the asparagus on the grill. Cook until asparagus is crisp-tender and lightly charred, about 5 minutes. Remember to flip asparagus over at the halfway point.
6 Transfer grilled asparagus to a serving platter. In sections, top the asparagus with the lentils, potatoes, green beans, olives, and radishes. Drizzle the remaining caper shallot dressing over the salad, and garnish with the chives. Serve immediately.

Roasted baby tomato & lentil salad

Ingredients

1 1 head garlic
2 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
3 1 1/2 cups baby tomatoes halved
4 1 cup red onion sliced
5 2 3/4 cups vegetable broth
6 1 cup green lentils
7 1/2 cup diced celery
8 1/2 cup diced red pepper
9 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 2 tablespoons lemon juice
11 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
12 Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2 Cut top of garlic head and place in foil. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of oil and close foil around garlic.
3 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange tomatoes and onion in a single layer and drizzle with avocado oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4 Place garlic and tomato mixture in a preheated oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until slightly shriveled.
5 Carefully open garlic and allow to cool. Gently press cloves from garlic head and place in a small bowl, breaking garlic into smaller pieces with the back of a fork.
6 Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil. Add lentils and reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl.
7 Add garlic, tomatoes, red onion, celery, red pepper to the bowl.
8 Make dressing by combining olive oil, lemon juice, and crushed pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in salt and paper to taste. Toss with lentil mixture and serve.

Rice & Grain Based Salads

Tuscan Panzanella salad

Ingredients

1 75 grams ciabatta
2 1 handful parsley
3 1 handful chopped basil
4 1 avocado in pieces
5 1⁄2 red onion , thinly sliced
6 the juice of 1 lime
7 1 tbs olive oil
8 pepper and salt

Directions

1 Preheat oCook the amaranth (check the package for instructions) and mix it with the olive oil and lime juice. Let it cool down for 10 minutes and stir it a couple of times. Now add the purslane, cilantro, avocado and red onion and mix. Sprinkle a bit of olive oil, pepper and salt on top. ven to 180 degrees.

Green Cous Cous salad

Ingredients

1 100g cous cous
2 120 grams mixed sprouted beans
3 1 handful wild garlic flowers or cloves of garlic
4 2 spring onions finely chopped
5 1 handful pea shoots for the wild garlic dressing
6 1 handful wild garlic leaves
7 6 tbsp lemon infused olive oil (I use Pomora - see link in sidebar)
8 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions

1 To prepare the salad, cook the teff grain according to the packet instructions and leave to cool completely.
2 When ready to assemble the salad, fluff the teff grains with a fork and add the sprouted beans, spring onions, wild garlic flowers and the pea shoots.
3 To prepare the wild garlic salad dressing, tear up your wild garlic leaves and pop into a blender. Add the lemon infused olive oil and the apple cider vinegar and blend until smooth. If you don't have lemon infused oil, use the best quality olive oil you can get and cover the wild garlic leaves in three parts oil to one part apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, and blend until smooth.
4 Serve the dressing on the side so people can add as much or little as they like.

Butternut, kale and freekah salad

Ingredients

1 1 butternut squash — (1 1/2-pound) peeled and 3/4-inch diced
2 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
4 1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 1 handful wild garlic leaves
7 6 tbsp lemon infused olive oil (I use Pomora - see link in sidebar)
8 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

FOR THE KALE AND FREEKEH

1 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 1 tablespoon orange juice
4 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
5 1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
7 1/2 cup olive oil
8 1/2 cup dried cranberries
9 1/2 cup toasted walnut halves, — chopped

FOR THE MAPLE DIJON DRESSING AND SERVING

1 2 1/2 cups water
2 1 teaspoon kosher salt — divided
3 1 cup uncooked Mill Freekeh
4 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
5 8 cups chopped kale
6 2 teaspoons minced garlic
7 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
9 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat, then roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender.
2 Bring 2 1/4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add Freekeh, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
3 In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium, then add the kale. Cook and stir until wilted, about 5 minutes. If all of the kale will not fit in your sauté pan, add it slowly as it cooks down. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and crushed red pepper and cook 1 additional minute.
4 Make the dressing: Whisk together the apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, orange juice, Dijon, salt, and pepper until combined. While whisking, slowly pour in the olive oil and continue stirring until well incorporated. (Alternatively, you can shake all of the ingredients together in a mason jar.)
5 Assemble the salad: Stir the Freekeh, butternut squash, cranberries, and walnuts into the skillet with the kale. Pour enough of the dressing to nicely moisten the mixture over the top, toss gently to coat. Transfer to serving plates and drizzle a little more dressing over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Bulghar wheat salad with exotic tomatoes

Ingredients

1 170g exotic tomatoes mixed, halved
2 large handful of microgreens
3 1 stalk green onion, thinly sliced
4 3 TBS chopped parsley (optional)
5 toasted pine nuts for topping (optional)
6 salt and pepper to taste

Bulgar Wheat

1 1 cup bugar wheat
2 3 cups water
3 pinch of salt

Kale Pesto

1 1 1/3 cups kale (about a small handful)
2 3/4 cup fresh basil
3 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
4 1/3 cup (40g) pine nuts
5 3 TBS nutritional yeast
6 3 TBS water
7 1 TBS lemon juice
8 1/2 to 1 TBS yellow miso paste (adjust to taste)
9 1 large garlic clove, peeled

Directions

1 Add bulgar wheat,water,and a pinch of salt to a large saucepan and bring water to boil. Once the water has boiled, bring water to a low simmer and let the grains cook for 50 minutes, half covered. The bulgar wheat is cooked when grains are soft but with some chew.
2 Drain excess water.
3 When the bulgar wheat is nearly done, prepare the pesto. Throw all pesto ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add a salt, if desired.
4 Toss sorghum with ¼ cup of pesto. Save remaining pesto for another pasta or pizza dish. Mix in the plum tomatoes, microgreens, green onions, chopped parsley, and toasted pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper.
5 Best served immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Brown rice salad with roasted carrots and fennel

Ingredients

1 1 cup short grain brown rice
2 1/3 cup red onion diced
3 2 tbsp olive oil
4 3/4 tsp kosher salt
5 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
6 3 carrots peeled and sliced thin diagonally
7 1/2 lemon 2 tbsp, juice
8 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped

Directions

1 Cook the brown rice per package instructions. I add the brown rice to 3 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to low. Simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Drain any excess water if any, fluff with a fork and set aside.
2 Preheat oven to 475°F. Dice onion and mix with 1 tablespoon of oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the brown rice and stir to mix well and chill in refrigerator while you roast carrots.
3 Toss carrots with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon of slat. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast for 12 minutes, or until edges are crispy and start to brown and caramelize.
4 Add the roasted carrots to the brown rice. Add the lemon juice and fresh chopped dill. Season to taste, fluff with a fork and chill or serve immediately.

Summer pick nick brown rice salad

Ingredients

1 1 cup dry wheat berries, cooked and drained
2 2 cups/500 ml cooked navy beans (I was out so I used chickpeas!)
3 1 English cucumber, diced
4 1 red pepper, diced
5 1 large tomato, diced
6 2 large garlic cloves, minced
7 1 cup fresh parsley, diced with large stems removed
8 4 green onions, diced
9 Kosher salt + pepper, to taste

Dressing

1 2-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to taste (I used 2 tbsp)
2 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 1 tsp hot mustard (I used regular)
4 1 tbsp Tamari
5 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions

1 In a medium bowl, soak the wheat berries overnight in cold water. The next day, drain the wheat berries and place in a medium sized pot, covered in 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour. Drain and cool.
2 In a large bowl, mix together the diced vegetables (cucumber, red pepper, tomato, minced garlic, parsley, green onions). Add in cooked and drained navy beans (or other bean of choice) and stir.
3 In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, Tamari, fresh lemon juice). Set aside.
4 When the wheat berries are ready, drain and rinse and then stir into the salad. Add the dressing just before serving and stir well. Now season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with additional parsley if desired.

On the go 2 bean salad

Ingredients

1 400 g canned green kidney beans (or red ones, if greens aren’t available)
2 400 g canned lentils
3 2–3 handful rockey
4 4 Tbs capers

Dressing

1 1 Tbs caper brine
2 2 Tbs peanut butter
3 1 Tbs tahini
4 1 Tbs soya sauce
5 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
6 2 Tbs hot sauce

Directions

1 FOR THE DRESSING: Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl until they come together to a smooth dressing.
2 FOR THE SALAD: Mix rocket beans,lentils,and capers.Top with dressing and enjoy! This salad is great if you are in a rush and is perfect to quickly make within 5 minutes before work to take with you.

Quinoa Mixed greens & Chilli roasted almond salad

Ingredients

1 4-5 Handfuls Mixed Greens
2 1 Cup Quinoa cooked
3 1/2 Cup Edamame cooked and shelled
4 1/2 Cup Kidney beans cooked
5 1/2 Cup Chickpeas cooked
6 1/4 Red Onion sliced
7 Your favorite salad dressing

Chili roasted almonds

1 1 Cup Whole Raw Almonds
2 Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
4 1/2 Tsp Chili Powder

Directions

1 FOR THE ALMONDS: Start by toasting the almonds. Bring a cast-iron skillet or other skillet to medium-high heat. While the skillet is heating, combine almonds, olive oil, and spices in a bowl. Just use enough olive oil to lightly coat the almonds, not any more. Mix well until almonds are evenly coated with the oil and spices. Once skillet is hot, add spiced almonds to the pan and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the almonds start to brown and become fragrant. Be sure to stir frequently so that the almonds don't burn. You may hear a popping noise - it's just the almonds cracking. Once almonds are done cooking, remove from the skillet and let cool for a few minutes.
2 FOR THE SALAD: Assemble your salad-toss mixed greens, quinoa, beans, and onion with your favorite salad dressing until evenly combined. This salad is really versatile - feel free to sub quinoa with any other grain (like rice ), or sub any type of hardy beans for the beans listed in the recipe. It will all taste great!

All Veg Based Salads

Chopped sweet potato salad

Ingredients

1 500g sweet potatoes
2 1 small red onion
3 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 1/4 teaspoon salt
5 Juice and zest from 1 lime
6 1 clove garlic, minced
7 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
8 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed if using canned
9 1/2 cup coriander
10 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Peel sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch cubes and place on a sheet tray. Chop onion into 1/4 inch pieces and add to the tray. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on top and add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Toss until sweet potatoes are well coated. Spread into a single layer and roast until sweet potatoes are tender and starting to brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
2 While the sweet potatoes are roasting, combine remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a jar with the lime juice, 1 teaspoon lime zest, minced garlic, and chili powder. Shake well.
3 Once sweet potatoes are done, transfer to a bowl. Add in the black beans, pumpkin seeds, and coriander. Drizzle with the dressing and toss until salad is combined. This is best done with the sweet potatoes are still warm.

Healthy sprouted salad

Ingredients

1 500g black eyed peas, raw or frozen
2 200g green peas
3 200g mixed sprouted peas and sprouted lentils
4 1 pint ripe cherry tomatoes
5 1/2 small red onion, chopped
6 2 cloves garlic, minced
7 1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
8 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
9 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
10 salt and pepper

Directions

1 Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Salt the water, then add the black-eyed peas. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the mixed sprouts and simmer another 20-30 minutes, until both are soft and tender, in the last two minutes add the green peas. Drain the peas in a colander and rinse under cold water to bring the temperature down. Shake to remove excess water.
2 Place the cooked peas (beans) in a large mixing bowl. Add the red onion, garlic, parsley, vinegar, and oil. Toss, then salt and pepper to taste and toss again.
3 Cut the large cherry tomatoes in half and leave the small tomatoes whole. When ready to serve, pour the bean salad out on a serving platter the top with the cherry tomatoes.

Christmas table salad

Ingredients

1 4 cups cooked quinoa
2 1 cup pomegranate seeds
3 4 chopped spring onion
4 1 cup chopped Italian parsley
5 1⁄2 cup toasted sliced almonds
6 1⁄2 lime – zest and juice
7 1⁄2 orange- zest and juice
8 1⁄3 cup olive oil
9 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
10 1⁄4 teaspoon cracked pepper
11 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
12 1⁄4 teaspoon allspice
13 1–2 chopped avocados

Directions

1 Place cooked quinoa, pomegranate seeds, scallions, parsley and almonds in a medium bowl.
2 Toss with olive oil, orange juice and zest, salt and spices.
3 Taste and adjust salt. Gently fold in the avocado right before serving ( or serve the avocado on the side, if wanting to keep leftovers).

Quinoa salad with cranberries and sliced almonds

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup quinoa
2 1 cup vegetable broth, or water will work
3 1/3 cup sliced almonds
4 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
5 3 cups baby spinach
6 1/3 cup dried cranberries
7 1 Granny Smith apple
8 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Dressing

1 1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/4 cup raspberry wine vinegar
3 1-2 tablespoons white sugar
4 2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
5 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
6 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
7 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
8 Salt and pepper optional

Directions

1 In a small pot combine the quinoa and vegetable broth, or water. I always use vegetable broth with the quinoa it adds extra flavor.
2 Follow package directions to cook the quinoa.
3 Meanwhile, add the sliced almonds and sunflower seeds in a single layer to a completely dry skillet (don't add any oil) and place on medium-high heat (don't want it too hot or they will burn). Stir the nuts and seeds every 15 seconds for about 1-2 minutes or until the color slightly darkens and they start to smell good. Watch these carefully as they can go from perfectly toasted to burned quickly!
4 Chop up the apple (peel if desired, I like to leave it on) and toss it with the lemon juice.
5 Remove the quinoa and allow to completely cool (I put it in the fridge).
6 Mix together the spinach, dried cranberries, chopped apple, and completely cooled quinoa.
7 Toss with the dressing(use as much or as little as desired; you'll likely have a bit extra to use on another salad!) and top with the toasted almonds and sunflower seeds. If desired, add in some feta cheese or another cheese you enjoy!
8 To make the dressing: Combine all of the ingredients in an immersion blender or small food processor. I start with 1 tablespoon of sugar and add more if needed. Taste and adjust to personal preference (more sugar, more jam, salt or pepper added, etc.)

Healthy summer buddah bowl

Ingredients

1 4 cups packed spinach
2 1 large sweet potato peeled, chopped, and roasted
3 1 cup cooked quinoa
4 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
5 1/2 cup almonds
6 1 large pink lady apple
7 1 cup chopped red cabbage
8 1 large avocado sliced

For the Lemon Chia Seed Dressing

1 1/4 cup olive oil
2 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 2 tablespoons golden or white balsamic vinegar
4 2 teaspoons honey or agave nectar use agave for vegan
5 2 teaspoons chia seeds
6 Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 180 degrees .Place chopped sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet, drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Roast until tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2 In a large bowl, combine spinach, roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, chickpeas, almonds, apples, red cabbage, and avocado.
3 For the dressing, combine olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, honey or agave, and chia seeds in a small bowl or jar. Whisk until well combined. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
4 Drizzle the dressing on the salad and toss well to coat. Serve!
5 I like to make the sweet potatoes and quinoa ahead of time so the salad is easy to put together during the week. This salad is very adaptable! Feel free to add your favorite veggies and fruits to the mix!

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