Vegan yummy salads!!!! Vegan MOFO #4

 These are the winner salad recipes in my house!!  A weeks worth of salad recipes, All vegan and all super yummy!


 Avocado Black Bean Salad

3 cans black beans rinsed and drained
3 ears of organic raw corn, corn cut off the cob
1 organic avocado diced
1 medium white organic onion diced
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh chopped flat leave parsley, or basil really whatever herb you got... Any will be splendid and add the color you want!!!
4 organic romaine tomatoes diced


Add all raw ingredients with beans stir and enjoy!!! For the olive oil I like to just make sure the salad is completely coated and toss... If you are into a little bite, add the juice of one lemon and toss!!! Serves 6-8 and is perfect for BBQ's can keep at room temperature... My family eats it with some yummy cornbread for a meal!!! I add mung sprouts if I have them and other fun stuff to this salad. Got veggies, dice em up and toss em in the more the merrier!

Garden Lentil Salad

Lentils
With about 30% of their calories from protein, lentils have the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any legume or nut, after soybeans and hemp what that means to me is um yes please!!! This is a fun fact I always like to say to meat eaters that ask the every so frequent "how do you get your protein".. Trust.. I bet I get more protein than most meat eaters, and guess what mines better for me then yours ;)~ Here is one of the salads I make almost every week. Switching out the veggies for what is in season.. My girls love it, my occasional meat eating husband likes it, meaning I know that my loved ones are getting the goods!!!
2 cups dried lentils
 3 carrots peeled and chopped
1 med zucchini peeled and chopped
1 bunch of green onions
1/2 of a medium white onion chopped
1/4 head of cabbage chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh oregano
5 fresh basil leaves
2 large cloves of garlic minced or, if you are a garlic junkie like me chopped!!
1 tea course kosher salt
The juice and zest of one lemon
olive oil
 pepper to taste

For the lentils you can go two ways, for a raw salad just soak lentils over night and rinse and strain and you are done.. For a more tenderiffic salad I like to cook them.. Add 2 cups dried and rinsed lentils to a stock pot.. Cover the lentils completely with water and give it an inch more.. On high heat bring lentils to a boil, once boiling cover and cook on low for 20-25 minutes.. They should be tender at that point and I like to rinse with cold water and strain.. I like to go ahead and put salad together while lentils are nice and warm because it really makes the flavors happen.. So now in the bowl you would like to serve in for less mess.. Add everything, except the olive oil, salt and pepper.. I add these things last make sure you get a nice coating of olive oil over your lentils it usually takes about 1/4 cup olive oil for this.. Then taste and add your salt and pepper to taste.. This salad will serve 8-10... It is fantastic to take on a hike, because it does not need to be cool to enjoy. Matter of fact it tastes a ton better at room temp.. I make this salad on a Sunday and we are good to go all week for a snack or lunch!!! Enjoy!

 Roasted Butternut Squash Arugula Salad (Come and get vitamins A and C and iron)

1 1/2 lb organic butternut squash peeled and cubed
1 medium white organic onion
1/2 cup dry roasted pecans, or as many as your hearth desires
4 cups organic Arugula
1 medium lemon
olive oil
2 long rosemary sprigs
4-6 sprigs of thyme
course sea salt
fresh cracked pepper

For butternut squash preheat oven to 400, peel and cube butternut squash and evenly lay on parchment lined cookie sheet, coat with olive oil and add about 1 tea course sea salt and 1 tea of fresh cracked pepper... I just lay 1 sprig of rosemary and about 4 thyme sprigs on the cookie sheet, but you can chop herb up if you want. I think that the butternut squash gets the flavor just fine and it is less work to add sprigs but hey whatever dude ;) Let roast for 15-20 minutes until tender.... For dressing I like to make simple vinaigrette in the bottom of the bowl I am going to serve salad in, it makes less mess... Or you can do it in a small mason jar and dress before serving so that you can keep salad crisp... 1 medium lemon zested and juiced, and about 1/2 cup olive oil.... Whisk and add salt and pepper to taste.. I add 1 medium sliced white onion and layer that and washed organic arugula in the bowl, add the cooled butternut squash and the dry roasted pecans... I like to add the left over thyme and rosemary to salad for extra sass and flavor you can chop or just add the leaves from sprigs it looks pretty and has more bite.. Toss and serve yo!!!! I add a little vegan parm cheese for extra sass but this is a if ya got it kind of a thing, not a deal breaker....


 Golden Beet thyme salad...


4 to 8 golden or red beets.
8 sprigs of fresh thyme
olive oil
Course sea salt
Vegan mozzarella cheese (or reg if you are not a veg)

Preheat oven to 400. Clean and trim beets. In foil which I rarely do, but for beets it is fool proof this way. Spread beets on a large sheet of tin foil.. Drizzle with olive oil and course sea salt, make sure to coat beets and add 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme. Fold foil up like a pretty package and place on cookie sheet to roast. I go by the smell and have a convection oven, but you should let them go for about 40 min and keep checking, remove from oven when fork tender. Let beets cool. Cube up 1 either block of vegan mozzarella or a mozzarella ball if not vegan. When beets are cool enough to handle you want to peel skin off of the beets. It usually just comes right off with not much effort. Cube the beets and add to cheese in a bowl, make sure beets are nice and cool before adding to cheese or it will melt your cheese and it will be globby. Chop the rest of your thyme and add to bowl of beets and cheese as well as olive oil and more course sea salt and pepper to taste. I like to stick the salad in the fridge and serve nice and cold, but it is great at room temp. This is a great salad to bring to BBQ's or just to have for a lite lunch with some crusty bread. My husband loves this salad... And for a country boy to eat this for dinner and be satisfied I know I made a winner with this one.

 

Vegan super simple summer potato salad

2 cups of cherry tomatoes halved
6 cups of halved organic small red potatoes
1 can of large black olives
3 green onions
1 cup ribboned basil leaves
Olive oil
Salt and Peppa

  Half or make bite size 6 cups of small organic red potatoes, toss in boiling water and cook until fork tender..... DON'T over cook you don't want mush. Cut cherry tomatoes in half or leave whole whatever floats yo boat and throw in a large serving bowl, I like to build it in the bowl I am serving in so I have less mess. Toss in 1 can of large black olives cut in half for little bites, throw in the basil leaves chopped or ribboned, I like ribboned because I think it looks prettier... Add chopped green onion and cooled potatoes and drizzle about 1/4 cup olive oil or just enough to coat it all and add salt and pepper to taste. This is a simple salad that is perfect for picnics or BBQ's because you can leave it at room temp and not worry about anything getting funky..... Super simple and pretty healthy!!!! Throw in as many fresh herbs as you want the more the merrier with this simple salad.....

Bean and Herb Green Salad

I know the whole herbs in the salad thing sounds weird.. But I am not joking it tastes fantastic.. It gives the salad a wonderful kick that will knock yo socks off.. From the flax to the beans this salad also packs a protein and omega 3 punch!!!

1 Bunch of organic spinach
2 cups of organic arugula
1 can of kidney beans
1 can Cannellini-beans
1 can of black olives
1 lg organic green pepper
1 med white onion
1 bunch of green onions
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tbs dried dill
1 tbs flax seeds
1 tbs sesame seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
salt and pepper to taste


Simple Vinaigrette:
1 juice minus seeds of one lemon
1 tea salt
1 tea pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

All in ingredients in mason jar and shake it up baby!

For salad chop all veggies into bite sizes add drained and rinsed beans, olives and herbs, toss dress and serve.. This recipe serves 6... Dress right before serving..

Broccoli Cabbage Sesame Salad

1 head of yummy organic purple cabbage
4 cups washed broccoli florets bite size
1 bunch of green onions sliced
1/4 cup of low sodium soy sauce
3 tbs toasted sesame oil
3 tbs toasted sesame seeds

I like to slice my cabbage to make long ribbons.. But I usually cut them in 1/2 again when serving for others not everyone likes having the silly lady and the tramp slurping fun.. Add all ingredients in a large bowl, toss and you are golden.. This is an amazing salad to have in the fridge to snack on all week. I make a ton and eat it for lunch or dinner.. Super good for you due to the vitamin c in broccoli and cabbage. Cabbage also has vitamin a and lots of fiber.. And the sesame seeds and oil has some omega-6 fatty acids.. On top of the fact that this is a raw salad, vegetables eaten raw are always best for you.. Serves 4 or 1 all week!! Enjoy,

Vegan Cucumber Salad

This little side salad was served on the regular in my household growing up.. Originated by my Grandma.. It is a simple salad that is so easy and tastes great.. It is one of my go to salads to bring to BBQ's or potluck parties.. Most of the things in the salad I always have in my veggie drawer in the fridge.. You will love this with a main item or by itself in a bowl with some crusty bread!!

Going by bunches not lbs..
1 bunch of organic green onions
3 bunches of organic radishes
2 large cucumbers Peeled..
Salt and Pepper to taste..
1/2 cup Vegan sour cream
1 teas dried dill

I cut my veggies a tad on the larger side, but you can do it as small as you want... Add all veggies in a bowl, with sour cream and salt and pepper to taste dried dill and stir... Soooooo easy.... Serves 6 and something you will make all the time I am sure!!! Enjoy!!