I think it’s time to give a few tips about the thing that many people think of as the entire vegan diet: the salad!
So although it’s actually far from being a staple for many vegans, a salad can be a really creative and fun thing to eat, and there’s usually minimal cooking time involved.
I believe that the problem many people have with salads comes from the misunderstanding of what should go in them. Many Americans seem to think that a salad is a little bowl of iceberg lettuce with a little bit of ranch dressing on it. Wrong! Salads are so much more, and if you do put lettuce in your salad – please do me a favor and don’t make it the main ingredient (although I understand that it’s one of the few vegetables that are actually affordable these days).
Simple salad with garlic scapes and sauteed beets
Things I see as good basics for a salad include: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers (ideally red), leafy greens (spinach, kale), sprouts and carrots (grated is even better). Then add any other veggies that you happen to have (green beans? peas? random veggies that you got from the CSA and aren’t not sure what their names are?) and start thinking about the fun part: variations!
-Add a protein: canned chickpeas are super easy and go well in most salads, other beans or lentils can also work. Tofu, “raw” or fried/baked is always fun as well (extra points if you marinade it ahead of time).
-Add nuts: chopped almonds or peanuts if you’re on a budget, pecans, pine nuts, walnuts, or cashews if you can afford it. Adds a nice chewiness and fanciness.
-Add steamed/sauteed/fried veggies for extra fun: my two absolute favorite things in this category are mushrooms and beets (they both like to be in balsamic vinegar, white wine and olive oil). Feel free to add any cooked vegetable, eggplant, sweet potato, fried onions… This can add something really special to an otherwise boring salad.
-Add a grain: one of my favorite things to do with leftover rice is mix it in a simple salad. Something about it just works. You can also use pasta, quinoa, or any other grain.
-Add fresh herbs: they’re tasty and healthy. Parsley, dill, cilantro, basil, even mint. I freeze herbs (a post about that coming soon) and then throw them in and let thaw while I cut the other veggies. Just remember to choose your dressing accordingly.
-Add a creative dressing! Personally I’m usually satisfied with olive oil, (lots of) lemon, garlic, and salt, but sometimes it can be interesting to go for some ginger, sesame, and soy sauce, or make an effort for a special dressing like tahini-dill or carrot-ginger. Sometimes you can ditch the dressing altogether and just dump a huge spoon of hummus in. I like to think of a salad as an uncooked stir-fry, so it’s easier to come up with creative combinations and dressings.
-Last but not least: whatever else you have in your house! My mom loves putting diced apples or grapes in a salad (tastes pretty great, believe it or not), or maybe you made some cashew cheese that you want to add in, or if you have some leftover pesto, dried fruit, canned veggies, whatever! Be creative and experiment, and don’t be scared because it’s just a salad.
Enjoy!
Juv's Vegan Tips 