How It All Vegan!: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet (13 page)

Wash and prepare all vegetables. In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce and spinach. Add the other ingredients and toss. Store the uneaten portion in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. Keeps crisp for up to 3 or 4 days. Eat as is or add the dressing of your choice. Makes 4-6 servings.

JANA’S GARDEN KITCHEN SALAD

Our friend Jana from Earth’s Herbal Products is an amazing woman. Not only does she have a vast knowledge of herbs and plants and their medicinal qualities, she’s also a wiz in the kitchen.

5 whole leaves of Russian purple kale (sweet), roughly chopped

1 handful arugula leaves (including the flowers), roughly chopped

3 whole leaves of mustard greens, roughly chopped

½ head butternut lettuce, roughly chopped

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

¼ cup green onions, minced

2 sprigs of fresh fennel, minced

10 almonds

seasonal edible flowers (throw petals in whole) (optional):

5 rose petals

10 borage flowers (purple)

3 honeysuckle flowers

1 calendula flower

Wash and prepare all vegetables. In a large bowl toss together all the ingredients. Serve with
Jana’s Famous Herb Dressing
. Makes 4-6 servings.

GOURMET GREEK SALAD

Here’s a salad of mythological proportions. This combination of vegetables, faux feta, and saucy seasoning would bring a smile even to the face of Zeus.

6-8 Roma tomatoes, quartered

1 small cucumber, sliced

1 small red pepper, sliced

1 small green pepper, sliced

1 small yellow pepper, sliced

1 small red onion, sliced

Greek olives (optional)

1 lb
Faux Feta

Prepare the vegetables and place in a serving bowl. Add the Faux Feta and remaining feta marinade to the salad ingredients just before serving. Toss well. Makes 4-6 servings.

VEGETABLE PASTA SALAD

Simple, cool, and delicious, this salad is refreshing and lively. Perfect picnic food.

3-4 cups cooked pasta (e.g., penne, macaroni, fusilli)

3 tbsp flax oil

1 small zucchini, sliced

4 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

3 stalks green onion, chopped

½ medium green pepper, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

¾ cup snow peas, chopped in half

cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 tbsp fresh basil

½ tsp salt

pepper (to taste)

½ cup
Faux Parmesan cheese

In a medium pot, cook noodles until al dente (tender but still firm to bite). Drain and rinse noodles under cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl, In a small bowl, whisk together the flax oil and lemon juice. Stir into the pasta and set aside.

In a large saucepan, sauté the zucchini in oil on medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Add the onions, peppers, tomatoes, snow peas, parsley, basil salt, and pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add the vegetable mixture and the Parmesan to the pasta and toss well. Chill before serving. Makes 4-6 servings.

FAUX CHICKEN SALAD

The following three “mock” salad recipes are just as impressive alone as they are when served between bread as sandwich fillings.

1 cup tempeh, cubed
*

½ cup
soy mayonnaise

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 medium dill pickle, finely chopped

½ medium onion, chopped

2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced

2 tsp prepared mustard

2 tsp Braggs
or
soy sauce

1 garlic clove, crushed and minced

Steam the cubed tempeh for 15 minutes on medium-high heat. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, celery, pickles, onions, parsley, mustard, Braggs, and garlic with the tempeh and toss lightly. Serve over toast, as a side dish, as a sandwich filling, or alone. (For a variation, add 1-2 tsp. of curry powder to spice it up a bit!) Makes 2-4 servings.

*
If you have trouble finding tempeh, you can use firm tofu, but it’s not quite as effective.

FAUX TUNA SALAD

You can find kelp powder in health food stores. Serve this on toast or as a side dish.

1 lb firm tofu, frozen and then thawed

1 stalk celery, diced

¼ medium red onion, chopped

1 small carrot, finely chopped

½ cup
soy mayonnaise

2 tbsp Braggs
or
soy sauce

½ tbsp lemon juice
or
vinegar

½ - ¾ tsp kelp powder

Freezing tofu will give it a chewy, meaty texture.
TOFU
for instructions. Once thawed, squeeze the excess moisture out and crumble it into small pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the tofu, celery, onion, and carrot. Stir in the mayonnaise, Braggs, lemon juice, and kelp and mix together well. Makes 2-4 servings.

FAUX EGG SALAD

1 lb medium tofu, mashed

½ cup
soy mayonnaise

4 tbsp chopped parsley

1-2 pickles, diced
or

¼ cup relish

1½ tbsp prepared mustard

1-2 stalks green onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1½ tsp salt

¼ tsp turmeric

In a medium bowl, mash the tofu with your hands or fork and add the remaining ingredients. Mix together well and chill before serving. Makes 2-4 servings.

EXQUISITE RICE SALAD

A lovely, tangy salad that goes great with any meal.

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

2-4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp turmeric

tsp cayenne pepper

2½ cups water

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup long-grain brown rice

3 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp dark sesame oil

2 tbsp Braggs
or
soy sauce

¼ cup flax oil

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

½ cup raisins

4 stalks green onion, chopped

½ cup peas

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, cumin, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir until mustard seeds begin to pop (about 30 seconds), then add water and cinnamon. Cover and bring to a boil.

Add rice to the boiling pot and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 35-40 minutes, until rice is done.

Remove the pot from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sesame oil, Braggs, and flax oil until combined. Pour onto the rice, add the carrots, raisins, onions, and peas. Stir until well mixed. Transfer to bowl and chill before serving.

Makes 4-6 servings.

COUSIN NATASHA’S RICE & BEAN SALAD

This is my cousin’s potluck trademark. Our family loves to get together for potlucks; we eat and eat and eat until we bust. My favourite things are: food, family, friends, and fun.

1 cup cooked rice

1 large red onion, diced

2 or more medium tomatoes, diced

1 medium red pepper, diced

½ medium green pepper, diced

1 cup corn

2 cups cooked
or
canned black
or
kidney beans (
or
mixture of both)

1 avocado, diced

6-10 sprigs cilantro, chopped

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

dash of cayenne pepper

juice of one lemon

dash of Tabasco (to taste)

Wash and prepare all the vegetables and place them and the other ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir together well and chill before serving. Makes 4-6 servings.

MUM’S APPLE COLESLAW SALAD

This recipe was adapted from an old recipe of my mum’s. When I eat it, I feel like I’m eight years old.

½ small white cabbage, shredded

2-3 apples, grated
or
chopped

½ cup raisins

½ cup
soy mayonnaise

1 tsp caraway

dash of lemon juice

Place the cabbage, apples, and raisins in a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise, caraway, and lemon juice. Mix together well and chill before serving. Makes 4-6 servings.

SESAME NOODLE SALAD

The flavour of sesame oil is the subtle surprise in this tasty creation. An elegant, satisfying salad.

buckwheat noodles (to serve 4)

2 tbsp sesame oil