Salads
Salsa Sam, Let’s Make a Meal!
Last night I was doing my nightly Instagram creeping when I came across the profile of Joel Rosa (@JDABIG1) a vegan firefighter/paramedic from Maryland who’s also big into crossfit and did I mention, a total hottie? Joel’s instagram was filled with all kinds of plant-based food porn – and more specifically, great meal ideas for vegan athletes and bodybuilders.
This one in particular he titled the “Perfect Pick Me Up” but since it’s very much a salsa-based meal and I’m of course Salsa Sam and this is MY post, I’ve cleverly renamed it “Salsa Sam, Let’s Make a Meal.”
Vegan Salad Tips – Grate it up!
One of the most challenging aspects of transitioning to a healthier diet is learning how to incorporate actual vegetables into your meals. It’s important to note that fresh vegetables should be a staple in a vegan diet – in any diet, ideally – and that transitioning to a vegan diet shouldn’t just exclude foods with animal products, but should include lots of plants. It’s sound, simple advice, but can be tough to follow!
Here at The Vegan Project, we aim to provide you with tips to make vegetables an easy addition to your day to day meal plan.
Creamy Goddess Salad Dressing
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: One of the best ways to make eating more vegetables convenient and tasty is to smother them with a delicious and nutritious vegan sauce or dressing. This creamy concoction is guilt free (packed with nutrition), animal free (duh), and … well, certainly less expensive than conventional store-bought dressings.
Massaged Kale Salad – Protein Rich Superfood
Kale is rough, tough and kind of bitter, but it’s one of the most nutrient dense foods available…and if you do it right, it can be downright delicious.
Coconut Bacon
Whoever invented these incredible little smokey/savoury pieces of heaven is a genius! It is VERY yummy and easy to make. There are a lot of different versions of Coconut Bacon online, and after sifting through them all, I decided to tackle this one at Vegan Good Things (great site!). I liked the ratio of ingredients, and the advice about baking at a lower temperature, which I thought made a lot of sense. Don’t be fooled by the name – it is not bacon! It just resembles some properties of that breakfast staple, without all the heart clogging properties – yay!
Val’s Homestyle Potato Salad
When I was growing up, my mom Val was reputed to have the best potato salad ever. My whole extended family eagerly awaited her creamy, mayo and egg rich dish at summer barbecues and potlucks. She’d sprinkle a bit of paprika on the top, and we’d all stand in line with our paper plates, watching carefully to make sure no one took more than their share from the large communal bowl. That’s just how my family used to roll.
I replicated it last weekend with no animal ingredients, and the result was a flavourful, creamy salad accented with smoked paprika to give it that homestyle, ‘just like Val used to do it’ feel.
Smashed Spinach Salad with Beets and Orange Ginger Dressing
After coming home from a solid workout last week, I found beets, spinach and avocado were all the veggies that I had available for lunch, so spinach salad it was!
Kale Slaw with Barbecue Crumbles
If you don’t already receive the VegNews Magazine emails, I suggest you sign up, because they have source out some of the yummiest recipes around. This Kale Slaw recipe graced my inbox a few days ago, and I just knew it would be perfect for entertaining friends. It was such a crowd pleaser; delicious & flavourful, and gone in mere minutes! I highly recommend this for your next ‘do’, or tonight’s Meatless Monday dinner. A big thanks to VegNews for this one!
Tropical Quinoa Salad with a Ginger-Lime Vinaigrette
I made this for a super fantastic beach day some friends and I had this past Sunday! It was light, refreshing, and held up in the heat. The sweet, soft mango was by far the most popular ingredient, complimenting the crunchy red pepper and cuke. You can hold back on the red pepper flakes, or amp them up, to your liking.
Post-Fitness Power Salad
This is my go-to salad after the gym or a yoga class. It’s really quick to make, ample portion of protein and greens, and is tossed in a simple and flavourful dressing. It really helps to replenish my body with iron, b-vitamins, and essential fatty acids after a rigorous fitness session, and it tastes GOOD! If you’re not a fan of tofu, replacing it with more hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, or chickpeas would be nice.
Spring Radish Salad with Fresh Herbs and Lemon
I once had a friend tell me that ‘nobody really likes radishes, they just don’t taste good’, and to the that friend I say, try this salad. I agree, radishes can pack a bit of a punch, pungent and bitter at times with an unexpected spice that hits you right in the nasal cavity. For some, what I just described sounds like taste bud hell, for others…bliss.
Olive Spinach Quinoa Bowl
This is yet another one of those dishes that’s so simple I hesitated to post it. But it was so satisfying, and sooo pretty that I just couldn’t resist!
Lately I’ve been really craving salty foods. So today, instead of diving into my bag of Sea Salt and Vinegar potato chips for lunch, I decided to take a different route and combined some foods that would satisfy my desire for salt, and also saturate my body with nutrients and minerals.
Micro-Chopped Salad Wraps with Sprouted Lentils
For this naturally flavoured, raw lunch, I busted out my sharpest, sexiest knife, my mad chopping skills, and a supreme awareness of my fingertips.
How to Incorporate Beautiful (and Edible!) Flowers into your Meals
Edible flowers have long been used in cooking for decoration and flavoring. They make a beautiful garnish, but they can also be an integral part of any recipe. Different flowers bring unique flavors and colors to a dish. Some flavors are just the thing for sweet dishes, while other flowers are more suitable to savories. While some vegetable flowers and wild plant foods might require a foraging expedition or a visit to the local health food market, many edible flowers are available for convenient home delivery. Clever cooks can get flowers delivered in the evening so that they are fresh and in time for dinner.
Spinach + Beet Salad with Crispy Lentils and Coconut Curry Dressing
I’m always on the lookout for ways to make salads more funky and different…because I eat a whole lot of them. Adding a nice crispy veggie patty adds texture, taste and depth to regular ol’ salads, as well as a whole host of nutritional content. Fortunately, I had a batch of pre-made lentil burger stuff ready to rock, so I designed a dressing that complimented the flavours of the burger patty, added some steamed beets, and made this lovely salad for a special lunch guest.
Mediterranean Brown Rice Bowl with Scallion-Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Keeping with the theme of Jen’s idea for a Quickie Lunch, I made this rice bowl in about 30 minutes, and had tons left over for even quicker lunches/suppers/snacks in the future. To save time, you could omit the toasting of the pumpkin seeds but it really does add incredible flavour to the pesto. And try different nuts/seeds and herbs. All a pesto is is the combination of a nut or seed, herb, garlic and oil – the possibilities are endless!
Cold Tofu Salad
This is my go-to salad after working out. It packed full of protein, easy to make and super flavourful! The ingredients to this are flexible and you could definitely add more veggies if you like. After the gym, I can’t wait to gobble down some protein and am a bit impatient…and yes, those are my pencil crayon chopsticks 
Napa Cabbage Slaw with Miso-Ginger Dressing
So, continuing on my quest to try new things in the produce section, I was immediately drawn to a head of napa cabbage on sale at Whole Foods. Took it home, combined it with some light, asian flavours and I had a crunchy and refreshing lunch for me and the beau. I really enjoyed the texture of the napa cabbage in comparison to green or purple, as it is softer to chew while still maintaining a crunch. The dressing was a cinch to make, and was so tasty that I have been making slight variations of it for the last few days now and putting in on everything!
Sunflower Sprout Salad with Wasabi Ginger Dressing
Hmm, what can I do with a whole bag of sprouts and a big studly grapefruit giving me eyes from across the room? I called Bridget to discuss, suggesting the base idea of ginger for the dressing and seeking some collaborative creativity. Wasabi was the money idea, and the maple syrup stepped in due to the absence of agave. It was so delicious it brought tears to my eyes…
Caesar-ish Salad with Pumpkin Seed Dressing
I know, I know, this picture doesn’t looks like the most genius salad in the world. Pretty basic, green and leafy looking right? In truth, it is pretty basic, and that’s why I wanted it for dinner tonight. I had an awful Bikram Yoga class tonight, all bloated and crampy and still de-toxing from our pal trip to Cabo, so I just wanted something crunchy, creamy and kind of… normal.
Mexi-Curry Salad Bowl
The Vegan Project ladies, plus our friend Salsa Sam, are heading south of the border at the end of February, real south…to Mexico!
Lentil Salad with Sun Dried Tomato-Tahini Dressing
I made this quick lentil salad to accompany my bowl of Smokey Potato Soup with Roasted Garlic (which I will post later this week!). It was the perfect, protein-packed side, full of crunchy veggies (use what you have in your crisper) and tossed in a creamy, sun dried tomato dressing. If you’re cooking the lentils yourself, make sure to cook to al dente so it doesn’t become a mushy mess.
Raw Mini Pizza with Spiraled Cucumber Salad
Four months after finding out about my notable gluten intolerance, I am finally ready to commit. It’s been a pretty awkward dance back and forth between strictly gluten free and ‘a little bit shouldn’t hurt’, but I’m going to take a crack at making gluten free vegan (GFV is actually a term FYI) as yummy and maintainable as possible.
Bean Power! Black Bean, Avocado and Yellow Rice Salad
How do you people not snap at the millionth time some well-meaning carnie asks you where you get your protein? As someone who has a difficult time controlling her facial expressions, I have been known to emasculate a steak-eater or two just for that question. It’s not their fault; they’ve been conditioned to believe protein only comes with a face, but it’s hard to answer the same question with a smile so damn often.
Smoked Tofu Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce
The flavours in this salad are out of this world! Creamy peanut sauce, exotic coconut and crunchy beans, married perfectly. Kind of like an Indonesian Gado Gado salad minus the egg, it has definitely ensured repeat appearances in our home.
Cauliflower Inspired Raw Tabouleh
If you’re looking for yummy low glycemic, low carb options, then you’ll need to consider substituting your grains for more nutrient dense, vitamin rich veggies. Cauliflower is a hearty, enzyme rich sub for quinoa, bulgar or cous-cous in this popular middle eastern salad. The fresh herbs make it so flavourful and vibrant, and it’s super low-cal, just in case you happen to be going to Las Vegas in a couple of weeks.
Jessica’s Potato Salad
Jessica made something…and it was delicious! Creamy and tangy, with crunchy bits interspersed throughout – everything a potato salad should be.
Italian Veggie Pasta Salad
I love pasta salad! This one is full of veggies and definitely a complete meal. It also makes A LOT. I love making lots of food at one time, partly because it’s just easier and I have no problem eating one thing for a few days, and partly because my boyfriend is an eating machine. The recipe can easily be cut in half if you don’t need a bucketful.
Grilled Portobello Salad with Fennel and Green Apple
This salad is so light and refreshing! Soft butter lettuce, crunchy fennel and slightly tart green apple topped with a very ‘meaty’ tasting grilled portobello mushroom. Very simple to assemble, and full of fresh, healthy, whole ingredients – and all organic! Makes enough for two – I also served this salad with some new potatoes done the same way as in the Salade Nicoise.
Vegan Macaroni Salad
Jessica found us this recipe for vegan macaroni salad over the weekend on a website called the autonomie project, inc., a fair trade fashion and footwear company – neat!
Vegan Salade Nicoise
A typical Salade Nicoise is comprised of boiled new potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, steamed green beans, tomato and topped with tuna and anchovies, then drizzled with a vinaigrette. Purists from the Nice region in France state that no cooked vegetables are to be used in a traditional Salade Nicoise. Either way, the vegan-version was bound to have modifications. This is our take on a great, big salad, that is sure to impress. A mixture of grilled veggies, raw veggies, and a topped with a fresh herb dressing, even Elaine Benes would be be proud.
Quinoa Slaw
This slaw is full of so much friggin’ fibre! It’s a bit of a mashup between a quinoa side dish and a classic coleslaw – minus the creamy dressing. And it’s bright colour is not only beautiful but really good for you too! It’s really fresh and light, and keeps really well so I recommend making a ton and snacking on it for a few days. Tip: A small electric chopper is really handy for this dish. I chopped about a thousand vegetables in 10 minutes!
Summer Salads!
Our friend Krystle Charlton is always making the most delicious (and healthy) looking meals for her and her friends. Below are two of her latest summer salad creations. Mango and Quinoa Salad and a fresh asian-inspired salad topped with her Asian Sensation Dressing. Both look fabulous, and really, really good for you. A summer feast on a variety of the season’s finest ingredients sounds great to us – Thanks Krystle!
Vegan BBQ Series | Grilled Vegetable Salad, Garden Fresh Herbs and Vegan Beer Sausages
Grilled vegetables are so delicious and easy to prepare. I like them best tossed with kitchen basics such as olive oil, salt and pepper. I don’t actually own a BBQ, but I did find a neat little disposable hibachi at Wonderbucks for $5 (better deal than on the commercial!). I was skeptical, but the saleswoman assured me with her first hand experience of it and gave me some tips for lighting. The ‘Lil “Tail” Gator‘, worked like a charm! No more annoyingly large barbecues at your next tailgate party.
Roasted Beet and Watercress Salad
I was inspired by Jen’s Salad Tips last week and decided I too wanted to make a rockin’ salad. It’s a pretty simple combination of nutrient-rich veggies, but packs quite a punch in terms of flavour, texture and vitamins. I love combining roasted vegetables with fresh greens – it’s a salad party in your mouth! The watercress brings vitamins A and C to the table, the beets bringing even more A and C, along with iron and calcium. All good for you, all delicious.
Top Ten Ways to Make Salads Rock!
Eating fresh vegetables is one of the best things you can do for your health, and a big salad every day is recommended by western doctors and eastern practitioners alike.
A big salad provides ample nutrients, enzymes and beautifying ingredients…but sometimes, salads can be BORING. So, in order to make salads a celebration instead of an obligation, we’ve compiled a top-ten list of things you can do to make your salads as thrilling as possible.
Creamy Vegan Caesar Salad
I’ve tried a few recipes for vegan caesar dressing, but this one was so good I was dipping everything I could in it. I took a recipe that I used to love, modified it with plant based ingredients, and the result is omnivore-approved to taste like ‘real’ caesar dressing. I churched it up a bit with some cauliflower and Mary’s Crackers for some crispy love. The dressing also doubles as a rocking vegetable dip if you’re into salty.
Curried Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Greens
I know, I know, another quinoa recipe? We’re going quinoa crazy over here at The Vegan Project! But seriously, it is so friggen cheap, versatile and so easy to make that we just can’t help eating it at least 2-3 times a week. What makes this quinoa salad special is the aromatic coconut oil in the vinaigrette combined with fragrant madras curry powder. The greens are once again tenderized by the massaging technique as well as the warm quinoa poured over top. Fresh lemon flavour and cayenne pepper give it a tangy heat, making this salad very appealing to the senses. Makes about six cups.
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 large chard leaves (or kale/spinach), torn into bite size pieces and stem removed
1 celery stalk, finely diced
For the dressing:
1 roma tomato, finely diced
2-3 tablespoons sweet onion, finely diced
juice and zest of one lemon
2-3 teaspoons curry madras curry powder
1/4 coconut oil
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper (optional)
1 inch piece of ginger, minced (I didn’t have any, but I think it would be really nice in this dish)
Method:
Place quinoa and two cups of water into a small saucepan, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until water has been absorbed. In the meantime, whisk together the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad. In a large bowl add, diced celery, chard, chickpeas. Add the vinaigrette and mix well. Get right in there with your hands and rub the chard and toss everything together. It can be a very soothing and meditative experience to get more intimate with your food. Add the cooked quinoa and season with salt and pepper to taste.
~The Vegan Project
Quick Quinoa Salad
Inspired by an informational afternoon with Adam Hart and his Power of Food workshop this past Sunday, I’ve been eager to jazz my recipes with his top two Superfoods. Hemp hearts and quinoa…boy were we happy to hear that he considers these two staples some of the healthiest foods on the planet!
So after teaching a yoga class, and less than two hours before taking one myself, I wanted a quick, energy packed mini-meal that could digest quickly and power my asanas. With my pre-cooked quinoa on hand and an arsenal of key ingredients, I threw together the following dish in less than 3 minutes. Yes, I timed it. I wanted to make sure the clever alliteration of the title was valid, alright?
Ingredients: (for 1)
3/4 cup of cooked quinoa
1 stalk of chopped celery
1 tbsp of organic hemp oil
2 tbsp of hemp seeds
1/4 chopped avocado
1/4 cup of dulse, ground in coffee grinder
1/2 lemon
cracked salt and pepper
Method:
In a bowl, combine all ingredients, pouring oil and squeezing lemon last. Mix thoroughly and top with s&p. Adjust to taste.
The dulse is rich in nutrients, and adds an earthy, salty flavor. The celery gives it some crunch, and the quinoa and hemp hearts are both COMPLETE PROTEINS…So important for all you vegans out there!
Thanks for a great time Adam Hart!
~The Vegan Project
Rubbed Kale Salad with Marinated Vegetables
I don’t know if you all understand what a magical technique it is to rub fresh kale with oil and salt to soften, as the base for an incredibly delicious and nutritious salad. We recently featured Jen’s Super Powered Sesame Kale Salad, which is where we first learned of this brilliant tenderizing technique. It’s such a great way to incorporate raw greens into your diet. Yesterday, Capers on Robson had 2 bunches of Kale on sale for $3 (deal!) so I just had to make another kale salad. This time though, I was pressed for time, so I also purchased some marinated vegetables from the deli; roasted garlic, roasted tomatoes and kalamata olives. Tossed in some fresh avocado and a handful of hemp hearts and I had a really easy, super yummy meal!
Barley Salad with Garlic and Parsley
Barley is so hot right now, or so we’ve heard from our friend, celebrity Chef Jonathan, and it deserves it! The texture of barley is so satisfying, and mixed with crispy radishes, juicy tomatoes and LOTS of garlic and parsley, it really stands up as a filling and hearty main dish. In fact, this salad is so packed full of flavour (cooking the barley in stock really works well), it didn’t need more than a teaspoon of flax oil. Healthy, affordable and delicious-the trifecta of good eating!
Ingredients:
1 cup barley, rinsed
4 cups water
1 mushroom boullion cube
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon flax oil
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 zucchini, finely diced
6 radishes, finely diced
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chives, chopped
lots of fresh cracked pepper
Rock salt and more chopped chives for garnish
Method:
Bring 4 cups of water to boil. Add boullion cube and rinsed barley. Reduce heat to med-low, cover and simmer for about 35-40 minutes.
In the mean time, in a large mixing bowl, add zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, radishes, flax oil, apple cider vinegar, cayenne, salt & pepper and let that marinate till the barley is done. When the barley is fully cooked, rinse it with cool water for a minute and add to bowl. Add pumpkin seeds, chives, parsley and avocado. Dish out and top with more fresh chives and rock salt. Makes 3-4 servings.
C’est ça!
~The Vegan Project
Israeli Couscous Salad
This salad is light and fresh, and I love the size of israeli couscous, or Ptitim. The toasted almonds give this dish a smokey crunch, while the turkish apricots round out the fresh lemon flavour with their sweetness. Super easy to make and feel free to substitute the parsley with different herbs such as mint, basil or tarragon. If you don’t have green onions, sub 1/4 cup of chopped red onion or shallots. Get creative!
Ingredients:
1 cup israeli couscous
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
1 roma tomato, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup parsley, choppped
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2-4 dried turkish apricots, chopped for garnish
Method:
Place the israeli couscous in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly and cook about 8-10 minutes or until tender (like pasta). Drain and rinse under cool water.
While the couscous is cooking, toast the almond slices in a dry skillet over medium-high heat till golden around the edges-watch carefully! Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl mix together tomato, green onion, lemon juice and zest, salt. pepper, olive oil and cumin. Add drained and rinsed couscous and stir gently. Add chopped parsley and toasted almonds and stir to combine. Distribute into two bowls and top with chopped turkish apricots. YUM!
~The Vegan Project
Super-Powered Sesame Kale Salad
Just over a week ago, Jen competed in the Western Canadian Hatha Yoga Asana Championships in Vancouver. This is the super-powered kale salad recipe she ate the night before that led to her placing third! She wanted (and needed) something raw and alkalizing that would give her energy, while also being comforting and delicious:
Couscous Confetti Salad from The 21-Day Vegan Kickstart
The Vegan Project has finally surged into the future with all of us getting that magical little hand device, the iphone 4. And with it comes literally thousands of applications, some are time wasters, some are really useful, and some are vegan! One of our favourite finds in the app world has been the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, which is free, and outlines seven days of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks complete with recipes, and even incorporating leftovers. For those without an iphone, you can view the entire meal plan here. Below is a recipe for Couscous Confetti Salad that is super flavourful while being super healthy-bonus!
Spinach-Pomegranate Salad with Poppyseed Dressing and Gardein Crispy Tenders|Sponsored Post
This salad is delightful! I just made this up today and I am really proud of this creation. It has a few components but is fairly easy to assemble once everything is prepared. It is packed full of iron from the spinach with loads of vitamin C from the Pomegranate seeds to aid in absorption. The Gardein Crispy Tenders have 35% of your daily B12 in just 2 tenders. Tossed in a creamy poppyseed dressing topped with lightly sauteed mushrooms and sprinkled with homemade ‘parm’, this vegan salad lacks NOTHING! And it’s really, really pretty 
Warm Lima Bean Salad on a Grilled Portobello
This dish is great as an appetizer or a light supper. The bright citrus dressing, creamy lima beans, and delicate tomatoes perched atop the smokey grilled portabella make this dish as beautiful as it is delicious.
Ingredients:
1 ripe firm roma tomato, chopped and seeded
¼ cup canned lima beans
1 chopped green onion
Small handful chopped white onion
1 portabella mushroom cap, trimmed of stem
Juice of half a lemon
Juice of half a lime
1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Grill Portobello cap on a grill pan (or a non-stick pan) for 5 to 7 minutes on each side.
Warm lima beans in a bowl (30 to 45 seconds in the microwave should be fine.)
Mix tomato, white onion, green onion, and warmed lima beans in a bowl.
Dress lima bean salad with olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon and lime juice.
Season with salt and pepper
Place warm salad on top of Portobello cap and serve!
*Courtesy of Jenny Duffy
~The Vegan Project
Warm Lima Bean Salad on a Grilled Portobello
This dish is great as an appetizer or a light supper. The bright citrus dressing, creamy lima beans, and delicate tomatoes perched atop the smokey grilled portabella make this dish as beautiful as it is delicious.
Warm n’ Creamy Kale and Sesame Salad
Feeling a bit weak or low on energy? After eating this yummy salad, you can practically feel the nutrients feeding your muscles…
Vegan Greek Salad with Tofu Feta
This vegan greek salad takes a little bit of planning but is so worth it! Marinate the tofu the night before and it will be ready for lunch the next day. It is surprisingly similar to feta cheese. Even our non-vegan friends marvelled at the resemblance! This is a very loose recipe and can easily be tailored to your own preferences.
Ingredients:
1 block of firm pressed tofu (the brand i used had two blocks in one package-i only used one)
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups cherry tomatoes (or chopped big tomatoes…i used cherry because they were fresh from my garden!)
1 field cucumber, chopped
1 orange pepper, chopped
1/2 cup of mixed olives
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 tablespoon each of fresh oregano, basil and parsley or whatever other herbs you love
Pinch of chili flakes
Pinch of sea salt
Black pepper
Cut the tofu into little cubes and marinate in the olive oil, apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Make sure to toss it around really well and then cover and let it sit in fridge for 8-10 hours. The oil will solidify. No worries though. Bring it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you’re ready to use it to bring it to room temperature. Mix all the veggies together in a large bowl. Drain the tofu and add it and the seasonings, stir it up and enjoy! I found I didn’t need to add any more oil, but of course add a splash if you like. This makes enough for two meal size servings or 3-4 as a side.
~The Vegan Project
Mushroom and Cauliflower Quinoa
Quinoa was considered the ‘mother of all grains’ by the Incas. I might have to agree. It is extremely high in protein, and a complete one at that, and an excellent source of dietary fibre. It cooks with the same ratio as rice, though way easier in my opinion, and shares its ability to be combined with almost anything, sweet or savoury. Cauliflower, mushrooms and thyme cooked to a golden brown coat the quinoa seeds in an abundance of earthy flavours.
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups cold water
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 mushrooms, diced
1 cup cauliflower, diced
4 sprigs of thyme, whole
1 lemon. juice and zest
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Combine water, quinoa and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a low simmer for 10-15 minutes. Take off heat and let stand 5 minutes.
Saute the diced onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-low heat in a large frying pan. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms. After 5 more minutes, add the garlic. Add the whole thyme sprigs and cauliflower, salt and pepper. Cook on low heat till everything is golden. Towards the end squeeze the lemon juice into the pan and scrape up all the bits off the bottom. Now add the lemon zest, parsley and cooked quinoa and toss around in the pan. Drizzle with some olive oil if needed and serve.
~The Vegan Project