Tag Archives: salad

Tahini Cucumber Noodles

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Cucumber Tahini Bowl

Put a twist on traditional salad and enjoy it in the form of “noodles!” With all the components of a salad (raw vegetables, dressing, and a healthy protein), this recipe is hearty enough to fill you up but light enough to keep you from feeling sluggish. It is a perfect meal to make ahead and bring to work or school for lunch.

Recipe inspired by Inspiralized.

Tahini Cucumber Noodles

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Tahini Cucumber Noodles
Serves 4
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes
Total time 50 minutes
Dietary Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type Lunch, Main Dish
Misc Pre-preparable, Serve Cold
Website Inspiralized
Put an exciting *spin* on traditional salad and turn it into "noodles"! Simple combine cucumber, carrots, tofu and a delicious creamy dressing for a tasty lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

  • 1 14-ounce package firm tofu, drained
  • 2 tablespoons reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce
  • 3 English cucumbers (about 6 cups)
  • 2 carrots, peeled (about 1 cup)
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 stalks green onion, sliced (for garnish)

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
Cut tofu into 3 slices and place between two towels. Place a heavy object such as a cast iron skillet on top to squeeze out the moisture and let sit for 15 minutes, if possible.
Step 3
Cut tofu into cubes and toss with tamari. Let sit for 15 minutes, if possible. Place tofu cubes on baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, turning once, or until slightly crisp on the outside.
Step 4
Meanwhile, use a spiral slicer to cut the cucumber and carrots into noodles. Alternatively, use a julienne peeler to cut vegetables into long strips.
Step 5
In a small blender or food processor, combine remaining ingredients to make the dressing. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to reach desired consistency. The dressing should be thin enough to pour but not too watery. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Step 6
In 4 bowls, divide the cucumber, carrots, and tofu. Toss with dressing and serve cold. Garnish with green onion (and sesame seeds if desired).
Step 7
If making this recipe ahead of time for individual meals, portion out the vegetables and tofu into containers. Before serving, pour out any excess water that has been released from the cucumbers. Store the dressing separately and combine just prior to serving.

Cucumber Tahini Bowl

Cucumber Tahini Bowl

Vegan Bacon-Flavored Broccoli Salad

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Vegan Bacon-Flavored Broccoli Salad | Guess Who's Cooking | Healthy, plant based, vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, egg free, gluten free, low carb, low sugar

Traditional broccoli salad is typically made with mayo, sugar, and bacon. This healthy twist on an old classic is completely plant-based, replacing mayo with mashed avocado, cutting way back on sugar so you can appreciate the natural sweetness of the raisins, and uses creative seasonings to replace the flavor of the bacon. Make 1 1/2 times the dressing recipe if you prefer it to be a bit creamier.

Vegan Bacon-Flavored Broccoli Salad

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Vegan Bacon-Flavored Broccoli Salad
Serves 6
This twist on classic broccoli salad omits all animal products, replacing mayo with mashed avocado, using seasonings to mimic bacon flavor, and greatly reducing added sugar.

Ingredients

  • 5 cups broccoli florets
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds
  • 3/4 - 1 cups avocado (about 1 large)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Optional

  • dash liquid smoke

Directions

Step 1
Place broccoli, raisins and sunflower seeds into a large bowl.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, mash the avocado until no chunks remain, then add remaining ingredients (or combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth). Combine avocado mixture with broccoli mixture. Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours for dressing to soften the broccoli.
Vegan Bacon-Flavored Broccoli Salad | Guess Who's Cooking | Healthy, plant based, vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, egg free, gluten free, low carb, low sugar

Mediterranean Salmon Salad

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Mediterranean Salmon Salad

This recipe puts a healthy Mediterranean twist on tuna (or salmon) salad and uses hummus instead of mayonnaise. You can leave out any ingredients that you dislike, or add in new ingredients like capers, fresh tomatoes or cucumber, feta cheese, or fresh basil.

Mediterranean Salmon Salad

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Serves 2
Prep time 10 minutes
This recipe puts a healthy Mediterranean twist on tuna (or salmon) salad and uses hummus instead of mayonnaise. You can leave out any ingredients that you dislike, or add in new ingredients like capers, fresh tomatoes or cucumber, feta cheese, or fresh basil.

Ingredients

  • 1 6-oz can salmon or tuna (drained)
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper or other color (diced)
  • 1/4 cup jarred artichoke hearts (quartered)
  • 2 tablespoons olives (sliced)
  • 2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes (julienned)
  • 2-3 tablespoons hummus
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

Step 1
Combine all ingredients, starting with 2 tablespoons hummus. Add more if necessary to reach desired consistency. Serving suggestions: on mini bell peppers, in a lettuce or collard wrap, in a sandwich on whole grain bread, or on top of a salad.

Mediterranean Salmon Salad Mediterranean Salmon Salad Mediterranean Salmon Salad

 

Whole Grain Salad with Miso Dressing

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Whole Grain Salad with Miso Dressing | GuessWhosCooking.com

This recipe can be made with any whole grain of choice. Farro was used in these photos, but you could also try brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, or any other whole grain. Cooking time and water quantity depends on the grain. Use this chart for specific cooking instructions for various grains.

This salad can be an entree for dinner or made ahead and brought as leftovers to lunch, or it could be served as a side dish. It can be served room temperature or cold.

Whole Grain Salad with Miso Dressing

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Serves 4
This salad can be served at room temperature or cold and makes a great entree or side dish to serve to a group or bring to lunch.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole grain of choice (farro used in these pictures)
  • 1 12-14 oz. package of firm or extra firm tofu
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 cup shelled edamame
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil such as canola or olive oil (divided)
  • 2 teaspoons reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 2 cups carrots (peeled and diced)

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup miso (reduced sodium if possible)
  • 1/4 cup rice or white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup shallot (minced)

Directions

Step 1
Rinse the grains, then add to a saucepan with the amount of water in this chart: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/recipes/cooking-whole-grains. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for the time listed in the chart. When grains are tender, drain any excess water and fluff with a fork.
Step 2
Meanwhile, drain the tofu and place between two towels and gently squeeze to remove excess liquid. Cut into cubes. Heat a skillet over medium high heat, then add 2 teaspoons oil. Add tofu and cook until it gets crisp on most sides, stirring occasionally, about 7-8 minutes. Add tamari and cook for one more minute.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Toss carrots with 1 teaspoon oil then spread into an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until carrots are tender, stirring halfway.
Step 4
Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar and stir until well combined. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients and toss with the dressing. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Whole Grain Salad with Miso Dressing | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, can be made gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan

Whole Grain Salad with Miso Dressing | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, can be made gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan

Roasted Veggie Lunch Bowl

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Take 30 minutes on Sunday to prepare and assemble these lunch bowls for the week. Grab and go on your way out the door and enjoy a satisfying lunch that doesn’t require reheating. You can change up any of the components – beans or grilled chicken instead of tofu, roasted cauliflower instead of broccoli, spinach or kale instead of arugula, etc. Get creative!
Roasted Veggie Lunch Bowl | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, quick, easy, simple, gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan

Roasted Veggie Lunch Bowl

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Serves 4
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes
Total time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 sweet potato (peeled or unpeeled, sliced into 1/4 inch slices)
  • 2-3 cups broccoli (cut into florets)
  • 4 cups baby arugula
  • 2 cups grape tomatoes (halved)
  • baked tofu (cubed)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup hummus
  • salt to taste

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Toss sweet potato and broccoli with olive oil and spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, flipping sweet potato and stirring broccoli halfway, until vegetables are tender and golden brown. Add salt to taste.
Step 2
Assemble 1/4 of the arugula, tofu, tomatoes, sweet potato, and broccoli into a bowl or reusable container. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons hummus. Serve warm or portion into 4 containers, refrigerate, and bring one to lunch each day.

Roasted Veggie Lunch Bowl | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, quick, easy, simple, gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan

Springtime Buckwheat Salad

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Springtime Buckwheat Salad | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Whole grains don’t have to be boring! Buckwheat, which happens to be gluten-free, despite the word “wheat” in its name, is accompanied by colorful veggies and simple yet flavorful dressing. This salad is great side dish for a potluck, picnic, lunch, or dinner! Or add some protein such as chicken or beans and make it your entree.

Springtime Buckwheat Salad

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Serves 8-12
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes
Total time 45 minutes
This colorful salad can be made with either roasted or grilled vegetables, which are combined with a tender whole grain and simple lemony dressing for a fresh-tasting and very satisfying salad!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buckwheat groats (toasted for 4-5 minutes in a dry pan, or buy pre-toasted)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 green zucchini, organic preferred (chopped)
  • 2 carrots (diced)
  • 1/2 red onion (diced)
  • 1 red bell pepper, organic preferred (chopped)
  • 1 bunch asparagus (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 1/2 cup artichoke hearts (quartered, thawed from frozen or marinated in jar and drained)
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (minced)

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 425˚F. Combine buckwheat and 2 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook on low 10-12 minutes, then let stand for 5 minutes. Let cool. Grains should be tender but not mushy. Toasted buckwheat or kasha may take less time to cook.
Step 2
Toss vegetables with 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) olive oil and spread into a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Do not crowd the vegetables on the pan. Roast for 10-12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until vegetables are light golden brown on one or more sides. Let cool.
Step 3
In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, and 1 tsp salt. In a large bowl, combine cooked buckwheat, roasted vegetables, and olive oil mixture. Toss and garnish with parsley. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.

Springtime Buckwheat Salad | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Springtime Buckwheat Salad | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Bean and Corn Dip – Super Easy

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This appetizer/side dish is extremely easy and will please a large crowd. You can serve it as a salad, or as a dip with tortilla chips (preferably baked chips). You can make this recipe from scratch using dried beans (cooked and cooled) and homemade dressing using the ingredients below (it’s really not that hard), or make it super easy by using canned beans and store-bought Italian dressing, which isn’t quite as healthy. BPA is a potential concern in canned foods, and store-bought dressings often have artificial ingredients and added sugar.
Bean and Corn Dip - Super easy. Guesswhoscooking.com

Bean and Corn Dip

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Serves 12
Prep time 10 minutes
This super easy bean and corn dip makes an easy appetizer or salad for a party.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white beans, cooked (or 1 15-oz can)
  • 2 cups black beans, cooked (or 1 15-oz can)
  • 2 cups white or yellow corn, fresh, cooked and cooled; or frozen and thawed (or 1 15-oz can)
  • 3 tablespoons pimentos (about 2 ounces)
  • 1 stalk green onion (sliced)
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Step 1
Rinse and drain the beans and corn. Add to a medium bowl, then add green onions and pimentos.
Step 2
To make the dressing, combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine, or place in a jar and shake.
Step 3
Pour the dressing over the bean mixture, using only as much as necessary. You may not need the whole batch of dressing. You can also substitute store-bought Italian dressing, although it is not as healthy. For best flavor, refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld. Serve as a salad or as a dip along with baked chips.

Bean and Corn Dip - Super easy. Guesswhoscooking.com

Thai Peanut Rainbow Salad

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Thai Peanut Rainbow Salad - healthy, dairy free, gluten free. guesswhoscooking.com   

Ingredients

For dressing:

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 Tablespoons tamari

juice of 1 lime (1 1/2 Tablespoons) (or rice vinegar if you don’t have a lime)

2 teaspoons sambal oelek (or Thai sweet chili sauce)

1/4 cup water

Thai Peanut Rainbow Salad Dressing - healthy, dairy free, gluten free. guesswhoscooking.com

1 cup sugar snap peas, chopped

1 cup carrots, sliced

2 cups red and yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup cucumber, chopped

1/2 medium avocado, diced

1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced

Garnish: 1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Optional: Baked tofu*

Thai Peanut Rainbow Salad - healthy, dairy free, gluten free. guesswhoscooking.com

Directions

Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender, food processor, or by stirring in a bowl. Combine all salad ingredients and top with dressing. Top with peanuts or other nuts (optional) as a garnish and serve.

 

*For baked tofu: slice 2 packages of firm tofu (non-GMO and/or organic) into blocks and press between 2 towels to squeeze out some of the water. Cut into cubes, toss with olive oil, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees until golden, stirring once or twice.

Asian Cole Slaw

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Asian Cole Slaw. Follow Guess Who's Cooking on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

 

Serves: 6-8

Time: 15-20 minutes

 

Ingredients

1 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

4 stalks green onions, sliced

1/4 cup sliced almonds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 can mandarin oranges, packed in water or juice, drained

For dressing:

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/2 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Preheat a skillet over low heat. Add almonds and toast, stirring frequently, until they start to turn very light brown. Add the sesame seeds and continue to stir often, until toasted but not burnt. Mix together salad dressing ingredients by shaking in a jar, blending in a blender, or whisking in a bowl. This cole slaw tastes best if you toss the cabbage with the dressing 30 minutes prior to serving, then add all other ingredients just prior to serving.