Recipes
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing
This hearty salad makes for a delicious plant-based lunch that is full of flavor and texture, complete with a garlicky, creamy tahini dressing…
Concluding our 6 weeks of salads event, this salad is one of my favorites. Curried cauliflower, crunchy roasted chickpeas, fresh peppery rocket and radish, and a creamy, garlicky sesame dressing. This salad comes together very easily, making it a reliable weekday lunch—especially if you’re looking for plant-based options.
I start things off by roasting my chickpeas and cauliflower in similar seasonings. The vibe I’m going for is slightly Middle Eastern, complementing the tahini-style dressing. For that, I need turmeric, garlic powder, and cumin, plus some supporting characters.
For my last salad, you know I had to use rocket. It’s just the superior salad leaf. Baby-leaf rocket adds a delicious mild pepperiness, which is further supported by the fresh, crunchy radish.
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
- This recipe is already vegan, depending on the yogurt you use.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
268.92Fat
21.09Sat. Fat
3.53Carbs
16.13Fiber
4.08Net carbs
12.04Sugar
4.34Protein
8.94Sodium
154.63Cholesterol
3.98Edamame Salad with Miso Chili Oil Dressing
This one’s a fun one. Who doesn’t love a good pasta or noodle salad? I wanted to come up with something a bit more substantial than just some fruits and vegetables—and I also really wanted to use miso in the dressing because it’s salty, delicious, and very good for you.
Considering all the things in my pantry, I experimented with this dressing until I landed on something spicy and full of flavor. All sorts of sesame flavor from tahini and sesame oil, and of course, some actual sesame seeds in the chili oil (I used a high quality store-bought one from my local Asian grocer).
One of my favorite Japanese restaurants does this delicious chili oil edamame, so I knew I had to use edamame in this recipe. By making it the star of the show, I could make this a really good, high-protein, lunch option. So, in went a whole bunch of frozen shelled edamame (thawed, of course).
Edamame Salad with Miso Chili Oil Dressing
Ingredients
Instructions
Nutrition Facts
Calories
413Fat
16.87Sat. Fat
2.27Carbs
51.41Fiber
7.14Net carbs
44.26Sugar
4.82Protein
20.59Sodium
1058.38Cholesterol
0Harvest Salad with Maple Cinnamon Vinaigrette
This comforting apple and brussels sprouts salad features a unique mix of autumnal flavors, making it the perfect accompaniment for your cold weather meals…
We’re just past the half-way point of our Six Weeks of Salads journey, and if this has taught me anything, it’s that I tend to think arugula is the only acceptable salad-leaf. Baby arugula is, in my mind, the undisputed champion of the salad world. Why deal with lettuce, which is essentially just less flavorful arugula? So, I guess, I learned two things: lettuce belongs on sandwiches, and arugula is king. Things would get pretty boring, though, if I kept offering you arugula salads every single time. So, I’m changing things up. No arugula here, and thankfully, no lettuce either.
I never was a big salad person growing up. Unless the salad had no lettuce in it, in which case I was easily convinced. So, when I grew up and started having to reason with my own self to eat my vegetables, I tried all sorts of different new and exciting salads. I had a very simple garden salad made on baby arugula with some feta, tomatoes, onions, and a simple lemony dressing. I also had raw broccoli in a broccoli salad. Similarly, I had raw brussels sprouts in a salad, too.
I’ve had many different salads over the years, but the most fun, stand-out experiences for me was when I had these vegetables, that I’d only ever had cooked, in salad form. That’s why when I was brainstorming ideas for this harvest salad, I knew from the start the base was going to be brussels sprouts. To me, they’re the ultimate cold weather vegetable.
Now that I’ve discussed the base, let’s talk about everything else! The weather’s been getting colder here in Australia, so a quick look at the produce section of my grocery store was plenty of inspiration for this. Beautiful dark kale leaves, ripe and juicy pomegranates, and all sorts of different apple and pear varieties. When it came time to dream up the dressing, it had to be made on apple cider vinegar, of course. Then came the risky, but rewarding, decision to add in the sweet, warm flavors of cinnamon and maple syrup. The result is a really comforting salad packed full of flavor.
Harvest Salad with Cinnamon Maple Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
- This recipe is vegan and gluten free.
- You can play around with the type of apples used in this salad, and you can even try pear!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
405.13Fat
23.54Sat. Fat
2.82Carbs
46.93Fiber
11.07Net carbs
35.87Sugar
28.5Protein
8.74Sodium
53.53Cholesterol
0Actual nutritional value may vary based on quantity of balsamic glaze and honey used.
Blackberry and Fig Salad with Goat Cheese and Rose
This elegant salad makes for a decadent and sophisticated side dish that's guaranteed to impress…
Very, very excited to share this salad. It is so simple to make and comes together in no time—but it tastes like it should’ve taken way more effort. The sweet-salty combo is a tale as old as time, but add in peppery from the arugula, add in floral from the rose petals and the fig, and each bite is just perfection with the sparkles emoji.
I wanted a fun, elevated take on fig and prosciutto salad that could totally hold its own without the prosciutto (which btw would be a very tasty addition to this salad). First thing I thought of was pistachio and naturally (for some reason) I thought about rose. At first I was thinking about making some sort of rose water-blackberry jam dressing (which did absolutely taste amazing with some balsamic vinegar), but then I felt like things were getting out of hand and the more delicate flavors were easily overpowered.
On a quest to lean into the pepperiness of the rocket, the sweetness of the berries, and the earthiness of the figs, I figured two components were a must: balsamic glaze (I always have a bottle on hand, but if you don’t, it’s very simple to make, instructions in the notes), and honey. The honey would bring in a new floral note to complement the rose and the fig. To balance out the sweetness, some goat cheese and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt seal the deal.
So, this recipe is purely for fun. Unlike my last two salads, I wouldn’t recommend this one as a meal. This is a very fun, very exciting snack. It’s also a very impressive side dish. These flavors would pair beautifully with lamb in particular if you were thinking about serving this at your next dinner party.
With a very simple and short ingredient list, I’m pretty confident that this beautiful salad will become a staple once you give it a try—it’s just so much flavor pay-off for so little work. I don’t want to over-hype this, so I’ll just stop and tell you to give this salad a try. Then try it with the blackberry jam-rose water dressing if you want more sweetness and a stronger floral flavor.
Fig and Blackberry Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
- If you don't have balsamic glaze on hand, or just want to make it yourself: for 1/4 cup of balsamic glaze, simply bring a cup of balsamic vinegar to the boil then simmer for about 20 minutes or until it has reduced to a thick syrupy consistency. Allow to cool completely before using.
- To make this recipe vegan, simply omit the honey and goat cheese. An extra sprinkle of salt will help bring out the sweetness of the fruit and glaze.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
93.35Fat
2.26Sat. Fat
1.13Carbs
17.81Fiber
2.41Net carbs
15.38Sugar
15.14Protein
2.56Sodium
32.05Cholesterol
3.22Actual nutritional value may vary based on quantity of balsamic glaze and honey used.
Citrus Salad with Sockeye Salmon
This zesty salad is the perfect refreshing summer lunch. Peppery baby arugula and sweet ruby red grapefruit come together in a beautiful blend of flavors, perfectly pairing with delicious sockeye salmon…
Depending on where in the world you live right now, all sorts of different citrus may be in season. Blood orange season is a very fun time and I love when I start seeing tangelos or mandarins at the grocery store. That’s why this is one of my staple meals. Oranges and grapefruits are easy to find year round and when more exciting citrus fruits are in season, it just provides an easy way to freshen up a classic staple.
Citrus salad is nothing new, Sicilian orange and fennel salad is a delicious classic that proves that oranges belong savory salads. This one is also really simple and easy to make. Pick two kinds of citrus fruits, segment them, combine them with some arugula, onion, and cashews. For a protein-rich meal, top the salad with salmon cooked however you like it (I bake mine in the oven).
The salmon is totally optional, and, to make this meal vegan, mushroom scallops can be the perfect way to have that similar seafood-y feel. With or without the mushroom scallops, though, I’m sure you’ll love the bright flavors of all the different citrus fruits with the peppery arugula.
Salmon Citrus Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
- To make this vegan, omit the salmon or make mushroom scallops to accompany the salad.
- The citrus in this salad can be varied depending on the citrus in season, try making this with blood orange, tangelo, pomelo, mandarins, and more.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
553.51Fat
32.02Sat. Fat
4.85Carbs
30.43Fiber
5.31Net carbs
25.15Sugar
16.98Protein
39.01Sodium
179.06Cholesterol
93.5Crispy Rice Salad with Cilantro Dressing and Garlic Ginger Chicken
This flavorful salad is inspired by the popular Sweetgreen bowl, which is a take on the classic Lao Crispy Rice Salad. Packed with amazing flavor and umami, this addictive salad makes a perfect make-ahead lunch…
I’ve been seeing a few different takes on this salad recently, so I decided to try coming up with my own. After a bit of trial and error, I found the perfect spice combinations for a crunchy, filling, and flavorful salad. This salad borrows a lot from Thai and Lao cuisines, featuring a lot of fresh and umami-rich flavors like lime, cilantro, and fish sauce. For vegans, as always, I’ve provided substitutions to make this into a delicious, protein-rich vegan salad. Even if you’re not vegan or vegetarian, the tofu option is a really flavorful opportunity to add a meatless meal to your rotation.
The crunch in this salad comes from a few things, most important of which is the crispy rice. I used brown puffed rice here, you can use any sort of puffed rice you can easily find. It’s a very affordable pantry staple and it really is something special in this salad. Cashews are also heavily featured here, but you can swap out the cashews with peanuts if you prefer.
Crispy Rice Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
- To make this recipe vegan, simply opt for the vegan options within the recipe. It is recommended, though, to use vegan fish sauce instead of soy sauce as a fish sauce substitute for a more similar taste.
- Stored correctly, (airtight containers in the refrigerator) all of the components should last between 4-5 days. The crispy rice should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- To make a big batch of this recipe, you will need a bunch of kale, an English cucumber, a 1/4 of a small head of cabbage, three or four carrots, 1/2 a red onion, a bunch of cilantro, and about 100 g of baby arugula.
Nutritional information not given as the amount of dressing and chicken added to the salad may cause it to vary greatly.
This cinnamony treat is the perfect way to start your morning, with coffee, protein, and lots of flavor…