Category: salads

Oh my, this green goddess dressing is one of the best! Dressings are one of the easiest things you can make that can be a boon for your health. That is if you eat a lot of salads.

Store bought dressings are old, who knows how long they have been sitting. The oils used in shelf-dressings are low quality and have often gone rancid, which does harm in your body. They also have more ingredients, since they need stabilizers and sugar and gums to increase their shelf-life. Ingredients that do not bring any benefit to you.

Make a dressing once a week and dress your salads with high quality ingredients that elevate your salads to superfood status. Give this one a try.

If you want a refreshing salad that’s not your typical lettuce salad, give this edamame quinoa salad a try. It is full of plant protein and goodness that will fill you up and satisfy the tastebuds. The light lemon and olive oil dressing adds a brightness and tang that will encourage you to take another bite.

Quinoa and edamame are complete protein sources, and the peas add even more plant protein for a whopping 17g per serving. In the spring, I swap the peas for asparagus to change up the flavor a little and get in variety.

When making this salad, you can use precooked quinoa, if you do batch cooking. If you need to cook quinoa, just allow it to cool before tossing with the dressing. This prevents the dressing from being completely absorbed by the warm quinoa.

This edamame quinoa salad is a perfect picnic salad! Be sure to tag me on Instagram if you try it and let me know how you like it.

Get probiotic rich kraut for a little time in the kitchen.Supporting your gut microbiome by eating probiotic rich foods like this kraut is a simple step to better health.

This recipe is just cabbage kraut, but you can add any other vegetables and herbs you’d like to make a variety of flavors.

Try a variety of vegetables and herbs and see if you have a favorite. I like this with dill and adding in cauliflower or bock choy. Onions add a depth of flavor and hot peppers add a kick.

Making your own kraut is much cheaper than buying the raw kraut in the produce department. You can get about half a gallon from a large cabbage, whereas the 16 oz jars can cost up to $15.

Set aside a little time to make this and you’ll be supporting your gut health and actually start to feel better!

This artichoke white bean salad takes on a Mediterranean flare and makes a nice summer meal.

Use low salt canned beans and canned or frozen artichokes, not marinated in oil. Beans are filling and provide much needed fiber and complex carbohydrates along with vitamins and minerals. Artichokes are known for their detoxing qualities, but also provide vitamin C, potassium, fiber and folate.

In the summer when it is hot, you don’t really want to cook. Making this meal salad can be done without adding heat; you just combine the ingredients and enjoy.

If you are looking for an easy summer meal that is light and satisfying, this lentil salad bowl may be for you. It’s made with lentils, you can make a batch or use canned lentils if it’s hot and you don’t want to add heat to your house or you just don’t have time to cook lentils. I like to make extra when cooking beans and lentils and then portion out two cups into bags and freeze. Then I always have some on hand.

For the corn, you can use frozen, thawed or I like raw corn cut from the cob. Yes, you can eat raw corn, it’s crispy and sweet. I tend to stay away from canned corn and use frozen if I don’t have fresh.

Add colored bell peppers to get a variety of antioxidants, red onion, tomatoes and avocado and you are ready to go.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss. For a twist on flavor, blend the dressing ingredients with a couple spoonsful of salsa.

Easy, satisfying and delicious! Let me know if you give it a try or tag me in a post.

Add moreAre you looking for a yummy sweet and satisfying salad that is easy to throw together? I got you. Spinach or mixed greens, topped with strawberries, pecans and chickpeas and drizzled with a strawberry rhubarb dressing hits the spot.

If you really like the tang of rhubarb, finely dice a 1/4 cup and toss that in the salad in addition to using it in the dressing.

Don’t make salad too complicated. These simple ingredients provide, protein, fiber and carbs for a satisfying lunch, light dinner or side. Give it a try and let me know how you like the tangy dressing. Add more honey to your liking.

This Waldorf salad is ready for a picnic! It is sweet, crunchy and satisfying when it’s warm outside. What makes this Waldorf salad especially good for picnics is that the mayo used doesn’t have eggs, which can make it more susceptible to spoiling.

Making your own mayonnaise results in a better tasting salad. The store-bought kind don’t come close to the flavor of freshly made mayo. In this recipe I typically use the cashew mayo included, but you can also try this nut free vegan mayo.

For the salad, combine fresh crispy apples and grapes, chop some celery and add some crunch with your favorite nuts or seeds. They can be swapped out to your liking. Then stir in the mayo of your choosing and you’re done. Quick and delicious.

This recipe comes from way back in 2011 when I had finished my Raw Chef training and started teaching raw food classes. Let me know if you try it.

Print Recipe

Waldorf Salad

Crispy, quick and delicious salad, perfect for a picnic.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apples, celery, grapes, nuts, seeds

Servings: 4

Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

• blender

Ingredients

Cashew Mayonnaise

• 1 cup cashews soaked for 2 hours, drained
• 6 tablespoons purified water
• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 pitted dates
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• pinch pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoon olive oil mild flavor
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Salad

• 2 large apples, diced
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup grapes, sliced
• 1/2 cup walnuts or other nut or seeds
• 6 tablespoons cashew mayo
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sweet hot mustard

Instructions

For Cashew Mayonnaise

• Soak cashews for two hours or to do a quick soak, add boiling water to cover cashews and soak for 30 minutes. Drain.
• Add all the ingredients for the mayo, except the oil, to blender and blend until smooth.
• Scrape down sides and add oil, blend again until completely emulsified. Store in sealed glass jar in refrigerator.

For the Salad

• Cut fruit and celery and add to a mixing bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, lemon juice and mustard. Pour over salad mixture and toss well to coat.
• Store refrigerated for three days.

Spring and early summer when the fresh berries are ready to be picked or when the farmer’s market is overflowing is the perfect time to make this strawberry quinoa arugula salad, yum!

This bright salad is full of goodness, crunch and sweetness that surely satisfies. It is easy to pull together and great for using up leftover quinoa. Make up the tahini dressing ahead and then toss everything together when you’re ready to eat.

The quinoa adds complete protein and fiber, while the sunflower seeds and tahini add a dose of good fats and essential minerals. The bright strawberries add vitamin C, antioxidants and natural sweetness that pulls all the ingredients together into a luscious satisfying bowl.

You can definitely substitute ingredients for what you might have on hand. Try almond butter for the tahini, pumpkin or hemp seeds for the sunflower seeds, spinach or baby kale for the arugula, and blueberries for the strawberries.

Enjoy!