There was a time in my life when I didn’t like salads. I thought of them as nothing but stingy, unfulfilling and just plain boring. But you’d never know it by the look of my meals today (ahem, a lot of salad).

Too often, salad is an afterthought, served as a first course or an accompaniment to other dishes, but there’s no reason for it to play second fiddle to the main meal. Ever since going vegan, I’ve learned through experimenting and diversifying my palate that a salad doesn’t have to be a depressing plate of pale lettuce topped with itty bitty tomatoes, a few slices of tasteless cucumbers and bottled dressing. A well-made vegan salad, in particular, really doesn’t have to suck.

A salad can be made up of pretty much anything you want: lots of greens, of course, but also other vegetables, grains, fruit and protein. Even in the cooler months or darkest days of winter, you can celebrate seasonal produce and feature at least some local ingredients—say fresh, tender asparagus, cubed beets and sprouts in spring and root vegetables, eggplant and Brussel sprouts in fall.

A salad I’d prepare for dinner, for instance, can feature avocado, cooked grains, all kinds of greens and other vegetables, as well as chickpeas or lentils and a creamy dressing made with cashews, lemon juice and garlic. I’d improvise based on what’s available or what I’m craving, as I usually do. And so can you!

There’s really no single way to make a salad and also no wrong way. When it comes to salad, anything goes! Let your imagination run wild with the goal of preparing a healthful meal: maybe baked tofu or quinoa left over from dinner yesterday, swiss chard you sautéed or green beans you steamed to have with the quinoa or tofu, and maybe lentils leftover from the day before.

This peach barley salad I threw together recently celebrates fresh, juicy peaches that play off a batch of tender, chewy pearl barley, a very under-appreciated grain in my opinion. You might think peaches in salad don’t make sense, but it works. Together with chickpeas, cucumber, grape tomatoes, fresh parsley and a tangy tahini dressing, it makes for a filling, supper-worthy salad when served over a bed of curly kale and lettuce.

Four tips for taking that side-dish salad to the next level:

• Celebrate what’s in season: Salads will only be as good as the ingredients you use, so aim for a variety of fresh seasonal veggies like young carrots, early beets, fresh basil and real, local tomatoes.
• Keep the salad dressing simple: A little oil and balsamic vinegar can dress up any plate, or blitz together a mix of tahini, lemon and parsley for a creamy, heartier dressing. Experiment with flavours and incorporate the five basic tastes (think sweet, sour, salt, bitter and umami) and make a new batch every week to keep things interesting.
• Play with colour: Don’t forget strawberries and raspberries, bright fresh peas, steamed broccoli or sauteed green beans. In the cooler months, throw on some roasted, cubed squash or carrots.
• Add complex carbs and protein: For a heartier meal, add steamed sweet potato wedges, cooked whole grains or beans, as well as a serving of protein like edamame, tempeh or tofu. Sprinkle on some hemp hearts, chia seeds or toasted nuts and seeds for an extra boost.

Need real examples? Check out my Salads! board on Pinterest.

Now it’s time for lunch!

Peach barley salad

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp tahini
• 2 tbsp water

For the salad:

• 1 cup uncooked hulled or pearl barley
• 3 cups water or vegetable stock
• 1 large peach, diced
• 1/2 cucumber, diced
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed
• shredded curly kale & lettuce, for serving

Directions:

For the dressing:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until combined.

For the salad:

1. Combine the barley and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Once it has reached a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and continue to cook until barley is soft. For pearl barley, cook for 25 minutes. For hulled barley, cook for 40 minutes. Keep an eye on the pot as barley tends to give off a lot of foam and can cause the pot to boil over. The barley is done when the water has been absorbed and the barley is soft and chewy. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
3. In a large bowl, combine the peach, cucumber, grape tomatoes, parsley, chickpeas and cooked barley.
4. Drizzle salad with dressing (depending on your tastes, you might not want to use it all) and mix to combine. Serve over shredded curly kale and lettuce.

Raw ratatouille

Have you ever met someone who instantly impressed you with their remarkable knowledge and genuine charisma? That’s how I felt when I first met Gena Hamshaw. She’s the brilliant writer behind the blog Choosing Raw who constantly amazes me with her thought-provoking blog posts and now, her comprehensive new book of the same name.

This book is far more than just a cookbook. Using her familiar writing style that is both casual and professional, Gena first introduces us to her own story—growing up in a Greek American home, her experiences with an eating disorder and IBS, and through her discovery of the benefits of a vegan lifestyle and nutrient-dense raw foods. Her story is both captivating and candid, and you learn how she grew to become the experienced health advocate she is today.

This book covers it all—the why, what and how of adding more vegan and raw foods into your diet. She includes a thorough section on health and compassion, guiding us through the fundamentals of vegan nutrition (she’s a clinical nutritionist, so she knows her stuff), explaining what makes raw foods unique and demystifying the common myths and misconceptions surrounding plant-based diets.

Gena also goes over the essentials of grocery shopping, meal planning (she includes 21 days of adaptable, plant-based meal plans), tips on developing healthy, sustainable habits, and stocking your pantry and fridge.

Almond pulp granola

If that isn’t enough, Gena follows up with an ample supply of recipes (125 to be exact), including essentials like nut milks, smoothies, juices, snacks, dressings and dips, plus a variety of breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I love that the recipes are showcased by levels of raw, which take you from a foundation of cooked vegan recipes to more raw food dishes to help you transition to a plant-centric diet.

The recipes are by far the most approachable of any raw food book I’ve seen because, like me, Gena believes being a raw foodie doesn’t have to be bound by rules and expectations. I enjoy incorporating both cooked and raw foods into my own diet but find raw food techniques inspire me to use fresh vegetables in fun and creative ways. While some recipes in this book call for a dehydrator, Gena also gives cooking instructions too, so the choice is up to you. Many of the recipes, particularly in level 3, require no cooking at all, which is quite practical for this time of year when you don’t want to turn on the oven.

Mocha maca chia pudding

There were lots of recipes that caught my eye while first looking through this book but so far I’ve stuck mostly to level 3 recipes, which include more raw food techniques. I began by trying the almond pulp porridge, mocha maca chia pudding and raw ratatouille.

All three recipes were straightforward and easy to make. I particularly loved the porridge, which is a new way for me to use up all the almond pulp currently stashed in my freezer. The pudding, as well, was a fantastic morning wake-up call and the combination of malty maca, rich cacao powder, and intense espresso really gave me the boost I needed to keep going all day long.

The ratatouile, though, was by far my favourite. The variety of colourful, raw veggies and fresh herbs made for an excellent accompaniment to my bowl of greens. While there was both a dehydrator and oven option to this recipe, I found the few hours of marinating made it soft enough to not need any heating at all.

Because I loved this recipe so much, I was able to get permission to share the recipe with you!

Thank you, Gena, for sharing your knowledge and talent with the world, and for inviting me to be a part of your book celebrations!

Raw or cooked ratatouille

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thinly into coins
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 large heirloom tomato, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 2 teaspoons mined fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup, sliced into thin strips, sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup pine nuts, cooked or sprouted lentils, or chickpeas

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients except for th epine nuts in a large mixing bowl. Adjust the seasonings to taste (you can add more herbs if you like, or more lemon for a more tart taste).
2. Let all the ingredients marinate for a few hours, so that the flavors marry. If you're serving it cool, simply stir in the pine nuts or legumes and plate. If you're heating it, use one of the options below, and stir in the pine nuts or legumes right before serving.
3. OVEN OPTION: Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the vegetables in a small casserole dish and cook for 15 minutes. Give the vegetables a stir, and cook for another 10 minutes, or until they're soft throughout. DEHYDRATOR OPTION: Set your dehydrator to 140F. Spread the vegetables onto two Teflex-lined dehydrator sheets, and dehydrate for an hour before serving them warm. If you keep the dish raw, it will last overnight in the fridge. If you cook or dehydrate it, it will last for up to 3 days.

Recipe from Choosing Raw, republished with permission from Da Capo Press.

I have to admit: this hummus recipe has been sitting in my drafts folder for several weeks now. I’m so sorry, dear hummus, but you must have gotten lost in the shuffle!

In any case, I bought these beautiful little eggplants at one of my rare trips to the farmers’ market earlier in the summer and I couldn’t wait to get home and incorporate it into a recipe. And since hummus is almost always on my mind, the purple beauties went straight into a food processor with chickpeas after a quick roast in the oven. 

The result? A thick, creamy dip that I’d describe as a cross between baba ghanoush and hummus. I kept the skin on the eggplant for more texture but feel free to peel it before roasting if you prefer a smoother dip. If you’re an eggplant lover, this recipe is for you! Enjoy.

Roasted eggplant hummus

Yield: 2.5 cups

Ingredients:

• 6 (550g) baby eggplants
• 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Slice the eggplant and place on a lightly oiled baking pan. I kept the skin on but if you prefer a smoother hummus, feel free to peel off the skin before slicing.
2. Lightly spray or brush the slices with oil. Bake for about 25 minutes, flipping over halfway through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
3. In a food processor, process the chickpeas, lemon juice, parsley, tahini, garlic, salt and pepper until smooth.
4. Add the eggplant and oil and process until desired consistency is achieved.

Peach season is in full bloom here in Ontario and what better way to celebrate this delicious stone fruit than as the centrepiece of a summerlicious bruschetta recipe. This fancy appetizer consists of crusty baguette slices, spread with a creamy, buttery basil macadamia nut cheese, and topped with a sweet peach salsa. It’s seriously heaven on a plate and perfect to whip up for your next backyard BBQ party. It got rave reviews when I recently served it to a group of omnivore friends—in fact, most of them asked for seconds!

I’ve made a similar recipe many times before, using this delicious macadamia cheese and a standard tomato-based bruschetta topping. This version, however, lends that sweet summertime twist to a familiar dinner party staple.

If you have gluten allergies and don’t want to use bread, I’d suggest using the toppings in corn tortilla cups (broil very briefly to soften the cheese) or to stuff in mushrooms (bake until soft). Enjoy!

Summertime bruschetta

Yield: about 20 pieces

Ingredients:

For the peach salsa:

• 4 small peaches, peeled and pitted
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the macadamia nut cheese:

• 1 cup raw macadamia nuts
• 1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 large or 2 small baguettes

Directions:

1. To make the peach salsa, add the peaches, grape tomatoes, onion, parsley and basil to a food processor and pulse to break up the large pieces. Add the remaining salsa ingredients and pulse until desired consistency is achieved.
2. Strain the mixture in a colander to remove excess liquid. Allow the mixture to sit in the colander while you make the macadamia nut cheese.
3. Rinse and dry your food processor. To make the nut cheese, process the macadamia nuts, nutritional yeast, basil, lemon juice, garlic and salt until combined.
4. To make the bruschetta, slice the baguette into 1-inch slices. Spread on the nut cheese and then top with salsa. Broil at 500F for about 5 minutes, or until the edges of the bread is crusty and browned. Serve immediately. Any remaining nut cheese and salsa can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Macadamia cheese adapted from Angela's recipe.

This new slaw recipe with its tangy cashew curry mayo dressing is one of my to-go recipes for summer. It’s super easy to make, lightly creamy, colourful and flavourful all in one, and ready to serve a crowd as a summer BBQ side dish. I enjoyed it as is but it would also be phenomenal piled on top of a veggie burger or accompanied by grilled corn and sweet potatoes.

Although the veggies in this salad are eye-catching because of their bright colours and textures, the cashew curry mayo is the highlight of this dish. It could even be made on its own without the salad and used as a sandwich spread or drizzled on steamed greens! Making it is easy: it’s just a matter of throwing a few simple ingredients into a blender. The only hard part is remembering to soak your cashews.

This tangy dressing requires a good dose of lemon juice and curry powder. Don’t go light on these, because the flavour won’t be so strong once it’s soaked into the shredded veggies.

Next, finely chop your veggies (you can use the shredding blade on your food processor to make it easier) and toss everything in a large bowl.

And then serve!

Cashew curry mayo with cabbage slaw

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

For the cashew curry mayo:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• pinch of two of cayenne and black pepper

For the cabbage slaw:

• 2 cups finely shredded Savoy cabbage
• 2 cups finely shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. To make the mayo, first drain and rinse the cashews. Next, blend all mayo ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.
2. To make the slaw, combine all slaw ingredients in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with 4 or more tablespoons of the mayo and gently toss to coat. Add more dressing if desired, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and store leftovers in the fridge. The remaining mayo can be used to freshen up leftovers, dress up steamed veggies or as a sandwich spread!

What a week. While trying to fall back into my regular routine after my whirlwind vacation in Vegas, I came down with a nasty cold. Work piled up on my desk, decisions about more home renovations needed to be made, and I wanted to come up with something to contribute to my father-in-law’s birthday dinner. I feel like I’ve taken quite a hit with this cold, and everyday tasks seem that much harder to accomplish.

Healthy, healing food has been my priority this week, so I created this nutritious kale and quinoa tabbouleh salad to take to my in-laws’ house for the big birthday bash this weekend. It was pretty simple to throw together. The only real time investment is cooking the quinoa and lentils, which can be done ahead of time if desired. To make the tabbouleh, I combined the quinoa and lentils along with parsley, celery, green onions, goji berries and tomatoes.

I imagined this served on a bed of shredded curly leaved kale. By “shredded,” I just mean that I finely chopped it on a cutting board, after removing the thick stem and spine of each leaf. Of course, any kale or other salad greens will do, but I like curly or red kale because it’s easiest to find. It’s also best to use it within a day or two after purchasing because it tastes bitter the longer it sits around.

For the dressing, I decided to go with something light. Lemon, rice vinegar, garlic, sunflower oil, a touch of maple syrup and salt and pepper resulted in a nice, simple blend with just enough tang. I’ve also recently been adding celery to my dressings because it adds a refreshing yet mild element to the mix. The celery stalks puree quite easily with the other dressing ingredients using a high-speed blender.

The salad went over well with the family, and it paired nicely with the delicious quinoa, veggie and tofu casserole my mother-in-law made for part of the main meal.

I have to say, I’m a pretty lucky girl. I’m the only vegan in the family, but everyone seems to eat healthier when I’m around, as vegan options are always incorporated at every meal. My sister-in-law also made the coconut lemon bundt cake from Veganomicon for dessert, along with vegan whipped cream and berries. I wish I had snapped a photo because it was plated so beautifully.

Fresh, spring salads are my favourite way to welcome spring, so I think I’ll be making another batch of this salad for weekday lunches and dinners. Enjoy!

Kale and quinoa tabbouleh salad

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

Tabbouleh:

• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa (makes 2.5 cups cooked)
• 1/2 cup dry lentils (makes 1.5 cups cooked)
• 1/3 cup goji berries
• 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
• 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 tomato, chopped

Kale:

• 2 small bunches of kale
• 1/2 lemon

Dressing:

• 2 small garlic cloves
• 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil

Directions:

1. To cook the quinoa, first rinse it thoroughly under running water. Next, combine the dry quinoa with 1.5 cups of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered until all the water has been absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. To cook the lentils, first rinse under running water. Next, combine the lentils and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring the lentils to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Add water as needed to make sure the lentils are just barely covered. Lentils are done as soon as they are tender and no longer crunchy. Remove from heat and strain.
3. Place the goji berries in a small bowl and cover with water. Allow to soak for about 15 minutes, then drain and squeeze out any excess water.
4. Combine the cooked quinoa, lentils, goji berries and remaining tabbouleh ingredients in a large bowl.
5. Remove the stems and thick part of the spines from the kale and chop into small, thin pieces (shredded). Place in a large bowl. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the kale (take care not to drop the seeds in!) and massage into kale with your hands.
6. To make the dressing, blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender.
7. To assemble, you can mix the dressing with the tabbouleh and serve it on top of the kale (this is best if serving on individual plates). Alternatively, mix the tabbouleh, kale and dressing all together in one large bowl to serve at a buffet. Garnish with sprouts and hemp seeds, if desired.

Maybe my taste buds have changed but since then, beets have been a part of my regular rotation during the fall and winter along with most other root vegetables. I juice them, shred them for salads and sometimes roast them to bring out their flavour. Last week, I happened to buy a gigantic bunch of organic red beets, but since I was getting a little tired of adding them to my salads I decided to go another route and throw them in a batch of falafel. Call it an early Valentine’s Day meal if you wish, since red is everywhere this week.

I wish I had snapped a photo of the inside of these babies to show the beautiful specks of deep red throughout, but I didn’t, so you’ll have to trust me on this one. Underneath the crispy exterior, they are beautiful. I promise.

They are also super simple to throw together in your food processor. With these, you have the option to fry them like traditional falafel, or bake them if you wish. Then place them atop a luscious plate of greens and smother them in my favourite homemade tahini dressing.

Speaking of Valentine’s Day, Lisa and I put together special treat tins to share this week. We filled them with three kinds of truffles, as well as raw brownies, moonie pies, chocolate chip almond cookies, white chocolate lavender cups and fig and hazelnut bars. I hope those who purchased the tins enjoy our handcrafted chocolate confections as much as we enjoyed creating them.

We will be doing more of these special treat packages for upcoming holidays. If you like what you see, stay tuned for our next special sampler.

Beetroot falafel with tahini dressing

Yield: about 20 patties

Ingredients:

Falafel:

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas (or one 19oz. can)
• 3/4 cup shredded beets (about 1 large)
• 1/2 cup oat flour (ground rolled oats)
• 1/2 cup flax meal
• 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup tahini

Tahini dressing:

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

For the falafel:

1. Mince garlic in a food processor. Add the cilantro and parsley and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add chickpeas to the food processor and pulse to chop finely, but don't puree. Add chickpeas and remaining ingredients to the bowl. Mix everything together thoroughly (using your hands is best). The mixture should hold together when pressed between your hands.
3. Form into small balls (1 tbsp each) and press together firmly with your palms to form small patties.
4. You can either fry these lightly in oil or bake them. To fry, heat oil of your choice in a frying pan and cook falafel patties over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes, flip over and cook another 4 minutes, or until browned on both sides.
5. To bake, preheat oven to 350F. Place falafel patties on a baking sheet and brush tops lightly with oil of your choice. Bake for 20 minutes, turning over halfway through. Best served immediately with tahini dressing.

For tahini dressing:

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.