As you might expect from my daily eats, I consume a plenty of salad—in many more combinations than could possibly fit into my first Salad Lady post. Today I present you with a second edition, this time with a theme of lettuce liberation. While all these salads are perfectly enjoyable atop a bed of greens, they are all lettuce-free, featuring fruits, proteins, nuts, and other vegetables instead. See below for a few salads that have made it into regular rotation here at the Broccoli Hut.

Waldorf Salad

(Serves 1)

Although the original Waldorf salad featured only apples, celery, and mayonnaise, I have added a few of my own ingredients, as inspired by my Mom’s recipe and my own taste-buds.

Ingredients:

• 1 large apple of any sweet type (Gala, Fuji, or Honeycrisp recommended), diced
• 1 T raisins
• 7-8 walnuts halves, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1-2 T vegan mayonnaise (such as Nasoya brand)

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl until the mayonnaise is evenly distributed. Add more or less mayonnaise as desired.

Notes:

-For extra protein, I like to add in 1/2 cup of cooked chickpeas.

-You may substitute plain Greek yogurt or plain yogurt for the vegan mayonnaise

Curried Tofu Salad

(Serves 1)

Long ago, I noticed a recipe on Kath’s blog for Curried Fruit + Nut Chicken Salad and decided that the flavor combination sounded utterly delightful. Hence, I tweaked it for my vegetarian lifestyle and my own taste preferences. The result is what you see below.

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. firm tofu, cubed
• 1 T. dried cranberries
• 7-8 walnut halves, chopped OR 2 T pecans, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 T vegan mayonnaise (such as Nasoya brand)
• 1 t Dijon mustard
• 0.5 t curry powder
• 0.5 t cinnamon
• 0.5 t paprika (for color)

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl until the mayonnaise is evenly distributed. Add more or less mayonnaise as desired.

Notes:

-Instead of tofu, you can use seitan cubes, or omit the protein component entirely.

-For an interesting variation, try adding tropical fruit, such as mango or pineapple. Add a little lemon juice and zest for freshness, and omit mustard and paprika. Cashews may also be used instead of walnuts or pecans.

Avocado Eggless Salad

(Serves 1)

As I indicated in this post, much of the inspiration for my recipes comes from Clean Eating Magazine. This recipe originally appeared in Clean Eating (March/April 2009), featuring egg whites. I substituted cubed tofu and tweaked the ingredients a bit to create a vegan version all my own.

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. firm tofu, cubed
• 0.5 small avocado, mashed
• 1 T vegan mayonnaise (such as Nasoya brand)
• 1 t Dijon mustard
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• green onions, diced (optional)
• 0.5 t chili powder (for garnish)

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients except tofu and chili powder in a small bowl. Then toss with cubed tofu until well combined.

2. Add chili powder on top and serve.

Ginger Peanut Tofu Salad

(Serves 1)

This recipe is adapted from Everyday Dish TV. My variation is very similar, just scaled down to serve one and a few ingredients altered.

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. firm tofu
• 1 T creamy natural peanut butter
• 1 T reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 T freshly grated ginger (or 0.5 t ground ginger)
• 0.5 packet stevia or 1 t agave syrup
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• dash of red pepper flakes
• green onions, diced (optional)

Method:

1. Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, stevia, and garlic in a small bowl.

2. Place the tofu in a larger bowl and pour the dressing from step one over the tofu. Combine the dressing and tofu with your hands, squeezing the tofu into a crumble texture. Bonus: great stress relief!

3. Serve with rice crackers and enjoy.

As always, any of your salad combination suggestions are welcome!

Filed under: Feature Post, Recipe