Salad Days
Throughout Winter I love home made soup for lunch but as the weather has warmed up (slightly) I've started to be all about the salad. This is thanks in part to getting a copy of the wonderful Salad Samurai by Terry Hope Romero for Christmas. There's often a few different components to the recipes such as making dressings or marinades but I've been so impressed with the flavour combinations it's worth the preparation time. This first picture is the Smokehouse Chickpeas n Greens Salad. I've made this one several times now and it's become a big favourite with what has to be one of the nicest ways ever to eat chickpeas - roasted in tamari, liquid smoke, maple syrup and nooch.
I used a packet of ready cooked lentils for this bowl. It's the Gingery Beets and Lentils with Tahini and Agave Nectar. The beets are roasted in olive oil and smoked salt and are so delicious. There's not one but two sauces to prepare - a ginger and orange vinegrette and not pictured here a lemon, tahini dressing which is drizzled over just before serving.
Being in Derbyshire I couldn't find collards for this Collards and Sweet Potato Crunch Bowl but it subbed successfully with massaged kale instead. There's also black beans in there, roasted sweet potatoes, a wonderful orange and smoked paprika vinaigrette and a topping of almonds that have been oven cooked in maple syrup, liquid smoke and sriacha or in my case sweet chilli sauce.
Even when I've not has chance to prepare salads and I've had to buy lunches I've been pleased to find a couple of vegan friendly salads in Boots Meal Deals which combined with a coconut water and a Trek Protein Crunch bar make a decent, healthy lunch. Also, Marks and Spencers have just introduced a load more salads to their 2 for £3 range. This picture below is made up of a variety of Marks salads including a Mexican Rice and Avocado salad, a slaw and a garlicy potato salad.
Has anyone any recommendations from Salad Samurai for what I should try next?
I love Salad Samurai! Like you, I've tried the smokehouse chickpeas and gingery beets. The fiery fruit and quinoa salad was surprisingly good (I don't generally like mixing sweet and spicy, but it worked beautifully here), as was the green curry lentil quinoa salad (it had pineapple in, but I still absolutely loved it).
ReplyDeleteDon't avoid the breakfast chapter, either - the overnight oats with Mexican chocolate creme are beautiful!
Ooh, thank you for those suggestions. I love sweet and savoury so I'll definitely check them out. I also have overnight oats several times a week. Can't believe I've not noticed the Mexican choc recipe!
ReplyDeleteI was in the bookshop the other day and bought this book on your recommendation. It looks great! I am so impressed. I've been waiting for a vegan salad cookbook to come out. I also bought the Thug Kitchen cookbook. Hilarious! :)
ReplyDeleteI had the Mexican Chocolate overnight oats today that HH recommends above. They were lovely, great start to a rainy Monday :)
DeleteGlad you liked them! It's always decadent having chocolate for breakfast.
Deletethanks to the weather of late, I've been looking at salad with new eyes. Those chickpeas are covered in some of my favourite things!
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