Sweet and Nutty Massaged Kale Salad with Quinoa

I was first introduced to massaged kale at dinner last Christmas Eve.  "Massaged" kale?  I know, I was skeptical, too.  After all, I had only known kale as a slightly bitter green that needed to be steamed or sautéed until tender -- not a raw lettuce substitute that needs to be "relaxed" before eating.   

At this point, I've tried raw, massaged kale twice in my life, and it was great both times.  Massaged kale is my 2012 Christmas miracle. 

Kale, post-massage, post-dressing.

A quick note, before I move on to the recipe: I used lacinato kale rather than curly kale for this salad. Why did I do this?  Because the grocery store was out of curly kale.  Apparently, though, this was a serendipitous occurrence.  According to Wikipedia, lacinato kale (AKA Tuscan kale, Tuscan cabbage, Dinosaur kale, among other names) has a sweeter, more delicate taste than curly kale.  So, I'd give it a shot if you can find it!

Curly kale on the left, lacinato kale on the right (Source: Life is Fare)

Recipe:
Sweet and Nutty Massaged Kale Salad with Quinoa

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
•  1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar)
• 5 cups kale, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 apple, diced
• salt and pepper to taste

First, prepare the quinoa according to package instructions. Let cool while you prepare the rest of the salad components.

Next, prepare the vinaigrette. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, and honey in a small bowl. 

Then, place the kale in a large bowl and pour the vinaigrette over the leaves.  Massage the kale with your hands for about five minutes, or until the kale has reduced significantly in size and feels tender. 

Add in the quinoa, walnuts, cranberries, apples, salt, and pepper to the bowl.  Toss and serve.

Yields 4 dinner-sized servings. 


Comments:

Taste:           

This salad has a great blend of sweetness, nuttiness, and earthiness.  Massaged kale becomes quite tender and soft, so the apples and walnuts add a nice crunch.  Next time I make this, I might add a bit of mustard to the dressing -- I think that would complement the flavor of the kale nicely.

Accessibility:              

I have occasional trouble finding kale at the nearby grocery store (perhaps it's because we go shopping on Sunday evenings!).  That said, Whole Foods is sure to have it.  Additionally, quinoa and walnuts can be two pricey ingredients.

 Ease of Preparation:        

The only reason I didn't give this a four-carrot rating in this category is the time it takes to cook the quinoa (about 15 minutes).  Otherwise, it's an incredibly quick and easy (not to mention fun) recipe.

Non-vegan friendliness:             

This is a hearty, protein- and calcium-packed salad that can stand on its own as a main dish.  Or, serve it alongside a pasta dish for a complete Tuscan experience.

Warm German Potato Salad

Warm potato salad might seem like an odd concept if you're used to cold, mayo-based potato salad.  While I certainly ate my share of the latter before I was vegan, I will always have a special place in my stomach for Warm German Potato Salad--something I grew up eating with the Pennsylvania German (Dutch) side of my family.  The traditional version of this dish is made with bacon, while a vinegar base stands in for mayo by design.  

A pan of warm potato salad.

Here's a recipe for a vegan version of this tasty side dish.  

Recipe:     
Warm German Potato Salad

• 4 large potatoes, cubed
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 5 slices mock bacon strips
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon brown mustard
• 1 small bunch scallions, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

First, place the potatoes in a saucepan or pot and add just enough water to cover them.  Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until tender (around 15 minutes, depending on how big your cubes are).  Drain the potatoes, cover, and set aside.  

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the bacon strips until crispy (follow the package instructions).  Then chop or crumble the bacon into small pieces and set aside. 

Next, with the heat on medium, whisk the sugar, flour, water, vinegar, and mustard into the oil in the skillet. Continue whisking for another minute or so until the sauce thickens.  Add the potatoes, bacon, and scallions to the pan and stir to coat the potatoes well.  Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Comments:
Taste:            

German potato salad has a deliciously sweet, tangy, mustard-y flavor.  Unfortunately, ours ended up a bit under-dressed (I attribute this to the fact that our potatoes were pretty giant), meaning the flavors were a bit too subtle.  I adjusted the recipe above to allow for a bit more vinegar dressing on the potato salad, but feel free to add more if needed.  I also think the potato salad tasted better when served immediately rather than when reheated as leftovers.     

Accessibility:          

You probably have many of these ingredients in your pantry or fridge already.  Our usual grocery store carries vegan bacon strips, but I imagine it might be more difficult to find in some other locations. 

  Ease of Preparation:     

This is a pretty straightforward recipe, and you can definitely multitask while the potatoes are boiling in order to save time.

Non-vegan friendliness:           

Since German potato salad is usually vinegar-based, anyway, there isn't much occasion for comparison between this dish and its non-vegan version--except for the vegan bacon.  The mock bacon's bold, bacony flavor adds to the dish, although the texture is a bit off.  I'm not sure I'd eat a slice of mock bacon for breakfast, but it gets the job done as part of the potato salad. 

Chinese Edamame Salad

A couple weeks ago, by complete coincidence, I ended up sitting next to my friend on the Northeast Regional Amtrak train toward New York.  Small world!  We had a good conversation with plenty of time to talk about work, life, and food.  She promised to pass along her go-to recipe for Chinese chicken salad (originally made by her aunt) so that I could veganize it.  Well, she did, and I did; so, here we are.

Recipe:     
Chinese Edamame Salad

Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  

Salad

• 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 package frozen edamame, prepared according to package instructions
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• Crispy wonton skins or crispy chow mein noodles for garnish
• Mandarin oranges, optional, for garnish

First, prepare the salad dressing by whisking together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Next, prepare the salad.  Toss together the prepared salad ingredients in a large bowl using salad tongs.

Top individual portions with dressing and serve.

Comments:
Taste:         

This salad was good but not great.The dressing was flavorful--I'm a big fan of rice vinegar--and the different components added varying types of crunch.  Unfortunately, the dressing was a little too salty.  I'll plan to leave the salt out of the dressing next time.  

 Accessibility:      

I couldn't find wonton skins at our usual grocery store, so we bought crispy chow mein noodles instead.  Several ingredients in this salad are on the expensive side; however, we were happy to find larger, less expensive quantities of pre-toasted(!) sesame seeds in the international aisle, as opposed to the more expensive, smaller quantities in the spice aisle. 

 Ease of Preparation:        

Once the salad components are chopped/steamed/toasted, this recipe is as simple as it gets.

Non-vegan friendliness:        

This salad was tasty, but it wasn't quite satisfying as an entrée.  Next time, I'll serve this as a starter course paired with something light yet more substantial for the main dish.

Curried Quinoa Salad

What better way to celebrate summer than by using fresh fruit in a salad?  We made this Curried Quinoa Salad with nectarines and snap peas the other night when a friend came over for dinner, served alongside Simon's Spicy Corn Pakoras.

There are so many delicious components in this salad.

Recipe:     
Curried Quinoa Salad

• 8 ounces frozen sugar snap peas or snow peas, thawed
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons curry powder, divided
• 2.5 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2.5 tablespoons store-bought mango chutney
• 2.5 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 nectarines or peaches, each cut into 10 wedges
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves

First, prepare the quinoa.  Bring a medium pot of water to boil over medium-high heat.  Stir the quinoa and 1 tablespoon curry powder into the boiling water and cook for about 14 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender, stirring occasionally. 

While the quinoa cooks, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder, vinegar, chutney (try to avoid the chunks in the chutney, using the saucy part only), and oil in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Then toss the peas, nectarines, onion, and spinach in a separate large bowl and set aside. 


Once the quinoa is done cooking, drain it, rinse it under cold water until cool, and drain again.  Add the quinoa and dressing to the salad bowl and toss until everything is well coated. 

Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and enjoy.  Serves 4. 

Comments:

Taste:       

I would gladly eat this unique salad on a regular basis.  The sweet and slightly spicy dressing is a great bridge between the quinoa and the rest of the ingredients.  The inclusion of nectarines really brightens up the dish, and the subtle mango flavor is like icing on the cake. 

Accessibility:    

We couldn't find fresh snap peas in our grocery store, so we used (thawed) frozen snap peas instead.  It worked quite well: just pop the bag of peas in the fridge when you get home from the store so they can thaw without cooking.  We've had trouble finding quinoa at non-specialty grocery stores in the past, though for the first time this week we actually found it at Giant!

 Ease of Preparation:        

While this dish certainly takes longer to prepare than other salads, it's still quite simple to make.  Prepare, toss, eat!

Non-vegan friendliness:       

As far as salads go, this dish is substantial, interesting, and visually pleasing.  We served this as side dish rather than as a one-pot meal. 

Peanut Noodle Salad

I've made enough noodle dishes to realize that no one peanut sauce-covered noodle recipe is quite like another.  This recipe for Peanut Noodle Salad is different from more classic Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce in a few ways:

1. It's more of a side dish or salad than a stand-alone main dish.
2. It can be served cold.
3. It contains raw ingredients.

We served this noodle salad alongside Asian Cabbage Slaw and crispy spring rolls for a quite satisfying meal.

Peanut noodle salad garnished with crushed peanuts.

Note: this dish is best consumed on the same day you make it.  Enjoy it while it's fresh!

Recipe:     
Peanut Noodle Salad

• 1 box whole wheat linguine or spaghetti, prepared according to package instructions (see note below)
• 1 - 12 ounce package pre-shelled frozen edamame, prepared according to package instructions
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 3/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (I prefer Frank's)
• 1 cucumber, seeded and sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin, bite sized strips
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• peanuts, crushed, for garnish

First, prepare the pasta and edamame according to package instructions--but reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.  Once they're cooked, rinse both the pasta and edamame with cold water and drain before combining in a large bowl.  Add the sesame oil and toss until coated.  Set aside. 

Next, create the sauce.  Whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, hot sauce, and 6 tablespoons pasta cooking water in a medium bowl until smooth.

Finally, add the sauce and the cucumber, pepper, and cilantro to the noodle bowl.  Toss all ingredients together, top with crushed peanuts, and serve. 

Yields 8 small portions. 

Comments:

Taste:          

I really enjoyed the freshness that the cucumbers bring to this dish.  I also like that the peanut sauce isn't overpowering or too heavy.  This is definitely a nice summer dish.

Accessibility:   

Frozen edamame should be easy to find.  If you don't have natural peanut butter, you can always use regular peanut butter.

 Ease of Preparation:       

This recipe is nice and quick.  You can prepare the sauce and chop the veggies while the first two ingredients are cooking. 

Non-vegan friendliness:      

Everyone should enjoy this veggie- and protein-packed side dish. 

Southwest-Style Salad with a Sweet and Smoky Chipotle Vinaigrette

Our recreation of Chipotle over the weekend gave me the idea of recreating a dish from another fast-casual restaurant: Chop't.  The result: Southwest-Style Salad with a Sweet and Smoky Chipotle Vinaigrette.

Salad, undressed.

Recipe:   
Southwest-Style Salad with a Sweet and Smoky Chipotle Vinaigrette

Salad

• 1/2 small bag frozen corn
• 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/2 bag baby spinach
• 2 avocados, peeled and diced
• 2 or 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 - 6 ounce container French fried onions

Chipotle Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup honey*
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 - 7 ounce can chiles chipotles adobados (AKA chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)

First, toast the corn for the salad.  Pour to corn into a skillet and heat over high heat.  Stir the corn occasionally until it becomes toasty golden brown. 

Next, prepare the salad.  Toss together all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl. 

Finally, prepare the salad dressing.  In a food processor or blender, combine the honey, vinegar, mustard, and chiles on high speed until smooth. 

Top the salad with dressing and enjoy.  Serves 6-8 people.

Comments:

Taste:        

I'm really pleased with how this salad came out.  It's full of tasty ingredients that are filling, yet light.  Rachel liked the salad "a lot" and especially enjoyed the "interesting interplay of textures."  The dressing was also a hit: the honey and peppers create a uniquely rich, smoky flavor that's both spicy and sweet.  Simon thought "it tasted like salad" and his favorite part was the French fried onions.

Accessibility: 

This is definitely a summertime dish. 

 Ease of Preparation:     

This salad is really quick and easy to make.  It takes about 15 minutes! 

Non-vegan friendliness:    

I think this is an incredible salad.  Simon and Rachel both added shredded cheese on top.  Simon wasn't convinced that it's an adequate main dish, but Rachel and I couldn't disagree more. 

* A note about honey:  I eat honey.  It is technically an animal product, meaning I wouldn't eat it as a vegan; however, as a discerning vegan, I only reject foods that I have a reason to reject.  I eat honey because, unlike other animal products, I don't know any reason not to eat it.**

** If you don't eat honey, let me know why!