fresh fennel and cucumber salad in yogurt sauce

One of my new favorite salads!

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fresh cucumber, chopped into bite-sized pieces
minced fresh fennel leaves

plain unsweetened yogurt
minced or jarred horseradish
fresh lemon or lime juice and/or zest
minced garlic
pinch of sugar (optional)
salt and pepper

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original recipe by cooking light and adapted by friedsig

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Experimenting a lot with fennel this week, after scoring a giant fennel root with tons of plant still attached. This was my favorite of all those recipes! This sweet horseradish yogurt dressing is addictive. My other favorite was the roast chicken with roasted fennel root and caramelized onion and garlic in a white wine and dijon sauce. Great fall recipe. The miso-sesame fennel salad is definitely decent, but I like how fresh and crisp the fennel stayed in the yogurt sauce compared with the miso-sesame.

Anyway – highly recommended.

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If you like a cucumber salad, try some of my other favorite cucumber recipes: a flavorful vegan charred onion and cucumber salad, a spicy sichuan cucumber salad, or a summery cucumber, lime, and mint salad

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liangban tofu (chilled soft tofu salad)

ten minutes til a quick snack full of protein, all nine essential amino acids, iron, calcium, magnesium, and more…

one block soft tofu
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon black vinegar
2 fresh Thai peppers (you can replace it with chili oil)
1/2 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 green onion, finely chopped
minced cilantro, to taste
toasted Sichuan peppercorns, to taste

1. cube tofu and steam for ten minutes
2. separately, mix together all other ingredients
3. dump ingredients on top of tofu and refrigerate

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adapted from china sichuan food and tim elwyn

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my favorite tofu is definitely mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐) and my favorite junk food tofu is crispy vegan kung pao tofu…

…but what if you don’t have an hour to press and fry tofu? what if you like mapo tofu but you don’t eat pork?

THIS is my new go-to quick tofu recipe for lazy vegans. it’s a great summer recipe, too, since you don’t have to kick your wok up to high heat.

i wasn’t completely smitten with it when i first tasted it, but once the tofu sucked up the sauce, i had no trouble eating an entire brick of tofu myself.

if you don’t care for wild splattering oil, if you’re on a diet, if you’re not into pork, if you’re in a rush, or on a soft food diet after surgery or dental problems, or if you’re just too lazy to cook, i definitely recommend this!

tuscan white bean and tuna salad

Want a lunch that costs less than a frozen meal, takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, requires no cooking, is impossible to mess up, and tastes great?

This is an adaptation of a northern Italian recipe.

– 1 can tuna
– 1 can drained and rinsed white beans, or leftover cooked white beans (cannellini, great northern, or similar)
– olive oil and red wine vinegar, to taste
– minced raw garlic and/or onions
salt and black pepper, to taste
optional: capers or minced pickles
optional: sliced olives
optional: fresh lemon juice
optional: tiny bit of mayo or plain yogurt for creaminess
optional: salad greens

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Finally posting this, although it’s been a go-to for me for years for a quick and lazy lunch. This is packed with protein. Eat a clump of it on a big green salad with an Italian vinaigrette, pile it on a slice of whole-grain bread with a mustardy vinaigrette and fresh tomatoes and greens, or just scoop it up with crackers.

For a similar northern Italian salad, try this roasted eggplant and tuna salad, or this springtime niçoise style salad.

asparagus and avocado salad

One of the best simple salads ever. Great seasonal flavors. Lots of textures. Super fresh and healthy. Thanks, Kathy – best snack at the potluck by far!

1 lb trimmed asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 avocadoes, cubed
crumbled goat cheese
olive oil, Dijon, salt & pepper, and the juice of one lemon

– mix up vinaigrette
– blanch asparagus (barely 3 mins; leave it a bit crisp)
– combine everything

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recipe adapted by our midwife Kathy, original (calling for feta) by oh-so-delicioso

persian chopped salad

Shirazi salad, also known as Persian chopped salad, is an amazing bright, fresh, and summery vegan treat. It doesn’t get much healthier than this raw crunchy salad.

The only necessary ingredients here are a veggie or two, lemon or lime juice, and something herby. It’s too early in the season here for fresh garden herbs, but dry mint was great in this!

Chop any combination of the following:
raw fresh cucumbers
raw fresh tomatoes
raw onion
raw garlic
fresh hot chili pepper
fresh herbs like mint, parsley, or cilantro

Add chickpeas if you like. (I do!)

Dress with lemon or lime juice, and any combination of salt and pepper, dry or fresh mint, dry or fresh dill, and a splash of extra virgin olive oil.

(If you’re leaving out the fresh herbs, make sure to add extra citrus, and some dried herbs like dill-and-garlic seasoning or capitol hill blend!

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recipe adapted from a variety of sources, including Persian mama and Cleveland clinic.

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Similar to a fattoush or “Israeli salad” – this infinitely adaptable salad goes with everything. I highly recommend the chickpeas. Chickpeas add an interesting texture, and lots of protein and fiber!

If you like spicy, Sichuan cucumber salad is your best bet. But what if you want something clean and fresh, not doused in spicy oil? The dry mint in this recipe makes it super refreshing.

This is basically a textbook example of a “detox meal” – something that makes you feel alive again after a winter of eating junk food like super-greasy crispy fried tofu. Easy to make low-sodium, great for a potluck, and a great way to use local veggies from your backyard garden or your farmers’ market.

It doesn’t get much healthier than this!

springtime niçoise style salad

niçoise salad is amazing and versatile. ever tried it with asparagus? i can’t get fresh green beans in april, so i made an asparagus niçoise style salad for the spring.

the best part is, none of these ingredients are necessary. any leftover vegetables would be great in here. swap out whatever you have or don’t have, and build your dream salad. it’s a great way to use leftover boiled potatoes.

– 1 bunch asparagus
– medium-boiled eggs (the internet said 7 minutes for medium-boiled eggs. but they came out soft-boiled. delicious but not the same.)
– diced artichoke hearts
– chopped olives (use what you have in the house; they don’t have to be nicoise olives)
– leftover boiled potatoes (i used purple fleshed potatoes that were on sale at the co-op and they were beautiful contrasted with the bright green asparagus and bright yellow yolks)
– (optional: tuna or anchovies, if you eat fish)

dressing:
dijon mustard
apple cider vinegar
a few pinches of minced onions or garlic
any fresh herb you have in the house
pinch of salt and pepper

roast asparagus in olive oil on 425 until it cooked but still crunchy, just eight minutes or so

cut everything into bite-sized chunks, like for potato salad or egg salad, top with vinaigrette, and serve.

don’t be constrained by this recipe. get creative! next time, i’d love to add some radishes for crunch. epicurious says to add raw red and yellow bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, and tons of parsley. david lebovitz uses fresh cucumbers, fresh fava beans, fresh basil, and a half a head of lettuce. others call for capers, celery, salmon and sugar, baby beets….

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recipe modified from all the recipes cited above, created by friedsig, and, mostly inspired by this bon apetit recipe that planted itself into my subconscious

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artichokes and asparagus are two of my favorite foods. here you can eat them at the same time!

it’s nice to have a new quick lunch for the week with just a little weekend meal prep. if you make the vinaigrette and roast the asparagus and boil the potatoes and eggs on a weekend, you can construct this salad in five minutes. also, a great seasonal salad: use tomatoes and cucumbers in an august salad, and asparagus and radishes in an april salad. it’s also nice to have a unifying theme, and feel like, “i am eating nicoise salad,” and not, “i am eating this hastily assembled pile of leftovers”

raw fennel carrot orange salad

 

Thinly sliced fennel
Grated carrots
Orange juice
Extra virgin olive oil
Apple cider vinegar
Fresh tarragon
A little salt and lots of pepper

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salad by the local co-op

five-minute healthy cucumber, lime, and mint salad

this is my new favorite cucumber salad. it comes together in five minutes and makes a perfect quick lunch or side.

cut up one giant cucumber or several smaller cucumbers

– put the pieces in a bowl and coat them with olive oil, about a tablespoon.
– use an equivalent amount of rice wine vinegar. mix well.
– add the juice of half a lime, salt and pepper, tons of fresh mint minced up, and minced onions in your favorite style. (grill, roast, sear, or soak in saltwater if you hate raw onions.)
– if you like it hot, add a little minced fresh serrano, jalapeno, or whatever you have in the house.

mix it up:

– (opt.) add a few roasted peanuts, crunched-up, for texture and flavor!
– (opt.) you can also add a pinch of sugar, honey, or your favorite sweetener if you like it sweeter.
– (opt.) if you have homemade la jiao jiang, that’s always great in any cold salad.
– (opt.) add 2 drops of fish sauce if it feels like it’s missing something.
– (opt.) add whatever fresh herbs you have in the house, a few minced or chopped salad greens, a few chunks of tomato, or a few sliced radishes.

make it at least 15 minutes before you plan to eat it.

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recipe by friedsig

kachumbari (healthy coleslaw from burundi)

this is a coleslaw that comes from burundi, in east/central africa. it’s quick and healthy!

1 (more or less) hot chilli pepper, cleaned, seeds removed, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 to 4 tomatoes, thinly sliced
Juice or one or two lemons or limes
Up to one teaspoon salt
fresh chopped cilantro
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced (optional)
1 small cabbage, shredded (optional)

let combine for at least fifteen minutes before serving.

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from ALWS

eggplant tonnato (roasted eggplant and tuna salad)

i modified this significantly, but here’s the original:

2 (6-ounce) cans light tuna packed in olive oil (preferably Italian), drained, divided
1 large anchovy fillet
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
2 teaspoons drained capers (or anything pickled)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 (11 1/2- to 13-ounce) jars or containers grilled eggplant, drained
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/3 cup coarsely chopped mint
2 cups (1/2-inch) bread cubes from a country loaf, toasted
Equipment: 4 (16-ounces) wide jars or containers with lids

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Blend 1/4 cup tuna, anchovy, mayonnaise, oil, capers, and lemon juice in a blender until smooth to make tonnato sauce.
Pulse eggplant, garlic, parsley, zest, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processor until combined but not smooth.
Toss tomatoes with mint, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Divide eggplant mixture among jars and layer remaining tuna (broken up into large chunks), tonnato sauce, croutons, and tomatoes (including juices) on top. Drizzle with olive oil.

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from epicurious

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surprisingly, not bad. a very strange combination of flavors. i never imagined i would puree tuna. i left out half the ingredients due to my budget – left out the anchovies, the croutons, and even the tomatoes. it’s still pretty okay. if, like me, all you have in the house is a can of tuna and a few eggplants, you can go pick up some mint and give this a try. instead of capers, i used some pickles. you could use pickled anything.

plus, once you have fresh mint in the house, you can make radish, butter, and mint sandwiches (don’t knock it ’til you try it,) as well as cucumber salad with mint, cold cucumber soup, fattoush, or a mint dressing with rice wine vinegar!

not a bad healthy choice for a quick lunch – if the eggplants are roasted already, you can put this together in just a few minutes! roast a few eggplants on a day off and keep them in your fridge just in case you need a quick meal!