I love coleslaw. Love it.

Come May 1st, our weekly dinners contain lots of vegetable burgers, grilled vegetables, and coleslaw.

It’s one of the foods that BL won’t let me compromise on. There are certain things that I have to make correct, and can’t experiment much with. He let’s me add curry to our ketchup, cumin to our hummus, but I have very little leeway with traditional coleslaw. 

While I might not change up his favorite side dish, it doesn’t mean I won’t take a few shortcuts now and then.

A few weeks ago I made these awesome BBQ tempeh sandwiches and right before we sat down, decided that we needed some coleslaw and baked beans to go with it.

Trust me when I say this is the easiest coleslaw you will ever make. If you’ve got 5 minutes, you’ve got coleslaw. I let this sit for 20 minutes and it was great, go longer and it will taste even better.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup vegan egg-free mayonnaise thinned with 1 tbsp. milk
3 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 head green cabbage, sliced
3 carrots, grated

I believe in the power of a good salad. Refreshing, crisp, and usually nutrient-dense, it’s the perfect meal. I try to eat a salad almost every day, an insurance on getting enough vegetables in my daily diet.

The one problem with most salads? The fatty dressing that accompanies them. I hate bottled dressings. Full of calories, fat, preservatives and sodium, they usually don’t have enough taste to make them worth it.

Fortunately, it’s easy enough to enjoy delicious salad dressings with very little prep. A few ingredients is all you need to whip up enough dressing to last you a week. Enjoy!

Little less chocolate, little more kale.

Things have been getting a little sweet over here. Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cupcakes, Orange Chocolate Mousse. Mmmm.

While my taste buds aren’t complaining, I’ve had this overwhelming urge to eat more salads, specifically more kale to keep things a little more balanced.

It’s like my body is saying, ‘Put down the sweets, Pick up the greens’.

You know it’s bad when you start dreaming of kale salads.

This is one of my favorites. I use baby kale here, it’s slightly less bitter than regular kale but either will work. Add some peppers, corn, black beans, creamy avocado and your good to go!

The thing I love about kale salads the most? I can dress & toss it and it will still be good a day later. Make a big batch of this and eat it through the week! I enjoy it for lunch,  dinner that night with baked BBQ tofu on top, and any leftovers are eaten the next day.

What’s your favorite kale salad?

Ingredients:

5 cups baby kale
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup corn

1 cup black beans
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 Avocado, diced
1/8 cup sunflower seeds

Cilantro Dressing:
1 bunch cilantro
1 lime, juiced

1 tbsp. olive oil
salt/pepper

In a salad bowl, combine baby kale, corn, black beans, chopped bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and black olives.

 
In a small blender or using a whisk, combine the chopped bunch cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and salt/pepper. Massage the dressing into the salad for 2-3 minutes until well tossed.

Add the avocado and sunflower seeds, Toss once more to combine.

I admit, I am kind of glad the holiday’s are over.

Don’t get me wrong, I am loving my week off from work, catching up with family & friends I haven’t seen all year, but I’m a little over the excess that happens every November & December.

What is it about coming home that turns me into a teenager again? You would think I had never had my mother’s cooking before!

Since I only return to Virginia about once a year, I try to cram as many things into one week as I can. This notion also applies to food. Making sure I hit all of my favorite spots, all in one week, is no easy feat.

Somehow though, I manage to do it year after year.

Gah! I’m full just thinking about it.

And that’s about the time I return to green smoothies & kale.

I mentioned a few weeks ago the magic of kale, and it is just as fitting as I write this today. There is something so nourishing about this little leafy green that wakes me up from too much junk and snaps me right back into place. Better than any pill or cure-all tea, I feel instantly better after incorporating more kale salads into my diet.

The nice thing about this salad is while it’s so very healthy for you, it also feels a bit naughty. Almost like I’m easing back into my clean eating plan for January. Baby steps.

I call this my protein-kale salad because it is loaded with satisfying protein. Crispy bits of tempeh, sesame seeds, and lentils. This salad will keep you full for hours- perfect for lunch after days of grazing.

Make extra of the dressing, you will want to put it on tofu, brown rice, or as a dip for vegetables. I sometimes even make it a little thicker and smear it on sprouted bagels & toast.

Creamy Kale Salad

6 cups kale
1 cup shredded carrots
1/8 cup dried cranberries
1 avocado, diced
1/8 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup cooked french lentils

Crispy Tempeh:
8 oz. tempeh, cubed
1 tbsp. oil
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. dried sage
1/8 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. garlic salt

Dressing:
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. tahini
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp. white miso paste
2 tbsp. water- or more if you like a thinner dressing
pinch salt/pepper

To make crispy tempeh: Heat 1 tbsp. oil in large skillet. Add tempeh and spices. Stir occasionally, until most sides become golden brown and crispy. Line a plate with a dish cloth or paper towel. Spoon the tempeh onto the towel to absorb excess oil. Set aside until ready to use.

To make the dressing: combine all ingredients in a small blender or whisk by hand. Taste before serving- depending on the brand of tahini and miso you might need more/less salt.

To assemble: Combine kale, cabbage, & carrots for salad in a large bowl. Toss with dressing. With clean hands, massage the dressing into the kale. Don’t be afraid to get messy! Massaging by hand helps to break down the tough kale! Add cranberries, avocado, sesame seeds and lentils. Toss together and let sit for 5 minutes. Top with crispy tempeh and serve!