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Vegan Cooking
Simply Summer Salads
by Tracy Mitchell Griggs
When the mercury hits 95 degrees and wilts your will to spend time in the kitchen, main meal salads are the ticket. Salads also enhance grilled offerings, and several chilled or room temperature salads can serve as a meal by themselves. If you are serving only one salad, you may want to include a soy protein ingredient for heartier fare.
The recipes below are a diverse selection of soy, bean, and vegetable offerings that come to the rescue on those summer days when "cooking" is just not an option. Add some crusty bread, a gallon of minted or herbed iced tea and dinner is served!
Cuban Black Bean Salad
This salad is all prep. Just open cans and chop.
- 2 16 oz cans of black beans
- 1 16 oz can of hearts of palm
- 2 16ozs cans of corn, (or frozen and thawed)
- one large basket of cherry tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- one red onion, medium dice
- one bunch of cilantro, coarsely chopped (optional)
Dressing:
- juice of two lime and 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
- several TB of good quality olive oil
- sea or kosher salt
Combine all ingredients and mix dressing ingredients, toss and serve.
Grilled Vidalia Onion and Tomato Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
Great for the grill!
- 2 lrg Vidalia onions (about 1-1/2 pounds)
- 2 lrg juicy beefsteak tomatoes-ripe, but not too soft (tomatoes optional)
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 TB olive oil
- 2 t red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 t brown sugar
- 1/2 t salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
Cut the onion in 8 (1/2-inch thick) slices. Cut the tomatoes into think slices.
Preheat outdoor grill or broiler. Place Vidalia Onion slices and tomato on a grill or broiler pan. Grill until slightly softened and golden brown, about 3 minutes; turn and cook until tender, about 3 minutes longer. To prepare dressing, combine in a small bowl orange juice, oil, vinegar, brown sugar, salt and black pepper; spoon over grilled onions. Serve, if desired, on a bed of grilled or chilled radicchio.
Grilled Tempeh Salad:
The meaty texture of grilled tempeh makes this a great one-course meal. Serve on a bed of lettuce and garnish with cooked beets, or blanched green beans.
For the tempeh:
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 TB freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon organic sugar (turbinado or other sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 8 oz package tempeh, cut width-wise into ½-inch wide fingers
- For the salad
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles
- 3 tablespoons chopped basil or cilantro
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Handful of lettuce leaves for serving
In a shallow bowl whisk together the garlic, lime juice, coriander, sugar, salt and 1/2 cup water. Add the tempeh and let marinate for at least 5 minutes, turning once (or up to 8 to 24 hours refrigerated).
Preheat a grill pan or the broiler. Place the tempeh on the grill and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until browned. Turn and grill on the other side for about 4 minutes or until browned. When cool to the touch, cut the tempeh fingers into 1/2 -inch cubes. Mix the tempeh with the remaining marinade the salad ingredients. Allow to stand for 15 minutes. Serve on a bed of lettuce.
Chef Tracy Griggs is the owner/manager of Chefs to Go!, a vegan/vegetarian consulting company. A resident of Maryland's Eastern shore and Philadelphia, she teaches vegan cooking classes throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region. A freelance writer and a public relations and communications professional, her future plans include opening a vegan/vegetarian pizza restaurant. You can email Tracy at chefstogodc@aol.com.
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