salad & other stuff

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Sat 14 &  Sun 15 Nov 2015

A Savoury Blended Salad

Way too fascinated with the concept of the “blended salad,” I just had to try another recipe, and this time I wanted to try something more savoury. Boo, the link for where I got this recipe doesn’t seem to be working but I entered it below anyways for the day it decides to work again. Here is what was in it:

Salad (recipe):

spinach

lettuce

yellow pepper

1/2 cucumber

avocado

green onion

garlic clove

soy sauce

water

s&p

Afterthoughts

Was a bit worried about the outcome of this, but it tasted good and was incredibly filling (after eating one bowl). Yep, was pretty much like a soup --- thick and creamy, but raw and refreshing.

I had this the next day. The recipe yielded so much there wasn’t any way I could finish it in one sitting. Day-old blended salad tasted alright but next time, I would halve the recipe and eat it fresh. 

Rating: 8/10 

Fri 13 Nov 2015

Green Gorilla Blended Salad

As stated in the last entry, I was getting a bit tired of salads and I needed to trick myself into being interested again! Henced, the ~blended salad~ (a bold concept)!

Salad (recipe):

5 oz lettuce

5 oz spinach

1/2 avocado

1 banana

(I added 1/2 orange and some pomegranate seeds just cos my Dad handed them over to me)

Afterthoughts:

Ok, I suppose it is also considered to be a smoothie or a soup, but it contains way more greens than fruit, so to me, it’s a salad. Even Dr. Fuhrman called it a salad and wrote an article saying why it is beneficial to eat your salads in a blended form.

With all of the greens, it definitely tasted very healthy (if you know what I mean). It was good with the additional fruit. I would rate it 7/10.

I love that my parents got a Vitamix and are sooo into health! We all had this for lunch and talked about smoothies and healthy foods for about an hour. Fun times!

Thu 12 Nov 2015

Whatever’s-in-Fridge Salad

I am getting a bit tired of salad in the midst of this November-let’s-be-healthy challange, and I am kind of running out of ideas. I think it’s a mixture of feeling lazy, a bit uninspired, not really wanting to step out in the rain to the grocery store, etc. I decided to make something out of ingredients I happened to have in my fridge. Despite lack of motivation, I’m pretty impressed with what I have in there!

Salad:

Spinach

Yellow pepper

Red cabbage (mixed with lemon juice and olive oil)

Yam

Pumpkin seeds

Dressing of hummus (homemade!), olive oil, lemon juice, s+p

Afterthoughts:

Yummy and a bit comforting after running around in the rain all day long. Rating: 8/10. Was inspired by elements of my past favourite salads.

Tue 10 Nov 2015

Shrimp, Zucchini, Carrots, & Pine Nuts

Was out of salad ideas so returned to Salad Love recipes! 

Salad:

Spinach

Zucchini, peeled into ribbons

Purple carrot, peeled into ribbons

Green Onion

Shrimp

Pine nuts

Dressing of Veganaise, Olive Oil, Paprika, Lemon, s+p

Afterthoughts:

Refreshing but rich, creamy, and delicious. 

I would have this again. Rating 10/10.

Mon 09 Nov 2015

Cabbage, Zucchini, & Pecans

I had a huge lunch out at a Greek restaurant with Marg which kept me full for the entire day, so I didn’t feel like making dinner. I only made this salad to fulfill  the promise I made to everyone of eating one salad per day in November.

Salad (pg 72 in Salad Love):

Red cabbage

Zucchini

Avocado

Green onion

Pecans

Shrimp (my addition)

Dressing of olive oil and lemon juice

Afterthoughts:

Obligatory salad doesn’t comfort as a midnight snack should, lol. I think I am going to have to put extra effort into eating my greens during lunch. 

This was my second time to make this salad. It is very light and the ingredients go well together; however, It needs something like shrimp, tuna, or chicken to be satiating and complete. I also think the nuts should be toasted. This time around: 7/10. It was good, but just ok.

Sat 07 & Sun 08 Nov 2015

Festive Kale Salad with Sweet Apple Cinnamon Vinaigrette & Pecan Parmesan 

This recipe is from the Oh She Glows Cookbook (page 121), and seems to be a rather Christmas-y, sweeter, and spicier version of the The Best Shredded Kale Salad, which I used to love making in the past. It’s Christmas-y because of the lovely Christmas colours (as you can see) and for me, the first bite conjured the thoughts, tastes, and smells of of mulled wine... and spice.... and all things nice!  

Salad:

Kale, triple washed and cut into small pieces

Seeds of one pomegranate

Apple, diced

Raisins, handful (didn’t have dried cranberries)

A complex dressing of apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, lemon juice, olive oil, minced ginger, maple syrup, & salt.

Pecan parmesan (i.e. a vegan take on parmesan) made from toasted pecans, nutritional yeast, salt, & olive oil.

Afterthoughts:

I gripe a little about kale salads, because I find that raw kale takes so much effort to clean, especially when it’s organic. You really do need to soak kale, run it under water, rinse it, repeat ---- essentially, triple wash it. I always find so much residue on it, not to mention gross aphids. If you actually enter the word “aphid” on Google, you will automatically see “aphids kale” pop up on the dropdown guess list.

Despite the effort, I really like this salad. It is bold and has a lot of punch. I think that next time I would cut the volume of the dressing in half.... or buy a larger bunch of kale to soak up the dressing. I ended up with a puddle of dressing at the bottom of the bowl.

The pecan parmesan is savoury and balances with the sweetness and tartness of the salad. A brilliant idea.

The salad is good with an extra teaspoon of ginger. I think I would also cut down a bit on the maple syrup.

Rating: 9.5/10 (0.5 off because I’m sweating the small stuff).

Fri 06 Nov 2015

Toasted Almonds, Cucumber, Dill, & Quinoa Salad with Spinach

Quinoa 365: The Everyday Superfood was the first healthy eating cookbook I ever owned, and this was the first recipe I made from the book. I had never heard of quinoa prior to sitting on the skytrain one day in 2010, picking up a copy of Metro, and reading an article that was madly raving about it. I remember marching straight to Book Warehouse, buying the book, choosing this salad, buying the ingredients, and afterwards, converting to the quinoa movement ---- making “quinoa everything” and being all righteous about it as well (as people get when they “discover” superfoods). All the while, I was  mispronouncing it as “kin-oah”... I was so obsessed with kin-oah and made it so often to the point, that I actually got pretty sick of it. 

I don’t know what made me want to make this particular salad today.... a trip down memory lane, I guess? Nah, it was because I bought a bunch of fresh dill and needed a use for the dill. This recipe came to mind.

Salad:

Quinoa (cooked in vegetable broth)

Lots of dill

Cucumber, chopped

Toasted almonds

Green onion

Spinach (I added this since I that salads should have greens)

Dressing (olive oil & rice vinegar)

Afterthoughts:

I was a bit excited about this salad after not eating it for years, kind of hoping to be as amazed and in love as I was upon first bite, but all it did was remind me that I had this salad waaaayyyy too many times in 2010.  Unfortunately, the feelings from quinoa overconsumption still linger! Maybe I will make this again in 2020 and see what happens.

Toasted almonds, fresh dill, and fresh green onions make this salad shine. Trust me. Ugh, I once ran out of green onions and substituted minced fried yellow onions... a horrible thing to do. I think that in general, you should never substitute green onions with cooked yellow onions!!

Wed 04 Nov 2015

Winter Abundance Bowl

Leftovers from last Saturday. 

Just as delicious. 

Enjoyed while overlooking Hornby Street.

That is all.

Mon 02, Tue 03, & Thu 05 Nov 2015

Greens & Edamame, Cabbage & Wakame

This is a repeat (times 3) of what I had last Friday. I think this is officially my new favourite salad to eat when working downtown.  I even brought homemade salads on Tue & Wed and put them away in the work fridge so that I could enjoy these ones instead (at $11 a pop too...).

Salad:

Base:

Mixed spring greens

Red cabbage

Edamame

WAKAME

Egg

Dressing of balsamic & extra virgin olive oil

Various Toppings:

Mango

Grape Tomatoes

Carrots

Lentils

Roasted brussel sprouts

Pumpkin seeds

Red onion

Afterthoughts:

DELICIOUS. That is all I have to say. 10/10. 

I need to learn how to make wakame and keep it in my fridge at all times.

Sun 01 Nov 2015

A Feast of Fine Foods

Today was glorious, rainy, and full of romantic surprise(s). It ended with a  casual celebration and banquet feast of vegetables prepared lovingly in various forms. 

Menu:

broccoli, cheese, and walnut salad

coleslaw with carrots and red cabbage 

romaine lettuce, pomegranate, & avocado salad

brussel sprouts sauteed in butter

roasted sweet potato and garnet yams

roasted red peppers

Afterthoughts:

A memorable meal was had. I will miss feasting with the usual friendly faces at Todd End. 

I am happy for the future.

Sat 31 Oct 2015

Winter Abundance Bowl with Garlic-Ginger Pumpkin Seed Sauce

Indulged in this amazing warm veggie bowl from My New Roots. Figured we should eat something with nutritional substance before going to a Halloween Party and stuffing our faces with Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars.

Salad (recipe):

Brown rice

Green lentils

Raw Cabbage, slightly pickled with lemon juice and olive oil

Steamed sweet potato

Steamed broccoli

Garlic ginger pumpkin seed sauce

Afterthoughts:

THIS WAS SO GOOD. If you stumble upon this post, PLEASE MAKE THIS.

I am convinced that the garlic ginger pumpkin seed sauce is the SECRET ELIXIR to happiness.

I loved that I was able to make everything in one pot.

My new favourite winter meal.

Fri 30 Oct 2015

Greens, Beans, Some Protein, and ~~~Wakame~~~

I’m back from a crazy few months of athletic activity, family/friends, and cleaning my house like crazy--- although, not eating very healthily. I’ve decided November to be a month where I can just focus on myself in terms of recovering and eating well; hence, salad for 30 days! Decided to kick it all off with a visit to one of my favourite salad bars, The Twin Leaf Salad Bar, in downtown Vancouver.

Salad:

greens (spinach, iceberg lettuce, spring mixed)

green beans, cooked (stirfryed with some asian spices...)

cabbage

edamame

corn

cabbage

wakame seaweed

egg

tofu

Afterthoughts:

Eating this refreshing and delicious salad changed my world. All thanks to the wakame --- my new favourite ingredient for salad. So appetizing and so good.

I’m in love with Twin Leaf again and no longer like the previous one I was raving about (even though at the time, I was saying it was the best place ever). Nope, Twin Leaf is WHERE IT’S AT. High quality and reasonably priced.

Thu 10 Sep 2015

Coleslaw (with a side of Chicken & Guacamole Tacos)

The coleslaw was actually the side. The coleslaw is always a side! Does anyone ever make just coleslaw for dinner?

Salad (source for the dressing: The Kitchn)

Leftover cabbage, shredded

A carrot, finely grated

1/4 cup of yellow onion, diced

Leftover yellow bell pepper

Cilantro

1/2 of the Mayonnaise Dressing recipe per the link above ( Veganaise, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, salt)

Afterthoughts

Again, I love The Kitchn, and that it had three options for dressings using Mayonnaise, Buttermilk, or Sour Cream as a base.

Very delicious. It sure livened up my taco (I ended up putting into the taco). 

Always tastes better the next day. Was enjoyed over the weekend.

Wed 09 Sep 2015

Trio of Salads from Whole Foods

Had a lunch date with my Mom. Decided to bring some salad over, but do it the easy way ---> just go to Whole Foods. 

Salads:

Spinach, Orzo, & Feta Salad

Broccoli Salad with Walnuts & Currants

Cabbage & Carrot Coleslaw

Afterthoughts:

So convenient and so delicious, that Whole Foods.

My most favourite salad is the orzo one, even thought it’s mostly just pasta (orzo is my weakness). It’s really the only one I’m interested in. I just get healthier stuff (like the broccoli and the coleslaw) to make the meal a bit healthier.

Tue 08 Sep 2015

Chickpeas and Greens with Creamy Chipotle Dressing

Made the salad that I mentioned on my blog entry from the other day. Just following up! 

Salad (see the recipe again here)

chickpeas  (used these instead of black beans)

regular yellow onion (didn’t have the red)

yellow pepper

heirloom cherry tomatoes (yummm)

red oak leaf lettuce

cilantro

creamy chipotle cashew dressing (water, soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, chipotle powder, lime juice, garlic, salt)

Afterthoughts

I made the dressing a bit too watery, but it was so delicious that when there was a puddle of it left in my bowl, I pretty much drank it up. 

Chipotle powder: go out of your way for it! I bought my groceries and was about to leave, when I realized ... daahhh, I forgot to buy chipotle powder! I bought it, and lined up all over again (behind a lady who had a cartful of items). Was thinking of bailing out of the line, but hmm hmm hmm so glad I stayed! Yum.

Salad itself: it was ok. 

Overall rating: 8/10

Sun 06 Sep 2015

No time for salad

Burning the midnight oil (i.e. working night shifts), so spending most of the day sleeping and playing with the dog (i.e. dogsitting). However, I have time to dream about my next salad! I am thinking of trying this one out. 

To do:

Buy an avocado.