Nearly Raw Broccoli Slaw

Before I get to the other cookie recipe I made this weekend, let's have some greens, shall we?

Ok, so this technically might not be a slaw, but I just thought it had a nice ring to it ;-) This broccoli salad contains mostly raw ingredients, and just barely steamed broccoli, in a very light, slightly tangy and sweet, dressing. Barely-there dressing, but just enough to bring it all together. Crunch+sweet+fresh veggies= filling healthy meal love.

Pumpkin Parsnip Lasagna

Another great recipe from VegNews' Holiday 2012 Issue. I couldn't wait to try this one, and made it for my visiting family members the night before Thanksgiving this year. The pumpkin and parsnip went so well, with just the right amount of Daiya mozzarella cheese- this was a hearty, delicious holiday meal.

Vegan Thanksgiving Spread!

I'm very excited to share my Thanksgiving with you! I was completely psyched everything turned out so well, and that my family enjoyed it too. I was crazed cooking all day, and the pumpkin pie didn't even get put in the oven until after the meal, but hey, we had tons of great food! I think we have some new traditions on hand...

Winter Kale Salad

I feel whole again. This was a stressful week of tons of work (and more to come), of no time for cooking exciting meals, and it left me feeling less than. But after an awesome Saturday yoga flow class, a run with my dog, (and ok a little shopping), and a giant bowl of this hearty, healthy kale salad, I felt renewed, revived, and energized. Easy to make but so, so delicious, this salad just makes you feel good. It would also make a great addition to a Thanksgiving spread.

Kale & Kabocha Squash Curry Coconut Soup

This would be a perfect meal to make Sunday night, and then store and have waiting for you when you come home after a case of the Mondays; it's comforting, delicious, and tastes even better the next day. But it's also easy enough to quickly whip together after a long work day, in keeping with the theme of many of my vegan MoFo recipes.

When I saw red kabocha at the farmer's market, with a little sign that described it's sweet flavor, I knew I had to have it. I use green kabocha pretty regularly now, but hadn't tried the red variety yet. Kabocha squash is delicious roasted on its own, in curries, or in soups -like this Asian udon noodle soup- or this Fall-themed soup.

Pineapple Quinoa

Flavorful pineapple quinoa, served right out of the pineapple... definitely a good dinner party dish. This is easy to make, delicious, and filling. A great side or main for a summer pot-luck or BBQ! Yes, I realize it's now fall. But indulge me for just 2 more recipes...

AM Green Machine!

I have been having my pumped-up oatmeal consistently for breakfast for a whiiiiillllllleeeeee... but as the weather's getting warmer, I've decided to mix it up a bit. Literally.

This green smoothie is super healthy, and a great way to jump-start the day!

Coo-Coo for Kale

Not too long ago I posted a kale salad I found while exploring some vegan blogs. Here it is again, featured on its own. I used the original kale salad recipe, along with some leftovers of Kathy from Health.Happy.Life's mushroom recipe from trio of bruschettas. The result is a really filling salad with a lot of flavor. The dressing (a miso sesame) has that Asian peanuty flavor, the kale is just the right amount of crisp, vine ripe tomatoes provide the color pop, and the truffle salt thyme mushrooms add that extra flavor that really complements the salad and dressing! I think this salad could also work with some tempeh added in.

After loving this delicious raw kale salad, my eyes popped at this yummy version with beets, apples, and avocado from The Happy Go Lucky Vegan. So I had to make that too! I changed things up a bit by using golden beets (they are so pretty and have such a great flavor!) and pomegranate seeds instead. Whereas the first kale salad listed above has a rich creamy dressing and Asian flavor, this second kale salad has a really bright, light, citrusy flavor to it, which I loved. It works really well with the pomegranate seeds too! And I LOVE that avocado is the primary ingredient in the dressing.


Ingredients (for the beet version pictured directly above):

• 1 bunch of kale, de-stemmed, washed, and coarsely chopped
• 1 ripe avocado, chopped
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 and 1/2 Tbsp olive oil (I used only 1 Tbsp)
  
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tsp brown rice syrup (I subbed about 1/2 tsp agave syrup instead)
  
• 5-6 small beets sliced (I used golden beets, and steamed them... but roasted beets would be great too!)
  
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds (I used pomegranate seeds instead)
  

Steps:

1. Whisk together the olive oil, salt, and brown rice syrup in a large bowl. Add the chopped avocado.
2. Add in the raw, cleaned and chopped kale and massage it with the dressing and avocado mix (ie, just take your hands and mush it all together for about 3 minutes or so! This helps break down the kale, and, admit it- it's kind of fun too).
   
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss gently. Add pepper to taste, and chill in the fridge prior to serving.
   

Notes: As mentioned by Gena, kale salads are great because you can make them a few hours in advance and take them to a picnic or dinner party later on and they won't wilt and get mushy. Actually, I even have it the next day and it still is nice and crunchy- no soppy salad leftovers with these kale salads! Plus, kale is a super green- it's got tons of fiber, vitamin A, C, K, and lots of other healthy nutrients, all while weighing in at a measly 33 calories per cup. Who wouldn't be coo coo for kale when it tastes so good in these salads?