SALAD WEEK Recipe Book meal-sized salads powered by plants by alyssa rimmer simply quinoa
Meet Alyssa Hi there! I m so happy you re here. I m Alyssa, a certified holistic nutritionist and founder of Simply Quinoa. I have a passion for sharing my love for food and natural living through delicious, whole food recipes. I ve helped millions of people just like you discover how to nourish their bodies using simple, wholesome ingredients. Now, I m here to teach you how to take this philosophy into your own kitchen and help you fall in love with healthy food. This book is dedicated to one of my favorite types of food: salad. Inside you will find five delicious, nutritious, plant-powered salads that make the perfect dinner or office lunch. I will also show you how to make your own homemade dressing ones that are focused on clean ingredients without compromising on flavor. My hope is for this book to inspire you to get into the kitchen, get out of your current dinner/ lunch run and discover that vegetables are more than just a health food; they re an amazing vehicle for flavor and can help transform a meal into something exciting and refreshing. Cheers! Alyssa
SALAD SAVING TIPS The recipes in this book are designed to make a large batch so that you can get multiple portions out of every meal. I like to make a large batch in the beginning of the week so I have lunches and dinner set for multiple days; I end up feeling less stressed, save money and make fewer trips to the grocery store. Here are some of my favorite tips for keeping your salads as fresh as possible: 1. STORE SEPARATELY In most cases, to keep your salad as fresh as possible, you will want to store ingredients separately. When you re making a leafy green salad, prepare the toppings and dressing ahead of time, then combine them with the greens just before serving. This will help keep your greens as fresh as possible. The exception to this rule is a quinoa salad which can be stored after it s made for 4-5 days. 2. HOLD THE DRESSING Dressing a salad too soon can cause the lettuce to wilt and your salad will turn into a soupy mess. If you re making your salad ahead of time, or take leftovers to work with you the next day, make sure to keep the extra portions undressed. Take the dressing with you in a separate container to pour over just before serving. Again, quinoa salads are the exception to the rule; you can dress those ahead of time and store them in the fridge. #SALADWEEK RECIPE BOOK 3
Building a Plant-Powered Salad My approach to building a delicious, plant-powered salad is to keep things balanced. I like to have a healthy mix of all the macros: carbohydrates, protein and fat. Having a well-balanced salad is especially important if you re enjoying as a full meal. They each play an important role within the body and are therefore crucial to include at every meal. Here s why: CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrates are our bodies preferred use of energy. Carbohydrates also regulate the ability of your body to utilize protein and fat, so don t skip your carbs! They are vital in order for you to function optimally. Consistent intake of low-glycemic carbs (think whole grains, low-sugar fruits, etc.) balance your blood sugar levels and provide your cells energy and glycogen stores to use up during day. PROTEINS Proteins are used to build and repair body tissues, give us a feeling of satiety after meals, but do not directly produce energy. Always pair protein with a carb for maximum impact, as the carbohydrate drives the protein into your cells. FATS Fats are the body s most concentrated source of energy and can fuel you through a long day at the office or even an intense workout. Fats also help stabilize your hormones, feed your brain and absorb nutrients into your cells. Since fats do take longer to digest, they also help keep you feeling full and satisfied for a longer period of time.
HEALTHY TAHINI DRESSING RECIPES MAPLE TAHINI serves: 4 ¼ cup tahini Juice of ½ a lemon 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon maple syrup Pinch of salt + pepper 3-5 tablespoons of water Add all the ingredients to a mason jar, starting with 3 tablespoons of water. Shake hard until everything is combined. If too thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. GINGER MISO serves 4 ¼ cup tahini 1 teaspoon miso paste 1 piece of ginger, grated 1 teaspoon sriracha (more or less to taste) Juice of ½ a lime 3-5 tablespoons water Add all the ingredients to a mason jar, starting with 3 tablespoons of water. Shake hard until everything is combined. If too thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. #SALADWEEK RECIPE BOOK 6
VEGAN RANCH DRESSING serves: 4 ¼ cup tahini 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar Juice of ½ a lemon 1 tablespoon fresh parsley 1 tablespoons fresh chives 1 teaspoon dried dill ¼ teaspoon onion powder ¼ teaspoon garlic powder Pinch of salt 2 pinches of pepper Add all ingredients to a blender, starting with 3 tablespoons of water. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. If too thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. LEMON-HERB TAHINI DRESSING serves 4 ¼ cup tahini Juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 2 garlic cloves ¼ cup fresh basil 1 teaspoon fresh oregano 1 teaspoon fresh/dried thyme Pinch of salt and pepper 3-5 tablespoons water Add all ingredients to a blender, starting with 3 tablespoons of water. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. If too thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. #SALADWEEK RECIPE BOOK 7
APPLE & PECAN ARUGULA SALAD serves: 4 for the salad 8 cups arugula 3 medium apples 1 red onion, thinly sliced (or shallot) 1 cup roasted pecan halves (or raw pecan halves, lightly toasted) 1 batch Herbed Cashew Cheese, broken into pieces 1 batch Maple Tahini Dressing for the cashew cheese 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight Juice of 1/2 a lemon 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1-2 tablespoons water To make the cashew cheese, first drain and rinse your soaked cashews and add them to the jar of a high powdered blender (or food processor). Add the lemon, salt, herbs and spices and 1 tablespoon of water. Blend and add another tablespoon of water if needed. If draining, add the contents of the blender to a nut milk bag and squeeze the contents into a ball. Wrap the end of the bag around a chopstick and secure with a binder/chip clip. Set over a bowl and let drain overnight. When ready to serve, divide the arugula into four bowls. Split the remaining ingredients equally across the bowls, then crumble the cashew cheese on top. Drizzle with the tahini dressing, toss and enjoy. nutrition facts Calories: 461 Fat: 33.7 Carbohydrates: 38.9 Sugar: 21.5 Protein: 9.7 #SALADWEEK RECIPE BOOK 9
VEGAN CHICKEN SALAD BOWLS serves: 4 2 packages tempeh ½ cup diced red onion ½ cup diced celery 4 pickles, finely chopped ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped 1 cup cooked quinoa ½ cup vegan mayo Juice of 1 a lemon 2 tablespoons pickle brine Salt + pepper to taste ¼ cup finely chopped nori (optional) 8 cups chopped romaine 2 cups alfalfa sprouts Crumble the tempeh into small pieces (or finely chop it) and add it to a bowl. To the bowl add the onion, celery, pickles, parsley and quinoa, and stir to combine. Fold in the remaining ingredients. To serve, place two cups of greens and ½ cup of alfalfa sprouts into a bowl. Top with half of the chicken salad mixture and enjoy! Store extras in an airtight container in the fridge. nutrition facts Calories: 500 Fat: 34 Carbohydrates: 30 Sugar: 4 Protein: 25 #SALADWEEK RECIPE BOOK 11
ASIAN QUINOA POWER SALAD serves: 4 1 cup uncooked quinoa 1 cup frozen edamame, thawed 1 cup thinly sliced carrots 1 cup shredded red cabbage or finely chopped kale ½ cup thinly sliced green onions ½ cup chopped kimchi (optional) ¼ cup cilantro 1 batch Ginger-Miso Dressing Add the quinoa to a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. All the water should be adsorbed and the quinoa should be fluffy. Allow quinoa to cool completely before assembling the salad. To do this more quickly, you can place the quinoa on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes, stirring it around every 10 minutes or so. Once quinoa is cool, place it in a large mixing bow. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until coated. Serve immediately. nutrition facts Calories: 319 Fat: 12.3 Carbohydrates: 43 Sugar: 4.8 Protein: 13.1 #SALADWEEK RECIPE BOOK 13
VEGAN COBB SALAD serves: 4 for the salad 8 cups mixed greens 1 ear of corn 1 avocado 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup canned chickpeas 1 batch tempeh bacon 1 batch Vegan Ranch Dressing for the tempeh bacon 1 package tempeh 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons wheat-free tamari (or soy sauce if gluten isn t an issue for you) 1 tablespoon maple syrup 2 teaspoons liquid smoke 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast ½ teaspoon hot sauce ½ teaspoon smoked paprika To make the bacon, start by preheating the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the tempeh into thin strips and set aside. Whisk together remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add tempeh and toss to coat. Place tempeh strips on baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through until golden brown and lightly crispy. Let cool. While the bacon is cooking, steam/boil the corn for 5-7 minutes. When done, allow to cool, then slice kernels off the cobb and set aside. Once everything is cool, assemble the salads by dividing all the ingredients evenly amongst four bowls. Crumble tempeh bacon on top, drizzle with dressing and enjoy! nutrition facts Calories: 586 Fat: 34 Carbohydrates: 44 Sugar: 9 Protein: 32 #SALADWEEK RECIPE BOOK 15
VEGAN TOFU SALAD NICOISE serves: 4 1 block extra firm tofu 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried parsley/basil ½ teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 6-8 cups chopped greens 2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes 2 cups green beans, lightly steaming is optional 1 cup chopped kalamata olives 1 batch Lemon Herb Tahini Dressing Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside. Slice the tofu into four equal steaks. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle half the herbs on top and rub this mixture over the tofu to evenly coat. Flip and repeat with remaining oil and spices. Bake for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through until tofu is golden brown and crispy. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes. Assemble the salad by separating the remaining ingredients equally across four bowls. Slice each piece of tofu into strips and arrange on top. Drizzle with dressing and enjoy! nutrition facts Calories: 353 Fat: 25.5 Carbohydrates: 20.6 Sugar: 5.1 Protein: 19 #SALADWEEK RECIPE BOOK 17
NOW, IT S TIME TO EAT! tag @simplyquinoa with your tasty salad pictures!