There is almost a joke in England that most places will serve you a salad of a lettuce leaf, a few slices of cucumber and a few cherry tomatoes. We can do so much better! A good salad can be a filling meal, and encompass healthy plant proteins (like chickpeas) and homemade versions are also tastier and cheaper.
This simple tomato, cucumber & red onion salad (Broke Bank Vegan) is a step up from the ‘slice of lettuce, cucumber and tomato) for a side salad. Made with Roma, cherry or grape tomatoes, the recipe also uses fresh herbs, garlic, Dijon mustard, seasoning, vinegar/lemon juice for tang and olive oil.
Check medication before eating leafy greens (due to vitamin K). Read up on keeping people & pets safe in the kitchen (many foods including onion, garlic, chives are unsafe around animal friends – corn cobs are also choking hazards).
We all hear that olive oil is ‘healthy’ but in fact its smoke point means it’s not the best oil to cook with (likely that would be locally-grown rapeseed oil). Having said that, Italians and Greeks tend to be healthier than us (often simply because they eat more vegetables). But for a salad, good cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil can’t be beat. Some people say we should not eat oil at all (and get all fat from real foods – i.e olives over olive oil). There are debates!
tomato & artichoke salad with chickpeas
This Tomato & Artichoke Salad with Chickpeas (Short Girl, Tall Order) is a nice refreshing recipe for a summer lunch. It makes use of fresh tomatoes but is very quick and convenient to make, due to tinned chickpeas and canned artichoke hearts (plain or marinated, your choice). If you struggle to get your veggie intake, this has it all in seconds, plus you’ll protein and calcium from the chickpeas.
After slicing and dicing the tomatoes, onions, chives and basil, strain the artichoke hearts and chickpeas, then it’s a simple case of combining with a spoon, and adding a simple oil/vinegar dressing with garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Who would want a boring lettuce, tomato and slice of cucumber, after trying this? You can add in optional capers and/or olives for an Italian twist.
grilled summer salad with corn & tomatoes
This grilled summer salad with corn & tomatoes (Rainbow Plant Life) is a lovely dish for an outdoor picnic or summer lunch. Fresh corn (use tinned for simplicity) is blended with fresh tomatoes, for a super healthy and colourful meal.
a colourful sweet potato & bean salad
This colourful sweet potato & bean salad (Broke Bank Vegan) is super-simple to make and very pretty to look at on the dinner table. Sweet potatoes have more nutrients than white potatoes, with a lower glycemic index (so less ‘sugar rush). And beans are cheap and tasty, and packed with protein and calcium. This salad also features corn, lime and chipotle powder, with some spicy jalapeños.
mayo-free healthy pasta salad recipe
This mayo-free healthy pasta salad recipe (Ela Vegan) combines all your veggies (cucumber, pepper, onion and tomatoes) with dill pickles, olives and fresh herbs, in a homemade dressing made with creamed canned white beans and plant milk (instead of mayo) that’s flavoured with garlic and Dijon mustard, then seasoned with salt and pepper. Or to simplify, you can just make the salad and pour over a store-bought vegan mayo instead. You can now buy home-grown pasta brands in paper packaging
a tasty vegan BLT salad recipe
BLT pasta salad (Notably Vegan) combines pasta with grilled vegan bacon and shredded carrots, along with crispy lettuce, baby heirloom tomatoes and shallots. Served with a homemade (or ready-made) dressing that is kept away from the sauce, just before serving. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for a few days.
French-style vegan potato salad recipe
This vegan potato salad (Full of Plants) is a bit more upmarket than our version (the old Heinz tins are not sold anymore anyway). Served in a homemade garlic vinaigrette, this is a filling salad (potatoes!) so would make a nice light lunch. Due to them being cheap and easy to grow, potatoes are a real favourite vegetable. They are not as nutritious as say broccoli, but they are still full of nutrients and very affordable and fill you up. So do try other recipes beyond baked potatoes and chips! This recipe recommends Baby Yukon gold, fingerling or red-skinned spuds.
vegan Feta cheese (for Greek salads)
This recipe for homemade (vegan) Greek feta cheese (Rainbow Plant Life) is a simple staple that you can use instead of dairy feta, and lovely to add to a Greek salad with sliced tomatoes and olives, in a simple vinaigrette dressing.
Packed with protein, the base ingredient is firm tofu (try organic Tofoo, made in Yorkshire!) Finished feta keeps in the fridge for a few days, and is also good with pasta dishes, grilled or roasted veggies, or even use in place of mozzarella, to top a pizza. If you want to cheat, London company I Am Nut OK offers Fetamorphosis, made with cashews and live cultures, for a plant-based gourmet alternative to goat cheese.
