This bacon white bean and arugula salad is a hearty salad that is simple to make. I used canned northern white beans which I found super creamy and delicious. The more you mix this salad the more the arugula wilts and the beans fall apart until is a beautiful dairy free creamy mess that I couldn’t stop eating. I started with two cups of arugula, but when it wilted down, I added extra greens so it ended up closer to four cups of greens.
I might freeze the leftover arugula and add it to curry, pasta sauce, pesto, or soup. Arugula can be used instead of spinach for a variety of recipes including smoothies. When eaten raw, it has a nice peppery bite to it, and it can be wilted or sauteed like spinach as well.
This beet quinoa and carrot salad is made with ingredients that will last a long time in your pantry or fridge. Awhile ago, I bought some precooked beets from Trader Joes that still haven’t expired. So, I decided to add them to some leftover quinoa, which for me, is a pantry stable.
Then, to give the salad a bit more color and texture, I used a vegetable peeler to make carrot ribbons from one large carrot and I added chopped fresh parsley for some green pops of color. The salad dressing is really simple just red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. I used about four to five tablespoons of the dressing, and saved the rest, but feel free to add or more or less. If you are making this for later, add the dressing just before serving.
This carrot dill salad is based on one of my favorite sides from Yalla in Culver City. It’s the perfect side of freshness to a heavy meat dish, and it’s really simple to make. I prefer to make it ahead of time so the carrots and raisins have time to soak up the dressing and soften a bit. The raisins, carrots, and honey all lend this dish a surprising sweetness, so even the pickiest of eaters will be happy for an extra serving. This can easily be transported to a BBQ or serve it with brunch on Easter morning.
This watermelon salad has all my favorite summer produce, mixed together in one delicious sweet, salty, and sour dish. The watermelon is obviously the sweet part, although I do consider summer cucumbers to be sweet as well. The salty part is from the pistachios, that I sprinkle on top to preserve their crunchiness. Finally, the sour is from some fresh lime juice that I squeezed over the salad when it’s ready to be served. The colors make this a show stopper if you are entertaining, and the flavors go great with Mexican, Barbecue, and even Indian food. In fact, my husband said it reminded him of his grandma’s kachumber without the spicy kick.
I recommend getting Pistachio Nutmeats that are already shelled from Trader Joes. The pistachios are unsalted so I recommend being generous with the sea salt. Both cucumbers and watermelon taste really amazing with a decent amount of sea salt on top, so don’t be afraid to be a little heavy handed and salt to taste. I recommend waiting until serving to add the sea salt though, otherwise it will make your vegetables sweat. Yes, that’s a real thing.
This “creamy” cucumber dill salad is actually dairy free, but you won’t know the difference. My husband thought the dressing tasted like tzatziki sauce, which I took as a compliment, since we both love Greek food. Instead of using dairy, I used an avocado oil mayo by Chosen Foods. Normally, I make my own mayo, but if you don’t have the time because it’s a weeknight (which it was!) or you’re cooking a million other things because you’re hosting a BBQ (which I plan to!), then I highly recommend this as a great alternative.
The mayo is made with avocado oil, organic cage free eggs, organic white vinegar, organic honey, and organic mustard. There are no chemical preservatives, refined sugar or gmo ingredients. The best part is it looks just like regular mayo! Seriously, your family and guests won’t know the difference, and since I have a dairy allergy this is a great substitute for sour cream in recipes.
This BLT salad with avocado will make your taste buds very happy. I definitely didn’t miss the bread. The key to making this salad awesome is the bacon. I made my own bacon bits (or bacon lardons if you want to be fancy!) Plus, I used a mixed variety of cherry tomatoes for different colors and flavor. I also made a lemon dijon dressing with some fresh lemon juice, which is crazy important to cut through the fat from the bacon and avocado. Seriously, I could drink this dressing it’s so good. It’s actually my favorite dressing to use if there is bacon involved. When you’re eating fatty foods like bacon and avocado, you need some acidity to balance it out and make the dish taste light and fresh. I loooove my paleo fats! And, this dish has them in abundance – bacon fat, avocado, and olive oil. Sounds good right?
