Red Cabbage Salad (V)

This salad goes great with my favorite oil free salad dressing, it's quick, easy to make, and delicious! After reading a different cabbage salad recipe on vega-licious.com I was inspired to try this, and I'm glad I did, I love it.

-Makes 1 large serving or 2 small:

Salad:
1 cup (100g) red cabbage
2 tbs raisins
1 tbs raw sunflower seeds, or cooked and unsalted.

Dressing:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 Tbs + 1tsp flax meal
1 Tbs maple syrup, or another liquid sweetener
1 Tbs mustard
1 Tbs molasses

-First add all the dressing ingredients into a jar or something with a tight lid, shake and let sit so that the flax can help thicken it up a bit while your getting the salad ready.

-Chop the red cabbage into thin short strips, or use a food processor, crunch it in your hands to release the juices

-Top your salad with sunflower seeds, raisins and mix in 2 Tbs of your dressing, let sit to incorporate the flavors or eat right away :) Let me know what you think!

*If the flavor is too strong for you just add a little more sweetener or molasses. Or don't add as much vinegar and water.

Click here to learn why cabbage is so great!

Oil Free Salad Dressing (V)

I was trying to make a salad dressing without oil one day and this is what I came up with. Besides the natural oil in the flax meal it's oil free, it's similar to a vinaigrette. This is my new favorite, and the one I use the most. Let me know if you like it too.

Makes about 5-6 servings of 2 Tbs:

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 Tbs + 1tsp flax meal
1 Tbs honey or other liquid sweetener
1 Tbs mustard
1 Tbs molasses

-Mix all the ingredients into a jar or container with a tight lid, shake it up, let it sit for a few minutes to let the flax meal help thicken it up, and there ya go! Keep in the fridge for a few days.

*If the flavor is too strong for you just add a little more sweetener or molasses. Or don't add as much vinegar and water.

* This salad goes great with my Red Cabbage Salad Recipe.

Italian Pasta Salad (V)

This is a great summer salad and it feeds a lot of people, it's also very easy to make, you can use whatever pasta you like, my mom always used Wacky Mac veggie spirals for the colors, however I would suggest something else if you wanna go the healthier route.

Makes 1 huge bowl for a crowd:

1 12oz package of Wacky Mac or other pasta, spirals work best.

1 bundle of raw broccoli (about 3 cups)

1/2 head of raw cauliflower
2 large carrots or 2 cups baby carrots
1 5.75oz jar of green olives
1 can of black olives (optional)
2 bottles of zesty Italian dressing* 

*If you don't like the ingredients in store bought dressing Click Here for an oil substitution & italian dressing recipe. It works just the same! You can also use any favorite vinegar based dressing you like, I love Maple Grove Farms Fat Free Greek as well.



-Break apart broccoli and cauliflower in desired bite sized pieces, cut carrots in small strips about 2 inches long, baby carrots would be cut in 4 pieces, (cut in half and then in half again). Regular carrots depending on the thickness might need more cuts. As long as it's bite size your fine :)

- Cook your pasta in a large pot,(we like it al dente) and while it's cooking steam your veggies for only 2-3 mins, you want them to still be hard but not raw, or soft.

-Rinse veggies in cold water and put in a large bowl, when pasta is done also rinse in cold water and add to the same bowl.

-Add the rest of the ingredients and only 1 bottle of dressing to your bowl and mix gently, refrigerate until ready to serve. Keep the other bottle of dressing to add right before serving if it's not served right after making, it can get a little dry without oil.

Potato Salad (V)

Picture from healthyblenderrecipes.com

 Ok I'm pretty sure this was the best potato salad I have ever eaten! I am not kidding you, just try it and trust me! I added a tad more mustard, and a bunch of cut up dill pickles. I left out the celery, red onion, and broccoli, since certain people eating it in my family probably wouldn't like that. It's so Incredibly delicious! Here is the recipe from healthyblenderrecipes.com-

• 8 cups (about 8 medium red skinned potatoes) largely diced / cut into cubes
• 1 cup (about 1 bunch) green onions finely chopped
• 1 cup (about 1 medium) red bell pepper (capsicum) finely diced
• 1 cup (about 4 large ribs) celery finely diced
• 1 cup broccoli stalk (slaw) chopped finely
• 1 cup (about 1 bunch) continental parsley finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (about 1/2 medium) finely chopped red onion
• 1 batch of The Blender Girl's vegan mayonnaise (for a nut free version use soy mayonnaise)
• 2 Tbsp organic dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
• 1/4 tsp cracked pepper to taste

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold filtered water.
2. Add 2 Tbsp of Celtic sea salt to the water and bring to the boil.
3. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until just done.
4. Rinse them with cold water and drain thoroughly.
5. Transfer the potatoes to a mixing bowl and combine with all of the chopped vegetables (except the parsley)
6. To make the dressing - blend the mustard and apple cider vinegar with the blender girl mayonnaise
7. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix thoroughly.
8. Stir through the parsley, and then season with Celtic sea salt and black pepper to taste.
9. Chill or serve at room temperature. YUM!

*Please note, I have posted the recipe from healthyblenderrecipes.com just in case the link should ever stop working.
* Click here for my other favorite mayo recipe that is lower in fat.

Tabbouleh (V)

Homemade

Emily's

I am 1/4 lebanese but you can't tell by looking at me, although half my family does have the dark hair and easy to tan skin lol. This recipe is based on the Tabbouleh I have been eating all of my life from Emily's Lebanese Deli in minneapolis. I love this Tabbouleh it is my absolute favorite recipe and I make it whenever I can, I could eat it everyday. I'm happy to share it with you and I hope you enjoy it too, serve it with holy land lebanese pocket bread :)

Makes about 6 cups, depending on your parsley:

3/4 cup bulgar cracked wheat (or whole cracked wheat which is darker in color)
4 cups chopped parsley (about 2 medium sized bunches)
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3 large red-ripe tomatoes

Mix in jar with lid:
2 tsp dried mint
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil*

-Rinse bulgar and put in bowl with hot or boiled water to cover about 3 inches above bulgar to soften while you get the other ingredients ready.

-Wash and remove parsley leaves from the thicker parts of the stem, chop by hand or a food chopper. -Put in a large bowl, add chopped onion and chopped tomato with seeds removed.

-Mix all the seasonings and liquid together in a container with a tight fitting lid and shake well, add to parsley bowl.

-The bulgar should be a little chewy like al dente pasta, not crunchy, if ready rinse bulgar and add to parsley mix. If it seems a little crunchy and your tired of waiting just put it in the microwave for a few seconds :) Stir and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, I usually make the day before so it has time to soak up all the flavors. (and of course check it, stir it, and taste it lol)

* I haven't tried it yet but if you don't want to use oil you can Click here for an oil substitution recipe.

*I find that it's a little hard to judge the parsley amount so if you notice your Tabbouleh is too dry then just add a little more lemon juice and olive oil, if it seems too wet then just use a slotted spoon when serving.

Homemade! I just used a food chopper for the parsley lol.