This salad is delicious and refreshing. It is oil-free, high in plant protein, high in calcium from the kale, vegan and can be easily be made soy-free.

Salad Ingredients:
1 bunch curly kale, chopped finely
1 large cucumber, sliced into bite sized pieces
1 large carrot, grated
1 package tempeh, chopped into bite sized pieces or 2 cups garbanzo beans for soy-free
1/2 onion, diced, or 1.5 Tbl diced dried onion

Dressing Ingredients:
1 lemon, juiced
2 Tbl maple syrup
1 Tbl tamari or coconut aminos for soy-free
2 tsp ume plum vinegar
1 Tbl tahini
2 Tbl sesame seeds
1/4 tsp ground dried ginger
1/4 tsp chipotle powder

Instructions:
1. Boil water in a medium pot and add tempeh. Boil tempeh for 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Technically you can eat tempeh raw because the soybeans are already cooked before it it fermented, but boiling it this way softens the tempeh.
2. Combine all vegetable salad ingredients and add dressing ingredients. Combine well and massage kale with the dressing to soften. Add the cooked tempeh and toss well.
3. Let the salad sit overnight for the best flavor. I topped mine with stokes purple sweet potatoes to serve.

Salad Topped with Stokes Purple Sweet Potatoes

This is summer salad is simple to make has has few ingredients, though it boosts complex and herb-y flavors. Serve is as a side, or put it over lettuce and add some beans and maybe avocado for a hearty main-meal salad.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Dried Black Rice (Forbidden Rice)
1 Cup Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1 Medium Cucumber or 2-3 Small Cucumbers, cut into small pieces
Generous handful of fresh herbs of choice (I used fresh basil and mint from my garden)
Sprinkle salt to taste

Dressing Ingredients:
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 Tbl raw honey
1 Tbl tahini
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

To make:
1.) Cook black rice - bring two cups of water and black rice to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover, cooking approximately 35 minutes. Let cool.
2.) Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until well combined.
3.) Once rice is cool, combine all salad ingredients and cover with dressing. Chill and allow flavors to meld before serving.