Salads
Whole Foods Spring Salads
We love salads anytime of year, but in the spring and summer they are a must on our table. Entree salads, side salads, before-or-after dinner salads are all welcome guests. The salad recipes that follow are perfect for spring, and lend themselves to presenting as appetizers, sides, entrees and some as palate-cleansing after dinner salads. Take...
Japanese Style Brown Rice and Vegetable Salad
This easy whole foods/macrobiotic crossover recipe for Japanese style brown rice salad is quite flexible; feel free to add any raw veggies that appeal to you, and either cut them in matchsticks or chop them fine. A light sesame vinaigrette is tossed with the rice and vegetables; the finished salad is lovely atop a bed of mesclun or other baby lettuces.
French Lentil Salad
This French lentil salad recipe is inspired by Provencal cooking. Use small green or Beluga black lentils, as they hold their shape much better than their larger cousins.
Served with a mixed green or arugula salad, a small wedge of good sheep’s milk cheese and some crusty bread, this salad can easily make a meal.
Light and crunchy, with a sassy, creamy lime dressing, this recipe for vegan macrobiotic coleslaw is an update on a classic American favorite. Even die-hard traditional coleslaw fans will be swayed by this healthy version!
Macrobiotic Udon Noodle and Vegetable Salad Recipe
This cold noodle recipe combines udon noodles with carrots, cabbage, baked tofu, scallions and cilantro. It’s a great make-ahead dish for picnics and entertaining, and doesn’t need much more than a salad to become a full meal.
Macrobiotic Bulgur Salad Recipe
A variation on traditional tabbouleh, this macrobiotic bulgur salad recipe includes chickpeas, Kirby cucumbers and basil leaves, which add protein, flavor and a bit of crunch to the salad.
Asparagus and Sugar Snap Salad Recipe
This macrobiotic recipe for bright green, asparagus and sugar snap salad is packed with vitamins and is very refreshing on a warm day. It is light, crisp, and can be plated on a bed of greens and served with a nice grain salad or pilaf for a lovely warm weather lunch or light supper.
Cucumber and Seaweed Salad
This crunchy, Japanese-inspired, cucumber and seaweed salad recipe is great for warmer weather, when our bodies require extra hydration. Cucumbers are rich in silica, potassium, and fiber, and are cooling as well as hydrating for the skin. Seaweed is a rich source of essential minerals.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
This easy recipe for balsamic vinaigrette may become a staple item in your fridge. It keeps for about 2 weeks before the flavor begins to alter, so if you’re a big salad eater make enough to last you for several salads.
Spicy Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
This recipe for spicy cilantro lime vinaigrette is great on arugula, asparagus, grilled fish, and all manner of vegetable salads. Citrus juices are more volatile than vinegar, so please use this dressing in a day or two. If you will not be using it immediately, add the fresh cilantro at serving time; otherwise the delicate leaves will turn an...
Sun Dried Tomato, Chipotle and Cumin Vinaigrette Recipe
This zesty recipe for sun dried tomato, chipotle and cumin vinaigrette yields an assertive mix of flavors that is great with grilled seafood, mild salad vegetables (like avocado, jicama, cucumber or beans) and the sweeter lettuces like romaine, green and red leaf, or butter lettuce. It also makes a great quick marinade for chicken, fish or tofu.
Raw Vegan Caesar Salad
Rich and creamy, this recipe for raw vegan Caesar salad is a treat for the senses that even non-raw and non-vegans appreciate. The dressing can double down as a dip or spread once it has been chilled (we love it spread on crunchy napa cabbage leaves rolled around julienne jicama, sweet red pepper, carrots and sunflower or pea sprouts for a yummy raw wrap).
Shiso and Cress Salad with Radishes and Sesame Vinaigrette
This flavorful salad of shiso, watercress and radishes combines piquant flavors with the sweetness of sesame dressing. It is a wonderful palate cleansing after-dinner salad. Shiso is a a Japanese leaf that has notes of cinnamon, citrus and basil. If you can’t find it, feel free to use mint, basil or cilantro as a substitute.
Nothing speaks of high summer more than a sun ripened, juicy tomato, and this gluten free, low fat recipe for tomato and herb salad is a summer favorite. Tomatoes tossed with an assortment of fresh herbs, red onion, good extra virgin olive oil and a bit of balsamic vinegar or lime juice make for an exceptional summer side salad that is even better served on a bed of arugula.
Napa Cabbage and Vegetable Coleslaw
Light, cool, and refreshing, this vegan, gluten free whole foods recipe for Napa cabbage and vegetable coleslaw is quick, easy, and a wonderful accompaniment to dishes like rice and beans that need some enzymes served on the side.
This recipe for apple, Belgian endive and toasted walnut salad is an adaptation of a classically French combination that is perfect for fall and winter.
Harvest Salad of Micro Greens, Apple and Toasted Walnuts
This adaptation of Kamisha Jones’ Harvest Salad recipe from the Almost Famous Chef competition is a simple and beautiful salad with multiple layers of flavor. Toasted walnuts and flavorful baby greens are tossed with an orange scented red wine vinaigrette, then perched atop baked apple rounds.