summer barley and grape salad

Summer Barley and Grape Salad

Summer Barley and Grape Salad ~vegan~

 This week was a hot one for us, temps in the 80’s!  You won’t hear me complaining about the warm weather, especially after the winter we had!  However, no one wants to eat hot food in the scorching summertime heat, that’s why this salad is great for a light lunch or as a side to any grilled entrée.

A whole cup of chopped fresh parsley is used.  Don’t let parsley deceive you, it’s not just a garnish!  Parsley is packed with important nutrients and chlorophyll (the green pigment found in plants, great for detoxification!).  Parsley also provides iron and vitamin C, which is a match made in heaven!  Remember, iron is best consumed with foods rich in vitamin C for easier absorption…a win win situation!

You can use barley, farro or wheat berries as the grain.  For a gluten-free version or try brown rice or quinoa!  Recipe adapted from Faring Well.  The original recipe calls for a little fresh dill, which I think would be a lovely addition…I didn’t have any :(

Summer Barley and Grape Salad ~vegan~

summer barley and grape salad
 
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Summer Barley and Grape Salad, for a light lunch or side to any grilled entree! Makes 6 servings
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 cup uncooked barley
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or 1½ cups cooked chickpeas)
  • ¼ cup red onion, diced
  • 1 cup red grapes, halved
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup slivered almonds, shelled sunflower seeds or walnuts
  • For dressing:
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon shallot, minced
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 large pinch sea salt
  • pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a medium pan bring water to a boil. Add barley, reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender. Drain off excess water, rinse with cold water and let cool.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together ingredients for dressing and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl add cooked and cooled barley, chickpeas, red onion, red grapes, celery, parsley and nuts/seeds. Add dressing, toss to coat and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 Calories: 289 Fat: 9 Carbohydrates: 46 Sugar: 10 Fiber: 9 Protein: 8 Cholesterol: 0

 Summer Barley and Grape Salad ~vegan~

curried rice and cashews

Curried Rice and Cashews

This rice is pretty much a big hug in a bowl, warming, comforting and healing!

Curried Rice and Cashews, a hug in a bowl, warming, comforting and healing!

Every ingredient in this recipe has some sort of healing quality, especially the curry powder, garlic and coconut oil.

Here’s why:

Without getting too technical, turmeric, one of the main ingredients of curry powder has been proven to protect against cancer, reduce inflammation and may prevent against alzheimer’s disease thanks to its active component curcumin.

Garlic has been used for eons as an antibacterial/antiviral, but it is also used to decrease inflammation, reduce risk of cancer and aid in heart health due to its powerful sulfur-containing compounds.  Some eat it raw to reap the most benefits!

Don’t even get me started on the benefits of coconut oil!  Not only do I add it to just about every recipe I make,  I also slather it on my kids, feed it to my dog and make deodorant with it!  Coconut oil was feared for years due to its high saturated fat content, but that fear was put to rest when studies showed there wasn’t enough correlation with the consumption of saturated fat and heart disease.  I was thrilled to hear the latest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans did not place an upper limit on fat intake.  You can read more about coconut oil from a past post here.

A shout out also to the cashews for adding protein, healthy fat, minerals and antioxidants!

Curried Rice and Cashews, a hug in a bowl, warming, comforting and healing!

curried rice and cashews
 
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Curried Rice and Cashews, a big hug in a bowl! Makes 4 servings
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 heaping tablespoons of coconut oil
  • ⅓ cup onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1½ teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 cup brown basmati rice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 cups water (or veggie broth)
  • ¼-1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • ½ cup cashews
Instructions
  1. Over medium-low heat sauté onion in coconut oil until translucent.
  2. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
  3. Stir in curry powder and sauté another minute.
  4. Add rice and stir until coated in oil.
  5. Add sea salt and water, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
  6. Toss in cilantro and cashews, serve warm and enjoy!

Curried Rice and Cashews, a hug in a bowl, warming, comforting and healing!

crunchy asian cabbage salad

Here’s another savory summertime side dish, Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad

Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad ~vegan~ The perfect summertime side dish!

Shredded cabbage and carrots make up the bulk of this salad with edamame, mandarin oranges, scallions and red peppers sprinkled throughout.  Roasted almonds and noodles are tossed in for crunch and the sweet soy dressing makes this salad spectacular!

The noodles that are used are packaged ramen noodles.  Toss out that nasty package of MSG flavored powdered and keep the noodles.  Break the noodles with your hands into small bits and roast with slivered almonds until lightly golden.  For a gluten free version omit the noodles and add more almonds!

Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad ~vegan~ The perfect summertime side dish!

Cabbage salads are great for the summer because they don’t wilt as easily as lettuce based salads.  Plus, cabbage is incredibly healthy!  The American Cancer Society recommends eating cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli) regularly to decrease risk of cancer.  Cruciferous vegetables contain the most anti-cancerious properties than any other family of vegetables!  This salad makes it easy to eat a large portion of raw cabbage…not always easy to do!

Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad ~vegan~ The perfect summertime side dish!

You can make this salad and add the dressing ahead of time, but wait to add the almonds and noodles until right before serving!  The recipe for the sweet soy dressing makes more than enough!  Add desired amount to salad and save the rest for later use!  Recipe adapted from Gimme Some Oven

Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad ~vegan~ The perfect summertime side dish!

crunchy asian cabbage salad
 
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Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad, the perfect summertime side!
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • ½ cup slivered almonds
  • 2 packages ramen noodles, crumbled (noodles only, throw away the flavor packet!)
  • 1 (16 ounce) bag of cole slaw (cabbage and carrots)
  • 1 cup steamed/shelled edamame
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • ½ cup mandarin oranges
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • Sweet Soy Dressing:
  • ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons braggs amino acids, tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place slivered almonds and crumbled ramen noodles on a baking sheet and roast for 5-10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl add cabbage, edamame, scallions, mandarin oranges and red bell pepper.
  3. Make sweet soy dressing by whisking all ingredients together.
  4. When ready to serve, add almonds and ramen noodles to salad. Drizzle with dressing, toss to coat and enjoy!

 Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad ~vegan~ The perfect summertime side dish!