Chewy wheat berries and tender vegetables combine for a delightfully fresh-tasting and light salad.

Ingredients

3 cups water
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup organic hard red wheat berries
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus a little extra to saute the carrot
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 can (14 ½ ounces) No Salt Added French Cut green beans, drained
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers

Dressing

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch or two of sea salt, or to taste
Ground black pepper

To Make the Berries

• Bring the water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan; add the berries and cook uncovered for 1 hour, 20 minutes over medium heat. Drain any excess water, then transfer the berries to a serving bowl.

To Make the Dressing

• Meanwhile, pour the 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a medium cast-iron or heavy-bottom skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, or until onion is transparent and tender.

• Transfer half of the onion into a serving bowl; set aside. Scrape the remaining onion into a blender and add the ¼ cup olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and salt. Blend until all the ingredients are smooth. Add the ground black pepper and stir to combine. Scrape the dressing over the wheat berries.

To Assemble the Salad

• Put the sliced carrot in the skillet with a dash of olive oil. Saute for 3 minutes over medium heat or until tender. Remove from heat and add to the wheat berries.

• Add the green beans and red peppers to the wheat berries and toss to thoroughly combine all ingredients. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Variation: You can ramp up the protein in this salad by adding sauted tofu or tempeh cubes, black beans or chopped nuts.

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Salad Ingredients

1 ¼ cups uncooked quinoa
1 ¼ cups water
½ teaspoon salt
1 can (14 ounces) sliced hearts of palm, rinsed & drained
2 cups fresh pitted and halved cherries, or ½ cup dried cherries
½ cup roasted, shelled and salted pistachios (if using unsalted nuts, add salt to taste)
3 cups of mixed greens

Dressing Ingredients

¼ vegan mayonnaise
½ cup vegan sour cream (such as Tofutti) or soy yoghurt
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

To Make the Salad

• Thoroughly rinse and drain the quinoa twice (this step is necessary to remove the bitter coating called Saponin). In a medium saucepan, bring the quinoa, water and salt to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer covered for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and translucent and all the water is absorbed. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

• Slice the hearts of palm into quarters. Add the hearts of palm, cherries, pistachios and mixed greens to the quinoa.

To Make the Dressing

• Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, garlic, oil, agave nectar and Worcestershire sauce until well blended.

• Toss the salad with the dressing until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to blend.

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Ingredients

2 (15 ¼ ounce) cans “No Salt Added” organic whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
1 cup store-bought fried peppers with onions, chopped*
½ cup vegan Italian dressing (Italian Salad Dressing Mix by Simply Organic is an excellent option)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 teaspoons creamy-style horseradish
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 sticks celery, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives for garnishing (optional)

To Make the Salad

• In a medium bowl, mix together all of the above ingredients.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavours to blend.

Cook’s Tip

*To allow for easier chopping of the peppers, on a cutting board, use a fork to hold peppers in place while chopping with a sharp knife.

Serves 4

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• Prepare rice according to package directions.
• Add cooked rice to a large serving bowl and set aside.
• Place Strips on a microwave-safe plate, cover with plastic wrap and heat on HIGH for 30-45 seconds or until thoroughly heated.
• Remove Strips from microwave and chop into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
• In a medium pan on medium-high heat, add vegetable oil and saute onion, peppers, celery and “chicken” pieces until vegetables are tender; about 8-10 minutes.
• Add to rice and set aside.
• Mix together the curry powder, dry mustard, salt, garlic powder and mayonnaise.
• Add mayonnaise mixture to the rice and “chicken.” Blend well.
• Lastly, mix in pineapple chunks.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with warm, crusty whole grain rolls or bread.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large brinjal (eggplant), unpeeled and chopped
1 cup lentils
1-1/2 cups water
10 whole pitted dates, soaked in hot water, drained and finely chopped
1/2 cup julienne-cut sundried tomatoes in oil, drained (reserve the drained oil for the dressing)

Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil (drained from the julienned tomatoes)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons *chiffonade fresh mint
2 garlic cloves, minced

To Prepare the Lentils

• Wash the lentils in a medium saucepan and pick out all the debris; drain. Add the water, cover with a lid and simmer over medium heat until tender, but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain any excess water. Set aside to cool completely, then refrigerate covered until ready to use.

To Prepare the Brinjal

• Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). Lightly grease a roasting pan or baking sheet with vegetable oil. In a large bowl, toss the oil and brinjal and place on a baking pan. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until soft, stirring at least once during cooking. Set aside to cool to room temperature, or refrigerate to speed up the cooling process.

To Prepare the Dressing

• In a small measuring or spouted jug, thoroughly blend the oil, vinegar, cayenne pepper, mint, and garlic.

To Assemble the Salad

• In a large salad bowl, combine the lentils, eggplant, dates and sundried tomatoes. Mix well. Add the dressing and toss to thoroughly blend. Serve either warm or at room temperature as a main course or side salad.

*chiffonade: herbs that have been cut into thin strips.

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Ingredients

2 pounds organic red skin potatoes (about 8 medium)
1 1/2 cups vegan mayonnaise (such as Vegenaise)
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Pinch of chilli powder
1-2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

To Prepare the Potatoes:

1. Rinse potatoes to remove any dirt and dry with paper towels.
2. Put potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover by 1/-2 inch. Bring to a boil. Cook partially covered until tender, but not so soft that potatoes fall apart.
3. Drain and set aside to cool. Once potatoes have cooled, cut into 1/4-inch slices and layer in a shallow serving dish.

To Prepare the Horseradish Dressing:

1. Thoroughly blend the mayonnaise, horseradish and chilli powder.
2. Pour dressing over the potatoes, making sure that potatoes are well covered.
3. Sprinkle the fresh chives over the potatoes. Serve immediately with Herb-Garlic Bread and Marinated “Sausage” & Apple Kebabs or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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