Golden Beet Vinegret Salad

Golden Beet Vinegret Salad by Anna Voloshyna

Recipe excerpt from:
BUDMO!: Recipes from a Ukrainian Kitchen

by Anna Voloshyna

This traditional Slavic beet salad is called vinegret. I came up with this version of the recipe when I ran out of red beets and fresh onions. I found a few golden beets and a jar of pickled red onions in my fridge, and I decided to give it a go. The salad came out so vibrant and beautiful that now I make this version more often than the traditional one. The only thing I would never change is the unrefined sunflower oil. That is what makes this salad taste authentic.

Serves 6 to 8

  • 3 medium golden beets 
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
  • 3 medium carrots
  • 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes 
  • 1 cup shelled green peas (fresh or frozen) 
  • 5 large kosher dill pickles
  • 1/2 cup Pickled Red Onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill and flat-leaf parsley, in equal parts 
  • 1/3 cup unrefined sunflower oil
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine the beets with water to cover by about 2 inches and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the beets can be easily pierced with a knife, 30 to 40 minutes. In a separate medium saucepan, cook the carrots and potatoes using the same method. When the vegetables are ready, drain them, transfer them to a medium bowl, and let them cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan filled with water to a boil. Fill a small bowl with ice-cold water. Season the boiling water with a pinch of salt, then add the peas and blanch until they are bright green and no longer taste starchy, about 2 minutes. Drain the peas and immerse them in the ice-cold water until they are completely cool, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the peas and spread them on a paper towel to dry. 

When the beets, potatoes, and carrots are at room temperature, peel them, cut them into 1/4-inch cubes, and transfer them to a large bowl. Cut the pickles and pickled onion into the same-size cubes and add them to the bowl along with the peas, dill, and parsley.

In a small bowl, mix together the oil, vinegar, and sugar with a fork, then season to taste with salt and pepper . Drizzle as much of the dressing as you like over the salad; you may not need all of it. Mix well with a large spoon, then taste and add more dressing and salt if needed. 

Enjoy the salad at room temperature or chilled. It will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days .

Hatch Chile Potato Salad

Hatch Chile Potato Salad by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack

Recipe excerpt from:
Muy Bueno: Fiestas – 100+ Delicious Mexican Recipes for Celebrating

by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack

This potato salad is the perfect culinary marriage of me and my hubby. He is of German descent, and this red potato salad has a tangy mustard and vinegar dressing that is reminiscent of a traditional German potato salad. But it also has creamy mayo and roasted green chile in honor of my Mexican heritage.

Makes 4 Servings

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 lb (450 g) small red potatoes (about 10 potatoes), quartered
  • ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 fresh Hatch or Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped (page 15)
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 3 green onions, white and tender green parts, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until fork-tender but not falling apart, 15–18 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, in a bowl large enough to hold the finished salad, combine the red onion, chiles, mustard, oil, vinegar, mayonnaise, and sesame seeds and mix well to make a dressing.

Season with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
 
When the potatoes are ready, drain well and toss with the dressing, coating evenly. Add the green onions and cilantro (if using), season with salt and pepper, and toss to mix evenly.
Let cool to room temperature and serve right away, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
 
Cook’s Note: For a milder version, use 1–2 poblano chiles for the Hatch or Anaheim chiles.

Spring Fruit Salad with Tajin

Spring Fruit Salad with Tajin by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack

Recipe excerpt from:
Muy Bueno: Fiestas – 100+ Delicious Mexican Recipes for Celebrating

by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack

I grew up in the 1980s and always remember a fluffy and sweet ambrosia-style fruit salad made with canned fruit, Cool Whip, and shredded coconut. Don’t get me wrong, I loved that salad. But nowadays I would rather serve a bowl filled with colorful fresh fruits, a scattering of crunchy jicama, a drizzle of lime juice, and a sprinkling of spicy Tajín. For a festive touch, serve this salad in a hollowed-out pineapple or use a bunny-shaped cookie cutter to cut some of the fruit pieces. You can also thread the fruit and jicama pieces onto bamboo skewers for a great utensil-free potluck contribution.

If you are not a fan of papaya, replace it with cantaloupe.

Makes 6-8 Servings

  • 1 small yellow mango, such as Ataulfo, peeled, pitted, and cubed
  • 1 red-green mango, such as a Haden, peeled, pitted, and cubed
  • 1 small jicama, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup (170 g) chopped pineapple
  • 1 cup (140 g) chopped papaya
  • 1 cup (155 g) watermelon, in balls or cubes
  • 1 teaspoon Tajín seasoning (see Cook’s Note)
  • Salt
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

In a bowl, combine the mangos, jicama, pineapple, papaya, and watermelon and toss gently to mix. Sprinkle with the Tajín, season with salt, and drizzle with the lime juice, then toss well to coat evenly.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 1 day before serving.

Cook’s Note: Tajín is a popular chile-salt-lime seasoning mix made in Mexico and widely available in well-stocked supermarkets and Latin stores in the United States. Clásico, the most popular blend, is made with mild red chiles, while the habanero blend delivers a lot more fire. A low-sodium version is also available.

Red Quinoa and Red Kidney Masala

Red Quinoa and Red Kidney Masala by Jeanne Kelley

Recipe excerpt from:
Vegetarian Salad for Dinner: Inventive Plant-Forward Meals

by Jeanne Kelley

Rajma is a casual bean curry that’s popular throughout India. Inspired by that dish, I combined red kidney beans and red quinoa with Indian flavors including tamarind, ginger, mint and cilantro with quinoa and canned kidney beans to make this delightfully interpretive “masala” or spicy mix. I added roasted peanuts and chickpea snacks for fun crunch. You can serve the salad with warm naan and yogurt for a big dinner.

4 to 6 Servings

Quinoa

  • 1 cup red or tri-color quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Dressing

  • ¼ cup peanut or untoasted (light) sesame oil, or other neutral oil
  • ¼ cup fresh lime or lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger (about a 1-inch piece)
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed with a garlic press
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Salad

  • 2 (14-to 16 ounce) cans organic red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 hot house cucumber, quartered and sliced
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • ½ red onion, diced
  • ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves, plus whole leaves (optional) for garnish
  • ¼ cup minced fresh mint leaves, plus whole leaves (optional) for garnish
  • 1 serrano chili, stemmed, seeded and minced
  • Tamarind Chutney Sauce (see recipe)
  • 1 6-ounce package “Bombay Spice” or other crunchy chickpea snacks
  • 3/4 cup (or more) lightly salted roasted peanuts
  • Bring water, quinoa and salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand until cool. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl.
  • For the dressing: Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, ginger, garlic and salt to blend in a small bowl.
  • For the salad: Stir the beans, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, mint and chili into the quinoa along with the dressing.

To serve: Spoon salad onto plates and sprinkle generously with crunchy chickpeas and peanuts. Drizzle with Tamarind Chutney Sauce and garnish with fresh mint and cilantro and serve.

Tamarind Chutney Sauce

If you have ever eaten at an Indian buffet, then you’re likely familiar with this sweet-tart, dark brown dipping sauce. In addition to the Red Quinoa and Red Kidney Bean Masala, it’s delicious on samosas and pakoras.

Makes about 1/3 cup

  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind puree
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Stir the ingredients to blend in a small bowl or jar. (Can be prepared ahead. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.)


 

Baked Ricotta Pepperonata with Herb Salad

Baked Ricotta Pepperonata with Herb Salad by Jeanne Kelley

Recipe excerpt from:
Vegetarian Salad for Dinner: Inventive Plant-Forward Meals

by Jeanne Kelley

Cooked salads are an Italian tradition. The salads are cooked during the cool hours of the day and served cool or at room temperature for lunch or dinner later. Classic Italian pepperonata is made of sautéed peppers, onions and herbs. In this version, I use sweet mini peppers and bake them until tender along with whole-milk ricotta. Top the summery ensemble with arugula, herbs and a drizzle of good balsamic vinegar. Serve it with warm focaccia or crusty bread.

4 Servings

  • 15- 16-ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 2 pounds mini sweet peppers (box peppers), stem ends trimmed
  • 10 ounces (about 2 cups) grape or cherry tomatoes
  • ½ medium-sized red onion, cut into ½-inch thick slices
  • 16 pitted kalamata olives
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 cup arugula leaves
  • ½ cup basil leaves

Line a strainer with cheese cloth and set the strainer over a bowl. Carefully unmold the ricotta into the prepared strainer retaining the shape of the cheese. Refrigerate the cheese uncovered for 6 hours or overnight.
 
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
 
Cut any peppers larger than your thumb in half. Toss the peppers, tomatoes, onion, olives and garlic with 3 tablespoons olive oil in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or similarly sized pan. Make a space near the center of the pan. Carefully place the ricotta in the space and drizzle with oil.  Sprinkle the pepper mixture and cheese with, oregano, red chili and salt and season with cracked pepper.Bake in the oven until the cheese and peppers are browned and the peppers are tender, about 30 minutes. Cool until warm. 
 
Just before serving, drizzle the pepperonata with vinegar and top with arugula and basil.

Duncan Robinson’s A-Sha Noodle Bowl

Duncan Robinson's A-Sha Noodle Bowl

Duncan Robinson of the NBA’s Miami Heat first tried A-Sha Noodles in college, “Noodles are kind of like a staple of a college athlete’s diet. But, for me, it was a healthy alternative to your standard ramen. It allowed me to easily prep my own meals and also get something that’s healthy and preparing me to compete and play.”

Now, being in the league, Duncan values feeling his best and a big part of that is the fuel he’s putting in his body. Quality matters to him. He only puts the highest quality, premium ingredients into his body with an emphasis on having plant-based protein in his diet. Check out Duncan’s A-Sha Noodle bowl below and make it yourself at home! 

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Dice green onions and set aside. 
  2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
  3. Add​ shrimp and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until opaque (usually 4-5 minutes depending on size of shrimp)
  4. Bring at least 4 cups of water to a rolling boil to cook the A-Sha noodles.  Once water is boiling, add Mandarin noodles and cook for 3 mins. 
  5. While the noodles are cooking, add oil to a pan and cook 1 egg over-easy and set aside.
  6. Drain noodles after cooking and mix with sauce packet.
  7. Transfer noodles to bowl and top with shrimp, egg, and green onions.
  8. Garnish with red chili sauce and fried shallots to your taste and enjoy your Duncan A-Sha Noodle bowl!

Tikil Gomen (Ethiopian Cabbage Stew)

Tikil Gomen by Luladey Moges

Recipe excerpt from:
Enebla: Recipes from an Ethiopian Kitchen

by Luladey Moges

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • 3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
  • 3 carrots, chopped into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 head green cabbage, roughly chopped into bite-size pieces
  • 2 medium jalapeño peppers, deseeded and thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. In a medium-size pot over medium heat, sauté the onions with the oil. When they start to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes, add the garlic, and chopped potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic has started to cook and the potatoes have started to cook on each side, about 5 minutes in total. 
  2. Next, add the carrots, turmeric, and salt and pepper to taste and stir for 1 minute. Add the water and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the cabbage and jalapeños and mix well. Cover the pan, turn down the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, 10–15 minutes.

Lentil Veggie Curry Soup

Lentil Veggie Curry Soup by the Jazzy Vegetarian Laura Theodore

Recipe excerpt from:
Jazzy Vegetarian: Lively Vegan Cuisine That’s Easy and Delicious, 10th Anniversary Edition

by Laura Theodore
Jazzy Vegetarian

Makes 4 servings

When you need curry in a hurry, this snazzy soup will truly satisfy. Creamy red lentils combined with butternut squash, carrots, baby potatoes, fire roasted tomatoes, cabbage, and curry powder makes a flavorful potage. Serve this delicious dish for an easy and nutritious weeknight meal.

  • 3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
  • 2½ cups cubed baby red potatoes and/or baby white potatoes (leave peels on)
  • 2⅓ cups sliced carrots (peeling is optional)
  • 2 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed butternut squash or sweet potatoes
  • 1⅓ cups chopped celery, with leaves
  • 1 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed (see note)
  • 1 can (28 ounces) fire roasted diced tomatoes, with juice
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 large vegan bouillon cube, crumbled
  • 9 cups water

Put all of the ingredients in a soup pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, decrease the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the lentils are soft. Serve hot.

NOTE: To sort the lentils, spread them out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Remove any stones, dirt, broken lentils, or other debris. The lentils are now ready to be rinsed and used in your recipe. You may also sort split peas or dried beans in this manner.

Zucchini Bread

Recipe excerpt from:
The Vegetarian Reset: 75 Low-Carb, Plant-Forward Recipes from Around the World
by Vasudha Viswanath

Serves: 10

This low-carb, gluten-free, protein-rich bread has a mild savory flavor and gorgeous moist texture from the zucchini. It is endlessly versatile—useit for everything from grilled cheese to pav bhaji to croutons and even breadcrumbs! It took me dozens of tries to perfect this recipe, but now it gets rave reviews, every time. I recommend you keep a loaf on standby in the freezer because it features in several recipes in this book, such as the Avocado Toast, Pav Bhaji, Eggs Florentine and French Onion Soup.

This bread is dense and filling, so you will find that you cannot eat as much as you would of regular white or whole-wheat bread. Note that the vegan version will not rise as much as the original, but it tastes just as delicious and works better for croutons and breadcrumbs.

  • 1 medium zucchini (7 oz./200g)
  • 1⁄2 tsp. + 1 pinch salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 cup / 120g chickpea flour
  • 1 scant cup / 100g blanched almond flour
  • 1 Tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
  • 2 eggs

Vegan Version

  • 1 medium zucchini (7 oz./200g)
  • 1⁄2 tsp. + 1 pinch salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 heaping cup / 140g chickpea flour
  • 1 heaping cup / 120g blanched almond flour
  • 1 1⁄2 Tbsp. baking powder 2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
  • 6 Tbsp. aquafaba (soaking liquid from a can of chickpeas)

Directions

Step 1: Grate zucchini using the smaller holes of a box grater. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over zucchini and let sit for 10–15 minutes to draw out moisture.

Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Lightly grease an 81/2-x-41/2-x-21/2- inch / 201/2-x-11-x-51/2-cm loaf pan.

Step 3: Combine chickpea flour, almond flour, baking powder, flaxseed, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and mix well. Beat eggs lightly in a separate bowl (skip for vegan version).

Step 4: Place zucchini in a thin towel, paper towel, or a nut-milk bag and squeeze over a bowl to get as much moisture out as possible (I usually get at least 1/4 cup zucchini water). Reserve the water for the next step.

Step 5: When oven temp reaches 350°F / 180°C, add 1/4 cup zucchini water, beaten egg or aquafaba, and grated zucchini to dry ingredients and stir well with a large spoon or whisk, breaking up any lumps. If the batter is too thick to combine, add a bit more zucchini water 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 4 tablespoons, supplementing with regular water if needed. The batter should be thick, like a lump of wet sand.

Step 6: Transfer batter to prepared pan and tap gently on the counter to settle. Bake for 35–45 minutes (45–55 minutes for the vegan version), or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 7: Let cool 15–20 minutes. Loosen around the edges of the pan with a butter knife if necessary. Transfer to a flat surface to slice, and serve just as you would any other bread!

Pav Bjaji

Recipe excerpt from:
The Vegetarian Reset: 75 Low-Carb, Plant-Forward Recipes from Around the World
by Vasudha Viswanath

Serves: 3

Originally from the streets of Mumbai, pav bhaji is a crowd-pleaser that consists of a one-pot spicy vegetable mash (bhaji) served with soft dinner rolls (pav), garnished with a squeeze of lemon, chopped onions, cilantro, and often, dollops of butter! In my version, yellow moong dal works wonderfully as a substitute for starchy potato, lending the bhaji a nutty but creamy flavor. Served with toasted zucchini bread, this makes a hearty and delicious meal with no compromises! I often serve the bhaji over bread like a sloppy joe, so you get it all in one dreamy bite.

To Veganize: Sub any neutral-flavored oil for the butter and use Vegan Zucchini Bread

Bhaji

  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 cup / 150g diced red onion
  • 1 medium plum or Roma tomato (4 oz/110g), diced
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp ground coriander seed
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1⁄4 tsp cayenne
  • 2 cups / 200g roughly chopped cauliflower
  • 3⁄4 cup / 120g frozen green peas
  • 1 small red bell pepper / capsicum (4 oz/110g), diced
  • 1⁄4 cup / 30g yellow moong dal (or split red lentils), soaked for 30 minutes and rinsed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2⁄3 cup / 160ml water, plus more as needed
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 6 slices Zucchini Bread (approximately 2 oz/55g each; page 14)
  • 2 tsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro / fresh coriander, for garnish
  • 4 lemon wedges, for garnish

Step 1: Heat the butter in a large saucepan (for which you have a lid) over medium-high heat. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the diced onion for garnish and add the rest to the pan. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, coriander, paprika, cumin, and cayenne. Mix well and cook until well incorporated and the tomatoes break down and start oozing, 3–4 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water to deglaze the pan if necessary.

Step 2: Add the cauliflower, peas, bell pepper, moong dal, salt, and water, and mix. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, adding more water if needed, until the lentils are done, 20–30 minutes.

Step 3: Mash the vegetables and lentils together using a potato masher or pulse a few times with an immersion blender (the bhaji should still have some texture). Add the lemon juice and mix.

Step 4: Toast the bread in a skillet at medium heat using 1/2 teaspoon butter per slice. Serve the bread with bhaji. Garnish with cilantro and serve with the reserved chopped onion and lemon wedges.