Vegetarian salads or sides - Sassy, Sweet or Spicey
To compliment any meal or a meal in themselves!

Whether you're one who opts for tradition - starting off a delicious meal with a nice salad - or one who goes for the more urban trait of finishing with one - a vegetarian salad can be a delight for the taste buds! In our Salads n' Sides section you will find many salads and some exquisite side dishes that are a delicious treat and can, in fact, be a meal all by themselves. Enjoy!

Celery Victor

Ingredients

4 cups fat-free, vegetable broth
1 carrot, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 whole garlic clove, peeled and smashed
1 small onion, quartered
4 parsley sprigs
1 large celery heart
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 (jarred) pimientos or roasted red peppers
8 large Romaine lettuce leaves
2 tsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. capers, drained, rinsed and finely chopped

Place broth, carrot, garlic, onion and parsley in deep, medium skillet. Cover, and over medium-high heat, bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Quarter celery heart lengthwise. Cut off and discard leaves, except those on smallest, innermost ribs. Add celery to hot broth. Cover, and simmer until celery is almost tender, 5-8 minutes. The outer ribs should be flexible, not floppy. Cool celery in cooking liquid until lukewarm.

In one-gallon, resealable plastic bag, combine lemon juice with 2 tablespoons of cooking liquid, salt and pepper. Add oil, then celery. Seal bag and marinate celery in refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours. Strain remaining broth and reserve for another use.

Cut marinated celery crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Coarsely chop pimientos and combine with celery.

To serve, make a bed of lettuce on a plate. Mound celery and pimento mixture atop lettuce leaves and spoon few spoonfuls of marinade on top. Sprinkle on parsley and capers, and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 80 calories, 5 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 8 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 380 mg sodium.

We've adapted this recipe for the vegetarian palate. It is based on the recipe submitted to us from the AICR and written by Dana Jacobi, author of 12 Best Foods Cookbook and contributor to AICR’s New American Plate Cookbook: Recipes for a Healthy Weight and a Healthy Life.

Three Bean Salad

Ingredients

1 cup of cooked green beans
1 cup of cooked white beans
1 cup of cooked red kidney beans
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped (or celantro)
1/2 tsp. basil
2 garlic cloves, diced
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive or safflower oil
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine beans, green pepper, onion, celery and tomato in a large bowl. Mix in oil and vinegar. Add the parsley, garlic, basil and salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour. Serve chilled.

Peggy's Marinara Sauce
contributed by Susan Bell

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 - 4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large can tomato puree
1 large can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. oregano
1 tbsp. parsley
1/2 tbsp. basil
sugar to taste

In a large skillet saute the onion and garlic in olive oiluntil "soft". Add remaining ingredients and simmer slowlyfor one hour. Can also be frozen for later use!

Marinade Mix and Match

An easy way to create a simple, quick marinade is to think in terms of Acidic, Herb, Flavor

So, for example, you can use the following grid to choose any combination of the Acidic, Herb, Flavor columns to create your marinade. Or use more than one herb. Or add your own to the grid.

While traditional marinades typically contain some type of oil, most chefs today will agree that it isn't necessary. It may reduce smoking on the grill as well.

Smoked paprika comes from Spain, not Hungary, and lends rich
flavor to this sweet and spicy salsa. Serve with corn chips, or
try as a sauce on grilled tofu steaks.

Ingredients

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and diced (2 cups)
1 large yellow bell pepper, finely chopped (1 cup)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbs. lime juice
1 red jalapeño chile, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1. Toss together all ingredients in small bowl. Season with salt and additional paprika, if desired.

PER 1/4-CUP SERVING: 25 CAL; 1 G PROT; 0 G TOTAL FAT (0 G SAT. FAT); 6 G CARB; 0 MG CHOL; 98 MG SOD; 1 G FIBER; 5 G SUGARS

Recipe courtesy of the Vegetarian Times.

Food writer and recipe developer Rochelle Palermo lives in Los Angeles, where she can find mangoes in any supermarket at any time of year.

Ingredients

1 15 oz.can chick peas(garbanzo beans), drained
The juice from 2 lemons
2 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. Tahini
1/2 cup water
salt to taste

Put lemon juice and water in blender first. Add remaining
ingredients and blend to a paste. Add more water if needed.
Chill or serve at room temperature with pita for dipping or
spreading.

Ingredients

3/4 cup of cracked wheat
2 bunches of fresh parsely, chopped fine
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped fine
1 bunch green onionswith green ends, chopped fine
2 large tomatoes, chopped fine
1 medium cucumber, chopped
2 - 3 tsp. salt
Dash of cinnamon
1/2 to 2/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil

Soak cracked wheat in 2 cups of water for about 30 min.
Rinse the wheat, drain and squeeze out the water.
Toss the vegetables together with the wheat, olive oil
and lemon juice. Add the remainng seasonings and mix well.
Adjust with more olive oil or lemon juice as needed.

Ingredients

1 cup red or white quinoa
2 cups good water
1 or 2 small cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium tomato, diced
1/4 medium onion, chopped
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 large or 2 small limes
Celtic Salt to taste

Add quinoa and garlic to water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to simmer 15 minutes. Grain should be tender.

Remove quinoa from heat and into the refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight.

Stir the vegetables and oil into quinoa. Add lime juice and mix again. Salt to taste.

If you can't wait for the quinoa to cool (or if it's wintertime), this dish tastes great warm, too.

Sherri Stockman
www.Real-Foods.net

Combining fruit and vegetables in this salad may seem unusual
but it is delicious. The beans provide enough protein to make
it a complete meal when served with whole grain rolls or brown
rice.

1 cup cantaloupe chunks
1 cup pineapple chunks(fresh or canned in juice, drained)
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sweet red pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
1/2 cup celery, chopped
15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbs. light molasses
2 Tbs. lemon or pineapple juice
1 Tbs. water
1 1/2 Tbs. reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp. Watkins organic garlic powder
1/8 tsp. Watkins red pepper flakes
1/2 cup peanuts, whole or finely chopped

Combine all fruits and vegetables in large bowl.
In small bowl stir together the molasses and all
remaining ingredients except the peanuts to make
the dressing.

Whole peanuts can be added to salad mixture. Chopped
peanuts can be added to salad mixture or stirred into
dressing.

Cover and refrigerate both until ready to serve.
Pass dressing separately or toss with salad just
before serving.

Start it off with a great salad from "Vegan Nutritionista"