Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 4 large good tomatoes
• 1 jar artichoke hearts
• a handful of Kalamata olives
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 or 2 green peppers
• 1 small onion
• balsamic vinegar
• olive oil
• oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash all veggies and dry thorougly. Cut everything
except the olives and the spices into chunks, not slices
(even the onions!). Toss together in your favorite salad
bowl. Add the oregano and a couple of tablespoons each of
the vinegar and olive oil and toss again. Serve at room
temperature or slightly chilled.

Feel free to add or remove ingredients at will–just keep
the proportion of tomatoes to other stuff pretty constant.

Serves: 2-4 (Depending on how it’s served)

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 package rainbow pasta
• 3 cans black beans
• 1 can corn
• 4 radishes
• 1 bunch of green onions
• some brocolli & cauliflower
• 1 carrot
• 1 small green pepper
• fat-free italian dressing

Directions:

cook pasta & rinse with cold water. cut the veggies. add
together. add corn & black beans. Mix in the dressing.
refridgerate for 1 hour or more. very low-fat.

Serves: a lot

Preparation time: 20 min.

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 3 or 4 ripe avocados
• 3 or 4 ripe bananas
• 3 or 4 Mineolas
• 3 or 4 Pears
• Nayonaise, a couple of dollops
• Pepper to taste

Directions:

Serves: 6.

Preparation time: 10 minutes.

Peel and slice fruit and avocados and place in a mixing bowl.
Add a couple of dollops of Nayonaise and stir mixture together
Top with a little pepper for flavor.
Chill and serve.

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 cup diced tofu or seitan or a combination of the two
• 4 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa (wild rice may be part of it)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts or chopped pecans, or a combination of these
• 3/4 cup golden raisins, plumped in hot water and then drained
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoon light soy sauce or Tamari sauce
• 1/4 tablespoon pepper
• lettuce leaves
• paprika
• parsley or cilantro

Directions:

Toss ingredients, chill one hour. Arrange on lettuce leaves
and sprinkle with paprika; garnish with parsley or cilantro.

The beauty of this is that not only can it be made in
advance, but it MUST be made ahead of time.

You can also use seitan instead of, or in addition to tofu.
Use extra firm tofu. I like to marinate mine so it’s
tastier.

This recipe lends itself well to a small amount of ginger
powder or grated fresh ginger. Also, I use 2-3 t. sesame oil
& then add olive oil to make 1/3 c. You can skip the oil
and vinegar & use a soy “mayonnaise.”

Serves: 4

Source: It’s mine, but it will be published in a special
edition of the Visalia Times-Delta.

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 English cucumber
• 2 tsps fresh chopped ginger
• drizzle sesame oil
• 2tablespoon white vinegar
• 2tablespoon white vegan sugar or substitute

Directions:

1./ Cut the chilled cucumber length wise then into 1/4″
slices and put into glass salad bowl.
2./ Add the chopped ginger
3./ Drizzle the sesame oil over the cucumber and ginger.
4./ In a small bowl or glass, mix the vinegar and vegan sugar.
5./ Add the vinegar/vegan sugar mix to the cucumber/ginger mix
just before serving.

This is a very refreshing Chinese salad and with only 5
ingredients, too easy to make! One of my favourites.

Serves: