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Vegan Caprese Salad With Hearts Of Palm

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This vegan caprese salad with hearts of palm is even better than your favorite tomato/mozzarella salad.

vegan caprese salad with hearts of palm

What’s better than fresh ripe tomatoes in the heart of tomato season? Not much that I can think of! And when you combine these luscious, ripe, juicy tomatoes with fragrant fresh basil… it’s just the perfect marriage of summer flavors. But, with this recipe, you end up with an even better version of this traditional dish because this recipe also includes some awesome vegan mozzarella cheese and sliced hearts of palm.

I know that when a lot of people see a Caprese salad on a menu, they get all kinds of happy inside. I’ve always stayed away from these salads because of my inability to eat cheese. I am so happy to have recently found some of the most awesome vegan cheeses, so I’ve been like a kid in a candy store and I’ve been ecstatic to re-create some old favorite dishes using these awesome cheeses.

It was about a billion degrees in Manhattan the other day. I was sitting in my air conditioned kitchen, hungrily browsing through some beautiful food blogs (I can literally spend hours and hours doing this…) I saw a great recipe for a tomato and hearts of palm salad from one of my favorite food bloggers at Foodie Crush. Such a simple, yet genius recipe, and her photos are so awesome, I just wanted to dive in. I was so inspired by that recipe, that I switched things up a bit and created this Vegan Caprese Salad With Hearts Of Palm. If you’ve been looking to try out some vegan cheeses, this salad is the perfect way to dive in!

If you want to try another great tomato salad, try my recipe for Tomato And Herb Salad With Roasted Lemons.

vegan caprese salad with hearts of palm
vegan caprese salad with hearts of palm

Here are some of the great healing reasons to make this salad:

In Chinese medicine, we use tomatoes to aid in digestion and to help detoxify the body. They are also good to combat excess cholesterol, lessen inflammation and curb asthma. Tomatoes can also quench thirst, and they can help fight some kidney infections.

The hearts of palm in this salad help create a great texture, offer extra vitamin B-6, and they also contain a good dose of potassium, fiber, and vitamin C.

Onions are great for your immune system; they are a natural antihistamine. Recently, I recommended that a patient with bronchitis put sliced raw onions in her socks when she went to sleep… she woke up so much better; they actually can rid the body of bacteria. (I know I’ve told you this before, but it really is awesome!) Onion is a superhero in the food world!

Basil has anti-viral and anti-bacterial capabilities. It also is good for settling your stomach, and it’s good at lessening the symptoms of the common cold and its accompanying cough. Basil is a spiritual herb — the scent actually calms you; you can boil some in a pot and let the aroma fill the air, you can just leave some around the house, you can toss a bunch in your bath water (I love to do this), or you can use an essential oil with basil to get some great calming effects.

vegan caprese salad with hearts of palm

Vegan Caprese Salad With Hearts Of Palm
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Recipe type: salad
Cuisine: recipe adapted from: Foodie Crush
Author:
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
What's better than a summer Caprese salad? One that's vegan and has hearts of palm!!!
Ingredients
  • For the salad:
  • 6 medium red ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges (I used Campari tomatoes)
  • 1 14-oz can hearts of palm, sliced
  • ½ of a small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 8 large basil leaves, thinly sliced
  • 3 oz. vegan mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
  • For the dressing:
  • 3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-1/2 Tbs red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp coconut sugar
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Put all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl.
  2. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad (add it gradually, and toss after each addition so you can see how much dressing you need).
  3. Toss well.
  4. Enjoy!

vegan caprese salad with hearts of palm

Chopped Broccoli Salad

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This chopped broccoli salad is delicious, can be customized with your favorite ingredients, and can be made in advance!

chopped broccoli salad

Almost every time I buy broccoli I end up roasting it in the oven until it is nice and charred — burnt broccoli is awesome! Now that I’ve said that, this chopped broccoli salad has nothing in common with burnt broccoli… but it’s my new favorite side dish.

So, while I was making this recipe, I kept thinking to myself that if there’s no burned edges and blackened stalks, how good could it be? Well, let me tell you, it’s excellent. What this chopped broccoli salad does have is lots of fruit, nuts, and seeds. And a delicious creamy dressing. This is so good, you have to try it instead of cole slaw or potato salad the next time you need a quick side dish.

I even chopped up some Chinese herbs and tossed that into the mix. So, if you are a newbie with the herbs, this is a great recipe to start with…

I served a big bowl of it alongside some roasted salmon the other night for dinner. The next day we ate it with some chicken. I still have a bit left in my fridge and I’m going to dive in with a spoon and finish it off as soon as I’m done writing this post!

For another delicious idea for broccoli, check out my recipe for Creamy Broccoli And Mushroom Casserole.

chopped broccoli salad

This recipe has a bunch of healing ingredients:

Broccoli has a lot of potassium and is great for brain function; it also has magnesium and calcium to help regulate blood pressure. It’s also good to clear your body of excess heat and it actually can help your vision too. I love foods that make you feel better mentally as well as physically, and broccoli is one of those foods — it can lessen feelings of irritability.

Scallions, as I tell you often, are one of my favorites. In Chinese medicine, the root of the scallion is a healing herb (Cong Bai). I always keep scallions on hand in my refrigerator so that I can whip up a batch of cold and flu fighting tea (scallion roots and ginger) the second anyone feels that scratchy throat coming on. It helps the body sweat out toxins. Scallions are antiviral and antibacterial; they are good for the common cold and general nasal congestion — just don’t eat too many if you have a fever.

Cherries are one of the best foods to combat many types of arthritis and joint pain. Also, because cherries help improve circulation, they can be helpful for post-stroke patients. In Chinese medicine, we also believe that cherries help to maintain the body’s “essence” or life-force. I always keep a bottle of organic black cherry juice in the fridge and I often drink a few ounces before bedtime or put a little in my smoothies. I also keep bags of frozen cherries in the freezer. And when fresh cherries are in season, you can always find a big bowl in my kitchen. This recipe uses tart dried cherries — I love them and use them as a substitute for raisins in many recipes.

In Asian medicine, nuts are known to be good for your brain, heart, skin and reproductive system. Almonds are particularly nutritious. They are a good source of protein and they give you energy. And, they are gluten-free. Almonds will help relieve a cough and asthma and are also good for constipation.

Long Yan Rou (Longan Fruit) is a Chinese herb that can be found in many Asian markets. They are small, like berries and have a delicious and slightly smoky and sweet flavor. This wonderful herb is great for insomnia, heart palpitations, and memory.

Sunflower seeds help lower blood pressure and can relieve headaches and dizziness. In Eastern medicine we recommend eating sunflower seeds if a person is troubled by certain severe intestinal symptoms like dysentery, or intestinal worms or certain parasites. These seeds also contain calcium and magnesium and have anti-aging properties. In Chinese medicine they are often prescribed to get rid of rashes.

Raw apple cider vinegar is one of the most amazing ingredients available today. My husband and I really do take a big spoon of it every day along with our other supplements. It helps you maintain a healthy alkaline level in your body, detoxifies the liver, and is good for your heart. This vinegar helps intestinal function, much the way probiotics do. It also acts as an antacid and can help break down mucous in the body.

chopped broccoli salad

Chopped Broccoli Salad
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Recipe type: salad, vegetables,
Cuisine: raw, vegetarian
Author:
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 4-6
This is the perfect side-dish. The broccoli is chopped and combined with delicious and healthy fruit, nuts, and seeds. It's so easy and it's so much better than traditional cole slaw or potato salad!
Ingredients
  • 1 head broccoli, florets placed in food processor and chopped (stems saved for another use)
  • 2 scallions, sliced
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened dried tart cherries
  • ¼ cup raw almonds, chopped
  • ¼ cup Long Yan Rou (Longan Fruit), chopped (this is an optional Chinese herb)
  • 2 Tbs raw sunflower seeds (here are some organic ones)
  • 3 Tbs of a healthy mayonnaise (I love this one)
  • 2 tsp raw apple cider vinegar (this is the one I buy)
  • 1 Tbs coconut sugar (here's a good one)
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, mix together the chopped broccoli, scallions, cherries, almonds, Long Yan Rou (if using), and the sunflower seeds.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, and coconut sugar.
  3. Add the dressing to the broccoli mixture, stirring well, until combined.
  4. Enjoy!

chopped broccoli salad

Tomato And Herb Salad With Roasted Lemons

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You need roasted lemons in your life! Try this tomato and herb salad with roasted lemons.

tomato and herb salad with roasted lemons

When I was in cooking school we used to roast citrus fruits a lot… lately I’ve been seeing this technique making a comeback in lots of blogs. The one that inspired me most is from Epicurious, so a big thanks to them! And, now that I tried it in this salad, I remember why it’s so good.

If I had to pick one word to describe this salad it would be: “bright”. Because it is. It’s bright in color and it’s bright in flavor.

I made it the other day to have for lunch. The day kind of got away from me (as it often does) and all of a sudden it was time for dinner. So, while I ate this as a salad, I cooked some gnocchi for Steve and tossed them with lots of this salad. And yes, now that’s his new favorite dish: Gnocchi with Tomato And Herb Salad With Roasted Lemons…

When you slice up lemons, sweeten them, add some herbs, and then roast them, the most amazing thing happens… the lemon peels take on the best flavor and texture ever! I know to a lot of people it seems weird to eat the peels of the lemons, but believe me, this recipe will make you a big fan. I like to eat the rinds of citrus fruits whenever I can — I like the taste and the nutritional benefit is awesome. My favorite lemonade recipe includes the peels, so if you want to try another lemon-peel recipe, try my Strawberry Whole-Lemon Lemonade recipe.

In this salad, I’ve used lots of fresh herbs because the really taste great with the tart lemons. I love a dish that begs for lots of fresh herbs… it kind of puts me in my happy place!

tomato and herb salad with roasted lemons

Aside from the delicious brightness of this salad, here’s why you should try it:

Lemon peels contain calcium, potassium and vitamin C. Lemons are good for your stomach, they help detoxify your body, they balance your pH and they act as an antibacterial. If you have a sore throat or a cough, go for lemons to make things better. Lemons are great for quenching your thirst, and, in China, many years ago, hypertension was treated by drinking tea made from lemon peels.

In Chinese medicine, we use tomatoes to aid in digestion and to help detoxify the body. They are also good to combat excess cholesterol, lessen inflammation and curb asthma. Tomatoes can also quench thirst, and they can help fight some kidney infections.

Onions are great for your immune system; they are a natural antihistamine. Recently, I recommended that a patient with bronchitis put sliced raw onions in her socks when she went to sleep… she woke up so much better. (I know I’ve told you this before, but it really is awesome!) Onion is a superhero in the food world!

Cilantro is also known as Chinese Parsley. It is good for the common cold, indigestion, and energy flow in the body. An old Chinese remedy for the common cold and even for measles was to drink cilantro and mint tea. Cilantro is one of those herbs you either love or hate; I’m a lover…

Mint is a Chinese herb called Bo He. It’s one of the best things to fight a cold, sore throat, or fever and it’s good for some abdominal pains too.

tomato and herb salad with roasted lemons

 

Tomato And Herb Salad With Roasted Lemons
Print
Recipe type: salad
Cuisine: recipe inspired by:Epicurious
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 lemon, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced and seeds removed
  • 1 Tbs sliced fresh sage leaves
  • 1 tsp coconut sugar
  • 1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb multi-colored grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 2 Tbs roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 2 Tbs roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • For dressing:
  • 1 Tbs pomegranate molasses
  • ½ tsp allspice
  • 1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F Convection setting, or 350°F regular bake setting.
  2. Boil the lemon slices in a small pot of water for 1 minute.
  3. Drain the lemon slices and toss them in a small bowl with the sage, coconut sugar, and 1 Tbs of oil.
  4. Spread the slices onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and put them in the oven for 15- to 20- minutes or until they start to brown.
  5. Make the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
  6. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the onion, mint, and cilantro. Add the lemon slices.
  7. Toss with the dressing.
  8. Serve as a side salad or mix into a hot bowl of gnocchi for a real treat! Enjoy!

 

tomato and herb salad with roasted lemons