This salad is a frequent flier with us. It's stellar as a side salad - I like to make a big batch of it and eat it over a few days with whatever else we're eating - but it's also hearty enough to take the main stage for lunch or dinner, especially when served with tofu.
Although you only need 1 cup of peanut sauce for this salad, I always make 4 cups at a time because it keeps well in a glass jar in the fridge. You can use this sauce for this same salad in the future, on other salads, or as a veggie dip for adults and kids alike. Our 20-month-old son likes it mixed in with his quinoa and uses it as a dip for veggies like carrots and spinach leaves. Thank you to the good people over at ambitiouskitchen.com for the recipe!
Ingredients for Salad:
1 cup shredded red cabbage*
1 cup shredded carrots*
1 cup cooked, cool quinoa
1 diced bell pepper, red or orange
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup diced green onion
1/2 cup cashews
lime wedges for serving
* I use a food processor with a shredding attachment to do this most of the time.
Ingredients for Ginger Peanut Sauce - Makes 4 cups:
1 cup peanut butter (100% peanut butter - no added sugar)
3/4 cup Bragg's Amino Acids
1/4 cup honey or agave nectar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (or avocado or olive oil if you don't have sesame)
2-3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
up to 3/4 cup water for thinning, if needed
Optional Toppings and Ad-ins:
sautéed tofu
1 cup sprouted lentils (click here for my post on how to sprout lentils)
1 cup edamame
1 cup garbanzo beans
Directions:
1. If you don't have any cooked quinoa already handy, cook some quinoa first. It should be cool before you add it to the salad.
2. Make the sauce by mixing all the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor. You'll want to mix at a high level for several seconds to make sure the ginger breaks down and for the oil to evenly disperse.
3. Other than the cashews and limes, mix all salad ingredients (including cooled quinoa) in a large bowl. Add 1 cup of peanut sauce and mix until everything is evenly coated.
4. Top with cashews and lime juice.
5. Pour the rest of the peanut sauce into a glass jar to store in the refrigerator.
Serve: Topping this salad with cashews and limes is a good start but you could also...
... serve it over a bed of greens.
... top it with sautéed tofu.
... mix in 1 cup of edamame, garbanzo beans, or sprouted lentils.
Let us know YOUR favorite way to eat it!