I don’t know about you, but I often find my inspiration lagging when it comes to summertime meals. I think it’s mostly because it just feels too hot to cook. But this summer I have been experimenting with a few new recipes (and one old one) that have given me some fresh ideas about what to have for dinner. The catch is that they’re a little funky–or at least you might think that when you look at the ingredient lists. But try them out and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. I was!
Tempeh Salad
When I asked a good friend for some recipe inspiration recently, she suggested I try this salad. I was a little dubious at first. I mean, I like tempeh, I like pickles, I like cucumbers, and I like dill. But all together? I wasn’t so sure. Needless to say, we’ve already made it twice, even serving it to some other friends who also liked it and asked for the recipe!
1 pound tempeh (2 packages)1 c vegan Mayo2/3 c dill pickles, chopped1-2 cucumbers, chopped or sliced About 1/4 c fresh dill, chopped1-2 T tamari/soy sauce1 T dijon mustard2 t apple cider vinegarpepper to tasteChop tempeh into cubes and steam for about 10 minutes. While steaming, combine other ingredients. Let tempeh cool a bit, then stir into other ingredients. Chill and enjoy. I serve it over a bed of lettuce, but I think it could also work in a wrap.
‘Chuna’ + Rice Salad
I have had this recipe for years and always really enjoyed it. When I went vegan it took a bit of experimenting to perfect a vegan version of it, but I think I’ve finally done it. It’s another one of those recipes where you think ‘apple, tuna/chuna, curry powder, huh?’ But it works!
1/2 c sliced celery
1/3 c sliced scallions with tops
1 tart apple (ie Granny Smith), chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/2 c dried cherries or raisins
2 c cold cooked rice (make the day before)
1 can chickpeas
1 package Good Catch or other Plant-Based Tuna
6-8 sheets of nori seaweed, finely chopped
1/2 c vegan mayo
2 t lemon juice
1/2 – 1 t curry powder (depending on how fresh it is or how much you like curry powder!)
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
Combine vegan mayo and curry powder together first. Then add all other ingredients and mix well. Chill and serve.
Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad
Anybody else have a bumper crop of cucumbers in their garden this summer? Another friend brought over this asian-style salad last week and it was a hit. (And he was nice enough to take a picture of it for me, above.) The toasted sesame oil is what makes this recipe for me. Yum.
Vegan Sunflower Seed Tuna Salad
The ‘funk’ in this recipe comes from the soaked sunflower seeds, which have a bit of a funky smell. Trust me, though, it goes away when you combine them with all the other ingredients. I like this as a part of a vegan nicoise salad or in a wrap, and have even eaten it for lunch on Triscuits. Just FYI, to make it more like how I remember tuna salad tasting, I cut the amounts of parsley and dill in half and add chopped pickle.
If you liked this blog post, I think you’ll also like this one and this one!
Check out more of my favorite healthy recipes in the Plant-Based Nutrition category of my Wellness Blog.
Healthy Summertime Breakfast Inspiration