Salads Should Be Satisfying

When I make a salad, I make a S-a-l-a-d. No skimping here.

Salads often get a bad rap for being associated with dieting and weight loss. People seem to think, “Oh you’re trying to lose weight? Eat a salad!”, but eating salad is not the be-all and end-all to losing weight.

Moreover, when trying to lose weight, another widely engrained thought pattern is that you need to eat LESS to shed the pounds. So, what do you do? You set off on your weight loss journey with skimpy salads that leave you hungry and grumpy an hour (or maybe less) after eating.

It’s exactly this mentality and diet-pattern that tends to send people into binge-mode - eating in excess as the body attempts to make up for the nutrients missed in the previous meal, and then some.

You know what I’m talking about - those salty chips you’d been eyeing suddenly become irresistible or you were going to order a fruit cup but before you know it you’re devouring a donut. This is typically followed by a sense of post-binge guilt and disappointment for falling off the diet wagon, sending you right back to that skimpy salad that started the downward spiral in the first place.

Something is wrong with this picture, don’t you think? We can’t allow this mindset to continue!

Haven’t you heard that old quote?

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result.”

This is insanity people! So, I am here to put an end to skimpy salads. You’re welcome.

Now That’s My Kind of Salad

My kind of salad is a hefty delicious colorful bowl full of greens, beautiful veggies, grains, legumes, protein and toppings that first appeals to the eyes, then taste, and leaves me full, satisfied, and satiated.

That being said, an entree salad - a salad that is meant to fulfill a meal, that is - should always incorporate the following components:

Protein - This is going to help keep you full. Legumes, tempeh, and tofu are great sources of plant-based proteins. Fish, meat, and eggs are good options for the non plant-based route.
Healthy Fat - For added fiber and to help keep you full even longer. Some ideas for healthy fats include: nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil. Healthy fats should be had in moderation - they have more calories/gram than proteins and carbs (9 cal/g for fats vs. 4 cal/g for carbs and proteins).
Carbs - Yes, I know this is a scary word these days, but newsflash - vegetables are carbs! And like your mother always said, you have to eat your vegetables. Here are some suggestions:
1. LOTS of greens - there is no reason to skimp on lettuce…it’s lettuce
2. Additional veggies and/or fruits - depending on the salad vibe you’re going for, these can vary and help keep salads from getting boring. A pop of color is always a nice touch!
3. Starchy veggies - I especially love these in the fall and winter - sweet potato and butternut squash, anyone?
4. Grains - quinoa and brown rice are great options, but there are many others! P.S. These bump up your protein too!
Dressing - Dressing ties it all together and provides an extra yumminess factor for your salad. Make it indulgent with a creamy dressing or keep it light with simple olive oil and balsamic. Whatever you do, read the ingredients before buying pre-made dressing from the store - things to watch out for include: added sugar, processed oils, trans fats, additives, and anything you can’t pronounce.

Okay, on to the recipe already

I’m going to be honest here, I did not measure out all of the ingredients I used for this salad (whoops!). I am going to provide the ingredients list and estimate measurements for 2 salads worth, but really the key here is:

Include as many veggies as you want (no skimping!)
Don’t leave out any of the key components that make this an entree salad

P.S. Don’t let this long list of ingredients scare you away! You probably have some of these things on hand already and can save time by buying pre-washed and pre-cut veggies when available.

Vegan Chopped Thai Tempeh Salad with Peanut Dressing

Adapted from A Sweet Pea Chef’s Chopped Thai Salad Recipe and Once Upon A Chef’s Thai Peanut Dressing

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

*Note: I recommend using organic ingredients whenever possible

For the Dressing

1/4 cup unsweetened peanut butter
3 tbsp coconut or avocado oil
2 tbsp vinegar (white, apple, or unseasoned rice vinegar)
2 tbsp fresh lime juice (approx. 1 lime)
2 tbsp coconut aminos
2 tbsp coconut nectar or agave (sub honey for non-vegan version)
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp chili flakes

For the Salad

4 cups baby kale, finely chopped
1.5 cups cabbage blend, finely chopped (I love Trader Joe’s pre-washed/cut organic blend with carrots)
1.5 cups edamame, shelled
1 cup white quinoa, cooked per instructions
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
4 Persian cucumbers, diced
Cilantro to top
Chili flakes to top

For the Tempeh

1 package tempeh, thinly sliced width-wise and cut in half length-wise (see image)
2 tbsp coconut oil
4 tbsp coconut aminos

Directions

First, start the quinoa - cook according to package instructions.

While that is cooking, get the dressing going. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Simple!

For the salad, combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Easy!

For the tempeh, warm pan on medium-high heat. Add coconut oil and the coconut aminos. Place tempeh pieces in one layer on the pan. Sauté until browned, then flip pieces to sauté the other side. Take off heat and set aside to serve on top of the salad.

If eating right away, mix dressing into salad and toss to cover evenly. Distribute into two bowls and place half the tempeh on top of each salad. Sprinkle with chili flakes and cilantro and enjoy!

If saving for later, keep dressing on the side until ready to enjoy.