This easy and appetizing black bean and tomato salad adds color and crunch to the plate. Use gluten-free croutons if need be, or replace with sautéed cubes of prepared polenta. Serve this delicious recipe with grain dishes and pastas, or simple quesadillas or soft tacos. Add some sautéed greens or steamed broccoli and you've got a great weekday meal! Adapted from Vegan Express. Photo by Susan Voisin, FatFree Vegan Kitchen. [Read more...]

Here's an easy salad with a Southwestern flair. A tasty combo of avocado and pinto beans, this goes well with simple quesadillas and other tortilla specialties that don't themselves contain beans. This also makes a great portable lunch along with stoneground tortilla chips and some seasonal fruit. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky. [Read more...]

Light-tasting yet substantial, this cool couscous or quinoa and black bean salad gets its spark from fresh herbs, tomatoes, and olives.This is a delicious accompaniment to grilled vegetables. If you have some parsley left over, boost the herb-alliciousness of the salad with Parsley Salad Dressing. Photos by Evan Atlas. [Read more...]

Featuring the companionable flavors of fresh green beans, navy beans, and cucumber, here's a lively, refreshing salad, perfect for picnics, potlucks, and casual company buffets. Use the recommended amounts of fresh herbs as a guideline - the more, the better! Photos by Evan Atlas. [Read more...]

When you have some leftover brown rice, this main-dish rice and bean salad, filled with great southwestern flavors, is a super way to make use of it. Plus, it's a snap to make. With some vegan quesadillas or nachos, and a green vegetable, this becomes the centerpiece of an enjoyable everyday meal. [Read more...]

Black beans, diced mango, and avocado taste heavenly together in this delicious salad recipe. Fresh, perfectly ripe mangos are best, of course, but they're not always in season and occasionally unreliable. Once in a while I like to take the guesswork out of mangos and use canned (organic), which is akin to using canned pineapple-you know exactly what you're going to get. Otherwise, tiny clementine sections work well to give little bursts of fruity flavor. [Read more...]

This appealing mix of yellow summer squash, green beans and chickpeas is especially welcome when slender fresh green beans are abundant. It makes a great summer salad that can be a main dish, served with crusty bread and fresh corn, or as a side dish for vegan quesadillas or grain dishes.

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We can't seem to get enough of tabbouli-style salad. Though the traditional recipe calls for couscous or bulgur, quinoa tabbouli salad is fantastic (bonus - it becomes gluten-free). You can use red, tan, or black quinoa, or a combination. Embellished with black beans, this makes a high-protein salad that's hearty enough to be a main dish, especially for a summer meal. Delicious served with hummus, rice-stuffed grape leaves, and fresh pita. Photos by Evan Atlas. [Read more...]

This massaged kale salad is packed with healthy greens, protein rich black beans, hearty rice, and fresh veggies. All topped with a savory and sweet orange-miso dressing. It makes for a healthy lunch, side, or a deliciously light weeknight meal.

I love taking salads to the next level. Because no one likes a boring salad, right? So I do my best to keep my salads filling, flavorful and also high in protein.

That's why I think autumn and winter are actually my favorite times of year for salads. With a kale salad like this one, you can enjoy an abundance of vegetables while using a carb-y base to make the overall dish super cozy and comforting.

Just add a simple yet delicious dressing, and that's lunch or dinner sorted!

What I love about this particular kale salad is just how simple it is to throw together in just about 25-30 minutes (or even less if you have pre-cooked rice on hand).

I actually first came up with this dish when I had a bunch of leftover veggies in the fridge. Falling in love with the outcome, I tested it once more with a delicious orange-miso dressing - and it was perfect!

This massaged kale salad is:

• Delicious and packed full of flavor
• Vegan friendly!
• Easy to make, with simple ingredients and dressing
• Gluten-free
• Oil-free
• Comforting and cozy
• Ideal for a weeknight dinner.
• Made from whole, minimally processed ingredients
• Versatile - add whatever other veggies you fancy!

This kale salad works really well as a side dish for Christmas and Thanksgiving, or other family get togethers.

It's also a great make ahead or vegan meal prep recipe. And I personally love eating this as a post-workout meal!

How to Make the Salad

Start by cooking your rice according to the instructions on the packaging. This usually takes around 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, massage the kale for 2-3 minutes to shrink it down and soften it up. (This is where the recipe gets its name!) Then stir in the tahini and a pinch of salt.

Next, prepare the dressing by stirring together fresh orange juice, miso paste and apple cider vinegar. Add a pinch of salt, to taste.

Once the rice is ready, add it to a large mixing bowl with the black beans, kale, tomatoes, purple cabbage, cucumber and red onion.

When you're just about ready to serve the black bean salad, stir in the dressing, transfer to serving plates and enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

Experiment by adding any other vegetables you have in the fridge. Think zucchini, bell pepper, other types of lettuce or greens. They all work!

If you want the salad less sweet and more tangy, replace the orange juice with the equivalent amount of lemon or lime juice.

You can keep this black bean salad in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Although, it's best to store the dressing separate from the salad, so it doesn't get soggy.

More Recipes to Try

If you love this massaged kale salad, be sure to check out these other vegan recipes:

• Massaged Kale Salad with Cranberries and Cashews
• White Bean and Kale Skillet
• Kale Caesar Salad
• Chickpea and Kale Sandwich Spread

Recipe

Massaged Kale Salad with Orange-Miso Dressing

5 from 1 vote

This massaged kale salad is packed with healthy greens, protein rich black beans, hearty rice, and fresh veggies. All topped with a savory and sweet orange-miso dressing. It makes for a healthy lunch, side, or a deliciously light weeknight meal.

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Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 servings

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Ingredients

• 1 cup white rice uncooked
• 2 cups kale chopped
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• salt to taste
• 1 can black beans 15oz, drained and rinsed
• 8-9 vine ripened tomatoes medium, chopped
• ½ cup red cabbage chopped
• ½ large cucumber chopped
• ½ red onion medium

For the dressing

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon brown rice miso paste
• juice of 1 small orange
• salt to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Cook the rice according to instructions on packaging. This usually takes 25-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, massage the kale for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the tahini.
• To make the dressing, stir together the apple cider vinegar, brown rice miso paste, orange juice and salt in a small mixing bowl.
• Once the rice is cooked, stir it together with the kale, black beans, tomatoes, red cabbage, cucumber and red onion. Add the dressing immediately before serving.

Nutrition (Estimate per Serving)

Calories: 538kcalCarbohydrates: 107gProtein: 17gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 180mgPotassium: 1845mgFiber: 9gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 11102IUVitamin C: 165mgCalcium: 215mgIron: 4mg

Vegan-ize any recipe!Grab our free vegan cheat sheet, packed with my favorite easy substitutions to make any recipe vegan.

Serve this hearty Chickpea Salad with Zucchini, Vegan Mozzarella, and Basil on its own or as a first course preceding a lighter pasta dinner (see some tempting possibilities in Pasta on the Lighter Side). If you're a basil fan, use as much as you'd like. If not, substitute another herb, like parsley for the basil in the recipe. [Read more...]

This is one of my favorite things to make in the late summer - a gorgeous platter of roasted vegetables. And it's way less work than it may seem at first glance.

These roasted veggies are an extravaganza of flavor, and though it's perfect for late summer or early fall, with these particular veggies there's no reason you can't make it year-round.

Simply substitute whatever veggies are in season near you - mushrooms, summer squash, green beans, asparagus are all great choices.

For a heartier meal, you can serve these roasted summer veggies over rice or couscous. Just increase the amount of marinade a bit!

Recipe

Roasted Summer Vegetables

5 from 3 votes

These Roasted Summer Vegetables are an extravaganza of flavor, and though it's perfect for late summer or early fall, with these particular veggies there's no reason you can't make it year-round.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

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Ingredients

Marinade

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon salt-free seasoning such as Spike or Mrs. Dash
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

Veggies

• 2 long Japanese eggplants about 1 pound, sliced ½ inch thick (see Note)
• ½ medium red onion cut into thick slices
• ½ medium zucchini sliced
• 1 medium yellow or red bell pepper cut into large chunks
• 4 small tomatoes such as Roma, quartered
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 to 4 ounces mixed baby greens optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 °F. Line a roasting pan with parchment
• Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl and stir together.
• Combine the eggplants and onions in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with about half of the marinade. Transfer to the roasting pan and roast for 10 minutes.
• Combine the zucchini and peppers in the mixing bowl. Drizzle with the remaining marinade and add to the roasting pan; stir together with the eggplants and onion. Roast for 10 minutes longer.
• Add the tomatoes and continue to roast until all the vegetables are tender and touch with brown.
• Remove from the oven and transfer back to the mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley.
• Line a large platter with the baby greens if desired. Arrange the roasted vegetables over them. Serve at once, or let cool to room temperature before serving.

Notes

Note: If you can't find Japanese eggplants, substitute any small eggplant (try white or the magenta and white streaked varieties), quartered lengthwise.

Nutrition (Estimate per Serving)

Calories: 122kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 15mgPotassium: 681mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1536IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg

Vegan-ize any recipe!Grab our free vegan cheat sheet, packed with my favorite easy substitutions to make any recipe vegan.

Farro is a nutty, hearty ancient grain well-loved in Italian cuisine. It's perfect in pilafs and substantial salads like this farro asparagus salad, embellished with other spring-y veggies. it takes a good 30 minutes to cook, much like brown rice, but you can look for quick-cooking farro, which cuts the cooking time in half. Serve as a side-by-side entrée with a warm or cold bean dish. Leftovers are excellent for the next day's lunch for home or work. Photos by Evan Atlas. [Read more...]

Beans aren't the only member of the legume family worth celebrating. Lentils, packed with fiber and protein, are just as nutritious. Plus they cook up-no soaking required-in only 15 to 20 minutes. A French ami shared her mother's traditional recipe for lentil salad with me years ago. This simple salad, seasoned with a French vinaigrette, is classic dish in France. It makes a wonderful, protein-rich highlight of any meal. Because the flavors continue to meld, it's also great the next day. Recipe from Plant-Powered for Life: Eat Your Way to Lasting Health with 52 Simple Steps and 125 Delicious Recipes, © 2014 Sharon Palmer. Reprinted with permission from The Experiment.

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