Get ready for the New Year by making this vibrant chard salad! I think 2013 is going to bring this new trend in my kitchen: raw chard salads. Is chard the new kale? (OK, they both rock as super greens.)
This Color Splash Raw Chard Salad is perky and fresh with ribbons of freshly chopped swiss chard, plunged in ice cold water to re-awaken the leaves. After I tossed the chard salad with a maple-lemon-cider-pepper dressing I added in some veggies like bell pepper and radish. Sweet apple and walnuts too. Diced avocado to line the bowl. Over top the raw greens I added BBQ sauteed shiitake mushrooms all spicy and tender - steaming hot from the pan. Then some tofu triangles and crispy-edged triangles of cheezy quesadillas to garnish the bowl. Dive into deliciousness - fork first! And dive into health for the 2013!..
Tossing the chard..
Raw chard salad - delish!..
BBQ shiitakes..
diced avocado rimming the bowl too..
tofu + quesadillas...
Falling in love with raw chard like me? Try my Christmas Tree Chard Salad too!
Color Splash Chard Salad
2 bunches green or rainbow organic swiss chard, sliced into ribbons
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
⅓ cup onion, chopped
⅓ cup sweet citrus, diced (satsuma, orange, grapefruit..) + pinch of zest
⅓ cup sliced radishes
1 small apple, thinly sliced
2-3 tablespoon raw walnuts, chopped
*really, you can add in so many goodies to this salad - whatever is in your fruit bowl or veggie drawers.
dressing:
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup, grade B
⅛ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
optional additional spices: garlic powder, coriander and/or dried pepper flakes to taste
*you could also try: 1 tablespoon tahini or white miso paste
also:
½ avocado, diced + tossed in lemon juice
BBQ Shiitakes
1 ¼ cups shiitakes, thinly sliced
¼ cup red onions, diced
¼ cup vegan BBQ sauce (any variety)
salt/pepper to taste
1 teaspoon safflower oil (for saute pan)
Tofu Triangles
1 block (12oz) extra firm tofu, pressed dry and sliced into triangles
salt, pepper and additional spices (to taste)
1-2 tablespoon vegan BBQ sauce
½ teaspoon safflower oil (for saute pan)
Cheezy Triangles
1 large vegan flour tortilla (you can sub with corn or gluten free or sprouted grain too)
⅓ cup vegan cheese shreds (any variety)
1 teaspoon safflower oil or 1 teaspoon vegan butter (for saute pan)
Directions:
1. Wash your chard very well and rinse in cold water. Slice into thin ribbons. Rinse again in ice cold water. Squeeze away any excess water. Add chard to a large mixing bowl. Prep all the veggies or fruit you will be adding to the salad.
2. Add the dressing ingredients to the chard in the large bowl, toss/massage well with your hands or salad tongs.
3. Fold the add-in salad veggies and fruit into the chard. (apples, radish, onion, citrus, bell pepper..) Also toss in the walnuts.
4. Pour the tossed chard salad into a serving bowl.
5. Dice avocado and toss with lemon juice. Add to edges of serving bowl.
6. Mushrooms: In a saute pan, add a teaspoon of safflower oil. When oil is hot, add the sliced shiitakes and onions and BBQ sauce. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add salt/pepper to taste. Allow to rest a few minutes before pouring over top the chard.
7. Tofu: In the same saute pan that you cooked the mushrooms in, add a splash of oil (no need to clean pan.) Add the tofu and BBQ sauce. Salt/pepper to taste and cook about 3 minutes on each side over high heat - until seared.
8. Add tofu over top the mushrooms.
9. Lastly, cook your quesadillas. Stuff tortillas with a few pinches of vegan cheese. Cook in either oil or vegan butter. Cook about 2 minutes on each side. Cheese should melt out the edges. Slice tortillas into triangles. Serve on the side of stick along the bowl edges.
Kathy Patalsky says
Thanks!!
Kathy Patalsky says
Yay and thank you for reading ! 🙂
Steven Sides says
This looks really good but man this old world is moving fast! It seems like only yesterday that kale was the new spinach!
Maria says
Your pictures are just amazing...actually I'm a newbie vegan gal & been gluten free for 3 years...I'm going to try a bunch of your recipes...keep them coming!!!
veganamericanprincess says
Just for the record, my kids LOVE the Organicville brand of Oririginal BBQ sauce. It's certified vegan and gluten free. This would work great with your tofu recipe. Amazing post!
Jessica Rumsey says
What brand of tofu do you use?
viper8888 says
yuummm, great stuff ur blog's are AWsuM and
the photo's are just amazingly great, thank's !!!!!
Sara Farr says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing!
Christina says
This salad looks incredible! I love all the vibrant colors.
bowsandcurtseys says
That is one good looking salad. SO trying this, ASAP! Thank you!
slywlf says
Wow! A feast for all the senses as well as a hungry stomach 😉 It never occurred to me to try chard raw, but now I most certainly will!
Kathy Patalsky says
There are many good vegan options at stores like whole foods. It really depends on if you like your BBQ sauce spicy or spicy and sweet, I like mine a bit sweet. You can also make BBQ sauce from scratch (recipe on my site) .. But since you asked, I used mamma's best sweet and spicy BBQ sauce. It is labeled vegan-friendly. It is pretty thick which is what I look for in store bought sauce.
Lani Strom says
What barbecue sauce did u use in this recipe? Want to make it right away and don't have any idea of good barbeque sauces
Kathy Patalsky says
It has a lively crisp yet tender silky texture - very silky like lettuce yet sturdy and rustic like kale. It keeps well in the fridge for about a day when marinated with dressing. Kale is s bit sturdier than chard. I love raw chard so much - I find it tastier than kale when eaten on its own (no dressing at all) .. And I love kale!
Kathy Patalsky says
Two to three people depending on how hungry you all are. And how many quesadillas you eat too.
marlies says
how many people would this serve as a main dish? it looks delish!
Niki says
Mmm this looks amazing! I still have yet to try raw chard.... Is it simillar to lettuce or more like kale?