For April 2023, I selected a delicious vegan salad, Spring Salad with Edamame, Cucumbers. Snow Peas and Tofu Croutons. This salad can be a meal or a side dish.
It’s the perfect salad for spring. The green, red, and purple of the mixed greens give it color along with the lighter green of the cucumber, edamame, and snow peas.
Also, the tofu croutons resemble traditional croutons adding a light golden-brown topping.
Here is the link for the recipe:
It’s easy to make, and most of the ingredients may already be in your kitchen. If not, they are inexpensive and readily available at the grocery store or market.
If you aren’t a fan of tofu, the soy/ginger flavoring used to coat the tofu might just win you over. If you’re still a ”no,” you can substitute regular croutons and use diced chicken or jackfruit in its place. But seriously, try the tofu.
Before I switched to a plant-based diet, tofu was not on my list of favorite foods. It took a while experimenting with different recipes before it won a spot on my shopping list.
It’s important to follow the directions for draining the tofu and pressing out the extra liquid. Just because it’s not dripping wet like canned beans or vegetables, doesn’t mean it doesn’t contain excess water. Draining and pressing it will make your tofu crisp better and improve its ability to absorb the flavors of the spices of your dish.
It takes about 20 minutes to remove the excess water and another 20 minutes to brown the tofu in the oven, so you can do all your other prep work while you’re waiting.
The link to this recipe provides nutritional information.
I didn’t make any substitutions, but I made my own sesame ginger dressing because there wasn’t a recipe provided for that. I basically used the ingredients used to flavor the tofu and added sesame seeds, lemon juice, black pepper, champagne vinegar, and a little canola oil to go with the sesame oil. You can use a store-bought dressing or find a quick and easy recipe online. Sometimes I prefer to wing it.
You could also add chopped walnuts, almonds, or mandarin orange slices for color and flavor. Have fun with this recipe. I did, and it is definitely on my list of recipes I will be making again.
Next month, I will be making Southwestern Bean salad.
The Twelve Months of Salads - 2023
January – Celery Salad with Apples
February - Strawberry Avocado Salad
March – Spring Pea, Asparagus, and Mint Salad
April - Spring Salad with Edamame, Cucumbers. Snow Peas and Tofu Croutons
May – Southwestern Bean Salad
June – Salad Niçoise
July – Blueberry Cucumber Summer Salad with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette
August – Italian Pasta Salad
September – Chicken Garden Salad with ranch dressing
October – Kale, Butternut Squash, and Pomegranate Salad
November – Hearty Farro Salad
December – Vegan Soba Noodle Salad