Spicy Buffalo Tempeh Salad with Corn Chow Chow, Cilantro Ranch & Avocado Fries

 This salad was inspired from Veggie Grill, a popular vegan chain in Southern California that recently made it's way to Oregon. While I don't mind fake meat every now and then, I prefer tempeh especially in buffalo wing sauce.

 Spicy buffalo tempeh, baked avocado wedges, southern corn chow chow, fresh greens, red onions and cilantro-lime ranch.

Buffalo Tempeh
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup vegan butter
1/4 cup agave
1 tsp garlic powder
extra virgin olive oil
1 lb tempeh, cut into strips
creole seasoning
salt and pepper

Combine the hot sauce, butter, agave, garlic powder and cayenne in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Season the tempeh with salt, pepper and creole seasoning. Brown in olive oil on all sides and toss in buffalo sauce while hot.


Corn Chow Chow
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
3 corn cobs, shucked
1/2 red onion, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, small dice
1/2 red bell pepper, small dice
1 celery stalk, minced
1 cup water
1 tbl agave
1 tbl apple cider vinegar
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp dry mustard powder
salt, to taste

Saute the corn, red onion, green and red bell pepper and celery in olive oil until the vegetables start to soften. Season with 1 tsp salt. Add the water, agave, vinegar, turmeric, celery seed and dry mustard. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Buffalo Salad
1 recipe buffalo tempeh
1 recipe corn chow chow
1 head romaine, roughly chopped
1 large tomato, seeded, small dice
1/2 red onion, small dice

Combine all of the ingredients and dress with cilantro ranch

Cilantro Ranch
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
3 tbl fresh minced cilantro
1 tbl lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
salt & pepper, to taste

Combine all in a blender and season to taste. Chill for at least 15 minutes for serving to allow flavors to meld.

Avocado Fries
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 heaping tbl all-purpose flour
2 tbl nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt
2 avocados, sliced into 8 pieces each
extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400. Place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up as well.
Combine the panko, flour, nutritional yeast and salt in a blender and grind into a fine powder.
Dredge each avocado slice with the flour mixture and let sit for 15 minutes.
Pull the sheet out of the oven and grease with baking spray.
Dredge one more time, shaking off excess flour and place on the hot baking sheet. Spray the tops with oil and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

California Chop Salad with Garden Goddess Dressing

I LOVE CHOP SALADS!!! I LOVE THIS SALAD!!
Every flavor and texture is present in this big bowl of happiness and I for one will be making this over and over again.

Bbq seitan, black radish, crispy tortilla strips, green goddess dressing, jicama, black beans and loads of fresh veggies and herbs piled high ready to be eaten.

Garden Goddess Dressing
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tbl vegan sour cream
1 scallion, green parts only, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 tbl water
2 tbl chopped, fresh cilantro
1 tbl chopped, fresh basil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Chill and allow the flavors to marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Crunchy Tortilla Strips
3 tbl canola oil
1 flour tortilla, folded into 4, thinly sliced
salt

Heat the oil and shallow fry the tortilla strips until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.

BBQ Seitan
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
8 oz seitan, small dice
salt and pepper
1 tsp tamari
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup favorite bbq sauce

Saute the seitan in olive oil for 5 minutes to start to crisp. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the tamari and continue cooking until the seitan is golden brown and crispy, 7 minutes more. Add the barbecue sauce and toss to coat. Cook 3-4 more minutes.

California Chop Salad
serves 4
1/2 head red leaf lettuce
2 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1 cup black beans
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup thin strips of jicama
1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
2 tbl chopped, fresh basil
Garden Goddess Dressing
BBQ Seitan
Crispy Tortilla Strips
1 black or red radish, thinly sliced
3 tbl favorite bbq sauce

Combine the lettuce, scallions, bell pepper, black beans, corn, jicama, cilantro and basil in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add some garden goddess dressing and toss.
Divide between 4 bowls. Top each with seitan, tortilla strips, radish and a drizzle of bbq sauce.

Golden Beet Carpaccio, Fried Green Tomatoes, House Dressing

Unripe, green tomatoes might be garbage to most people but to me they are perfect tomato steaks, ready to be coated in cornmeal and panko and pan fried until golden brown. Not only are they firm and juicy but if you can find them, farmer's are almost GIVING them away. I got three big green tomatoes for $1! I felt sort of bad, practically stealing these wallflowers of the tomato world right from the farmer's hands. But he had to know there were people like me out there, or else he wouldn't have bothered to bring any to sell. He gets my business and I reap the benefits!

Thinly roasted golden beets lightly seasoned with sea salt, pepper, fresh basil and ripe cherry tomatoes, served with crisp cornmeal crusted green tomatoes.

Golden Beet Carpaccio
2 golden beets, whole, ends trimmed
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup basil leaves, chiffonade
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375. Rub the beets with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast for 1 hour until tender. Once cool enough to handle, rub the skins off and let rest until cool.
Once cool, slice very thinly using a mandolin or knife. Serve with cherry tomatoes and basil, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Fried Green Tomatoes
2 cups unsweetened almond milk, divided
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper
3 green tomatoes, 1/2" slices
1/2 cup fine ground yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup ap flour
peanut oil for frying

In a bowl combine 1 cup of almond milk with vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the tomato slices and coat. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Create a dredging station with three bowls. One bowl with cornmeal and panko, one with flour and one with the remaining 1 cup of almond milk. Season each bowl with salt and pepper.
Dip each tomato slice in the flour first, shaking off any excess. Then drop in the milk and coat in cornmeal.
Heat a shallow layer of peanut oil to 360. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on a paper towel and season with salt immediately while still hot.

House Dressing (Ranch Dressing)
1 cup vegan mayo
2 tbl unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp salt
pinch black pepper
2 tbl chopped fresh parsley

Combine the mayo, milk, vinegar, garlic, onion, dill, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the parsley by hand. Chill for 15 minutes to allow for the flavors to meld. If it's too thick for you, add more almond milk to thin it out.