MEATLESS MONDAY 8/27

A salad can be a satisfying meal for these warm late August evenings. With the range of market produce now available, you can transform a side salad of greens into a ‘dinner salad.’
For tonight’s dinner, I’m going to add some roasted cauliflower that I had cooked last night (I’ll sometimes cook an ingredient the night before I’ll be using it, particularly if I’m not planning to use the oven the next day). I cut up a head of cauliflower, tossed it lightly in olive oil, added some salt and pepper, and baked it on a sheet pan lined with foil. It baked at 375 for 25 minutes until lightly brown and tender. I transferred it to a storage container and now have it ready for tonight. I’m adding chickpeas and crisp romaine to the cauliflower and, after mixing in a homemade vinaigrette, my meal is complete.

I like the vinaigrette recipe below because the spicy greens add flavor and nutrients into the dressing. It is also versatile - delicious on fish, mixed into a grain salad, or even on a sandwich in lieu of plain mustard or mayonnaise.

You can substitute any greens for the watercress. Arugula, spinach, mustard greens all work well. Blanching the greens is optional – it tenderizes them and brings out flavor. It also eliminates some chopping – but if desired keep them raw and just lightly chop the greens before adding them to the blender.

Watercress Vinaigrette Dressing
1 cup watercress leaves
handful fresh mint leaves
handful fresh basil leaves
handful fresh parsley leaves
3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/3 cup ‘veganaise’ (eggless mayonnaise)
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch cayenne
salt and pepper

Cook watercress and herbs in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain in colander and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain again. Transfer greens to blender. Add yogurt and all remaining ingredients and puree until smooth, thinning with more yogurt or water, if desired. Transfer dressing to bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.