Maybe you’ve heard about the health benefits of soy. It’s a protein-packed nutrition bomb, loaded with flavonoids that may help reduce the incidence of cancers and rich in fiber and other vitamin and minerals. But tofu just sounds really unappealing. Try some edamame! This is the whole soybean, which comes in pods similar to peas, with a firm texture that makes a great addition to salads, pastas, casseroles or even just on its own.
Ingredients:
For the salad:
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cucumber, deseeded and sliced into half moons
1 head of romaine, shredded
2 cups of frozen edamame, thawed
1 to 2 carrots, sliced or peeled into ribbons
1 cup shredded red cabbage
3 scallions, sliced
5 to 7 fresh basil leaves, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Salt & pepper to taste
1 jalapeño, sliced for garnish
Sesame Cashew Lime Dressing
For the dressing:
1/4 cup cashew butter
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp sriracha
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ginger powder or fresh grated ginger
Juice of one lime
1/4 tsp lime zest (optional)
2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 to 4 Tbsp or more of water
In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients minus water and whisk to combine. The dressing will get thick as you mix to combine, at this stage add 1 tablespoon at a time of water while whisking until you reach your desired dressing consistency.
In a large salad bowl, combine bell pepper, cucumber, romaine, carrots, red cabbage, scallions, basil, cilantro, edamame, almonds and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pour in half the dressing and give everything a toss to coat. Pour in more dressing if desired or reserve for pouring more when serving. Makes 3 to 4 servings.
Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 2 cups salad (mixed with all the dressing)
Calories: 337; Fat: 18.7g; Carbs: 29.9g; Fiber: 8.2g; Protein: 14.2g; Sodium: 533mg
Adapted from: Edamame Crunch Salad with Sesame Cashew Lime Dressing – Plant Based RD (plantbasedrdblog.com)
