One way to uplevel just about any meal is to add a delicious and nutritious plant-based dressing or sauce. Carrot Ginger Dressing is bursting with flavor while adding healing carotenoids from the carrots, gingerol from the ginger, and prebiotic fiber from the shallots. Not to mention, the dressing is over-the-top scrumptious! Drizzle it over dark leafy greens, like kale, then add all of your favorite colorful veggies like radish, cucumber, beets, and avocado. Or, get creative by using any veggies growing in your backyard or that you need to use from the fridge!
2tbspcoconut aminos or organic reduced-sodium tamari
2tbsporganic rice vinegar
⅓cupwater
Kale
4cupsorganic kale (finely chopped)
1tspextra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil or lemon juice
¼tspsalt (optional)
⅛tspground black pepper (optional)
Other Veggies
1cupbeets (scrubbed and shredded)
1cupcarrots (washed and shredded)
½cupcucumber (cubed)
½cupradish (sliced)
½avocado (seed removed and cubed)
1batch Miso Onion Chickpeas (optional, link in Chef’s Notes)
2tbspsesame seeds
Directions
1
Make the Carrot Ginger Dressing: Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Taste for additional flavors of choice (more ginger for spice, an additional tablespoon of shallots for pungency, or more coconut aminos for umami flavor).
2
Make the kale: Add the kale to a large bowl. Add a teaspoon of olive oil or lemon juice. With clean hands, massage the kale until tender, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired.
3
Add the beets, carrots, cucumber, and radish to the bowl with the kale and mix.
4
Pour ½ cup of dressing onto the salad and stir well.
5
Divide between two bowls and sprinkle with the Miso Onion Chickpeas, if desired, and sesame seeds.
6
Add more dressing, if desired.
Chef's Notes
Substitutions In place of kale, use spinach, arugula, or other leafy green of choice. Note that you won’t have to massage other greens that are more tender than kale.
Instead of olive oil use flax oil for omega-3 fatty acids.
Use jicama in place of cucumber.
For the radish, use red or watermelon radish.
Substitute cooked (but not roasted) chickpeas in place of the Miso Onion Chickpeas.
Prep Ahead Prepare the dressing ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Prepare the chickpeas ahead of time and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 48 hours. (However, these are best when added to the salad hot and crispy! They’ll soften as they’re stored unless reheated.)
Storage Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Ingredients
Carrot Ginger Dressing
1cupcarrots (roughly chopped)
1tbspginger (roughly minced)
3tbspshallot (roughly chopped)
1tbsporganic miso (mellow white or chickpea)
1tbsptahini
2tbspcoconut aminos or organic reduced-sodium tamari
2tbsporganic rice vinegar
⅓cupwater
Kale
4cupsorganic kale (finely chopped)
1tspextra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil or lemon juice
¼tspsalt (optional)
⅛tspground black pepper (optional)
Other Veggies
1cupbeets (scrubbed and shredded)
1cupcarrots (washed and shredded)
½cupcucumber (cubed)
½cupradish (sliced)
½avocado (seed removed and cubed)
1batch Miso Onion Chickpeas (optional, link in Chef’s Notes)
2tbspsesame seeds
Directions
1
Make the Carrot Ginger Dressing: Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Taste for additional flavors of choice (more ginger for spice, an additional tablespoon of shallots for pungency, or more coconut aminos for umami flavor).
2
Make the kale: Add the kale to a large bowl. Add a teaspoon of olive oil or lemon juice. With clean hands, massage the kale until tender, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired.
3
Add the beets, carrots, cucumber, and radish to the bowl with the kale and mix.
4
Pour ½ cup of dressing onto the salad and stir well.
5
Divide between two bowls and sprinkle with the Miso Onion Chickpeas, if desired, and sesame seeds.
