Main course salad is a mainstay of my diet especially on warmer days. It was more than a little disappointing that in just one week we enjoyed mild days of 20C before plummeted back to below freezing with added snow. It felt like adding insult to injury after the harsh winter we endured. No matter. I had my heart set on spring and I made it happen on my dinner plate.
Lucky for me, I was in no shortage of great ingredients that evoke memories of sultry evenings. Last Friday I went to Whole Foods with much anticipation. It was their annual one day sale on champagne mangoes. $9 for a case of 16 large juicy mangoes! I bought a case with a mix of both ripe and under-ripe ones, some for eating out of hand and others for green mango salad. An abundance of tropical fruit in April felt like an affordable luxury.
I created a kale green mango salad with toasted tempeh for dinner earlier this week. Without the smidgen of fish sauce I added to the peanut lime dressing, this is a vegan main source salad high on flavour and dense in nutrients. Did I also mention it was made in 15 minutes flat?
Let me take you through the simple steps.
- Empty a 5oz box of pre-washed kale into your food processor. Pulse until they turn to shreds.
- Empty shredded kale into large mixing bowl. Rinse your food processor bowl clean.
- Peel and cut a green mango into matchsticks. Add to mixing bowl.
- Cut an 8oz piece of tempeh into cubes. Toast until crispy in toaster oven.
- While tempeh is toasting, add quick pickled carrot and daikon to mixing bowl.
- Chop a huge handful of cilantro and add to mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of natural chunky peanut butter, 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 2 teaspoons of honey. Thin with water if necessary.
- Add toasted tempeh to salad bowl and toss with peanut lime dressing until evenly coated.
- Serve in big bowls topped with fried shallot. You can get about 3-4 servings depending on appetite.
I love the hint of Southeast Asian flavours while knowing that I am eating something completely healthy. Tempeh is a rich source of plant-based protein and that is why I always keep a package in the fridge. The combination of dark leafy greens and vitamin-rich mango help to bring this salad to a complete meal. I simply adore all the crunchy texture with the sweet tart taste. I think it is fair to say that I will make this salad again when the weather is truly sultry rather than just my fanciful thinking.
